PROJECT
graphic animated main title sequence
STREAMER
Amazon
STUDIO
Hello Sunshine
Amazon MGM
Shine designed, illustrated, edited, and animated the main title sequence for Lucky, the Apple TV+ series based on Marissa Stapley's best-selling novel. Inspired by the look of a gritty black-and-white graphic novel, the sequence follows Lucky as she moves through a series of elaborate cons, constantly evaluating the people around her in search of her next mark. A bold animated red line serves as the visual thread that connects each scene, guiding the viewer through her dangerous and unpredictable world.
The sequence was conceived as a fast-moving graphic narrative, using bold compositions and cinematic transitions to reveal Lucky's instincts, intelligence, and survival skills. Rather than relying on traditional character moments, each vignette becomes a visual metaphor for the way Lucky reads people, calculates risk, and disappears into her next identity. The striking contrast between stark black-and-white imagery and the vibrant red line creates a distinctive graphic language that is both elegant and suspenseful.
The creative process began with conceptual sketches created in Procreate on the iPad. Dozens of visual ideas were explored to discover the strongest graphic approach for introducing Lucky's character and the tone of the series. These early sketches established the visual storytelling, pacing, and transitions long before the final artwork was created.
Once the visual direction was established, the illustrations were refined in Procreate and Adobe Photoshop into detailed black-and-white graphic artwork with a gritty, hand-crafted quality. The animated red line became the central storytelling device, weaving through each composition to connect one con to the next while visually representing Lucky's thought process as she identifies her next target.
Many different visual ideas were explored.
The layered Procreate artwork was brought into After Effects, where the team created the sequence’s 2D animation. Individual elements were separated and animated independently, allowing still illustrations to bend, shift, collide, and transform while preserving the handmade quality of the original drawings. 3D models were incorporated to create a collage of 2D and 3D graphic imagery.
Procreate illustrations were created in layers then animated in 3D.
Multiple graphic layers were used to construct set pieces in 3D.
Other illustrated elements were brought into Cinema 4D and rebuilt as dimensional compositions. Individual pieces of artwork were mapped onto separate planes and geometry positioned throughout 3D space, allowing the camera to move through and around the illustrations. In moments such as the animated shoes, the combination of flat artwork and three-dimensional movement transforms graphic illustration into a dynamic spatial collage.
Procreate illustrations were created in layers then animated using pins in After Effects.
Dimensional geometry was used to create each scene.
Color became a central storytelling device. Elle’s world is represented through a range of vivid pinks, while Seattle is expressed through cool grays, muted blues, layered plaids, distressed textures, and plenty of hoodies. Throughout the sequence, these two contrasting visual languages collide, overlap, and gradually begin to inhabit the same world.
The visual language of a graphic novel held the story.
Locations from different episodes were featured in each shot.
The line takes the viewer from place to place.
Once the visual direction was established, the illustrations were refined in Procreate and Adobe Photoshop into detailed black-and-white graphic artwork with a gritty, hand-crafted quality. The animated red line became the central storytelling device, weaving through each composition to connect one con to the next while visually representing Lucky's thought process as she identifies her next target.
Doc Martens splashing in the water juxtaposed with Elle's pink heels.
Pink wardrobe is a big part of Elle's visual expression.
Color helped tell the story between the two different places.
Beyond the main title sequence, the Shine team created original graphics and typography that continued to reinforce Elle's visual storytelling throughout the series. Bold pink cursive typography, inspired by the style of the main titles, became a recurring graphic language that helped express Elle's personality, emotions, and point of view while unifying the show's visual identity.
