Television season just started and we already have seen some stunning opening titles in 2016. Here are some ones that are at the top of our list.

The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert

Black Sheep Films

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Argentinian filmmaker Fernando Livschitz creates a stunning portrayal of New York City as a miniature playland with tilt shift aerial shots and stop motion photography.

Mozart in the Jungle, Season 2

Chips

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Amazon original series “Mozart in the Jungle” made waves with its ambitious Season 2 series of episodic opening title sequences. Beauty is in the simplicity of each animation, made of basic shapes and vibrant colors, capturing motion and music. The style is reminiscent of 1965 animated short, “The Dot and The Line: A Romance of Lower Mathematics” directed by Chuck Jones, of a straight line that falls in love with a dot.

Stranger Things

Contend / Imaginary Forces

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The nostalgic Stranger Things logo was made by Contend and then animated by Imaginary Forces in their raved about opening title sequence. A combination of type and motion with nods to the iconic 80s horror/sci-fi genre score makes this piece one of the most beloved of 2016. Check out our article on the process observations for the Stranger Things titles sequence.

Luke Cage

Elastic

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Marvel’s latest Netflix original series opens with a raw and beautifully gritty look at New York’s Harlem neighborhood, created by Elastic Studios. Woven together by slow motion punches, the sepia-toned sequence moves like molasses with impeccable photography, 3D elements, light, and particles with sweeping cross dissolves.

Westworld

Elastic

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HBO’s latest fan favorite, Westworld, has an eerie title sequence of life at the hands of a 3D printer deity. In a recent interview with Vulture, Clair describes the pure white plastic as a perfect juxtaposition of the dusty, dirty Wild West. The creative team received footage and photography of the show and recreated every shot digitally to keep a consistent aesthetic.

The Path

BrosFX

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With impeccable mastery of the fine arts, the team at Brosfx creates a stunning hand-painted animation for Hulu original series “The Path.” Every frame could hang proudly in an art gallery, under the direction of Michal Socha.

Race for the White House

Sixfingers Studio

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This timely CNN documentary mini-series opens with a sequence that beautifully integrates inked images on parchment paper morphing through history as the constitution comes to life. Creative Director and Animator Dave Penn of Sixfingers, uses Cinema 4D and After Effects to travel through time throughout the United State’s most historic presidential races.

The Night Manager

Elastic Studios

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One of the most breathtaking opening titles of this year was created by Patrick Clair of Elastic; a project he recently described to Motionographer as a “juxtaposition of luxury and weaponry.” Angel wing flares morph into gaudy pearls and chandeliers burst into atom bombs in this motion graphic masterpiece whose aesthetic thrives off of “imagery of conflict.” Clair says his initial brainstorming process consisted of taking computer generated weapon assets and treating them as if they were in a perfume ad. The result is a stunning opening that perfectly sets the stage for AMC’s mini-series The Night Manager, that is entirely computer generated.

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