Netflix - Explained (Season2)
Explained is a documentary series that explores the big questions of today. The show’s episodes average between 15 to 20 minutes, with each focusing on a different topic. As a motion graphics designer, I designed illustrations, animation, and data visualization. I was given this great opportunity to collaborate with many talented teams.
Role Design, Motion
Time 2019
Produced by Vox, Netflix
Tool After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator
Worked Episodes
Netflix-Explained_Episodes_Gallery
Approach
The entire process of creating episodes of Explained was a collaboration with amazing talents. First, each episode’s producers started to dig into the topic, conduct interviews, and write scripts to explain the subject. Once the script was developed, editors compiled and plugged in footages related to the contents. Then, motion graphic designers set the design concept and created the storyboard, illustration, and animation. All the teams met weekly to collaborate and give feedback throughout the process.
Even though each episode has a different visual concept and animation style, I had the same goals for each of my designs. I focused on making design and motion that were informative and entertaining, and also matched each episode’s concept styles. I also focused on visually communicating complex topics in a clear and engaging way. As a team, we built stories that led people to see the subjects in interesting ways. Now I would like to walk you through my design process for one of my episodes I worked on.
Design Process
Understanding topic and tone of the episode with the team -> Storyboarding -> Design -> Animation
For this episode(Billionaire), I had an opportunity to work with a producer, Laura Bult who built the script, art director, Rubab Shakir, and motion graphic designer, Caresse Haaser.
Storyboard by Caresse Haaser
When I joined the Billionaire team, I was asked to design illustrations and animations for several scenes. This scene is one of them, and I got Caresses’ storyboard based on the script. After understanding the subject and voice of the episode with the team, I started to design characters and visualize the scene.
My focus was to design scenes that people love to watch. Also, informative to get along with the script and tone of the episode. I created style frames and suggested character and design styles. Thankfully my team liked the style, so I move forward to animate them.
Outcome
Storyboard, Design, Animation, Data Visualization
It’s always exciting to see how people experience our work!
What I learned
I was so lucky to work and learn from the team throughout all the process. I loved working with the people who truly love their work and do all the best for our goal to intrigue people from interesting questions and ideas in the world. I learned various methods to build intriguing stories for people and how to deal with problems in the process. Collaboration closely with multidisciplinary teams and talented people made me grow up in not only design skills but also thought process in various perspectives.
People who made it all happen
Credits
Producer - Adam Cole
Narration - Emma Stone
Executive Producers - Claire Gordon, Joe Posner,
Ezra Klein, Chad Mumm
Co-executive Producer - Marina G. Stadler
Supervising Producer - Rebecca Davis
Production Manager - Madeleine Cuda
Associate Producer - Marie Cascione
Production Assistant - Shant Alexander
Series Director of Photography - Cory Popp
Additional Camera - John P. Campbell
Editors - David Seekamp, Alex Minton
Post-Production supervisor - Jeanne Sison
Post-Production Manager - Jon Hewett
Archival Producers - Joann Onofre, Liam Brooks
Copy Editor - Tanya Pal
Colorist - Amelia Cragle
Audio Post-Production Services - Technicolor Postworks NY
Art Director - Rubab Shakir
Motion Graphic Designers - Yuval Haker,
Elizabeth Galian, Aulistar Mark, Lynn Hwirin Park
Producer - Adam Cole
Narration - Emma Stone
Executive Producers - Claire Gordon, Joe Posner, Ezra Klein, Chad Mumm
Co-executive Producer - Marina G. Stadler
Supervising Producer - Rebecca Davis
Production Manager - Madeleine Cuda
Associate Producer - Marie Cascione
Production Assistants - Shant Alexander, Kiki Turner
Series Director of Photography - Cory Popp
Additional Camera - John P. Campbell, Noah Collier, Carrie Cheek
Editors - Jan Kobal, Alex Minton
Post-Production supervisor - Jeanne Sison
Post-Production Manager - Jon Hewett
Archival Producers - Liam Brooks, Chris Platt
Colorist - Amelia Cragle
Audio Post-Production Services - Technicolor Postworks NY
Art Director - Rubab Shakir
Motion Graphic Designers - John Mccolgan, Elizabeth Galian, Lynn Hwirin Park
Producer - Laura Bult
Narration - Maggie Siff
Executive Producers - Claire Gordon, Joe Posner, Ezra Klein, Chad Mumm
Co-executive Producer - Marina G. Stadler
Supervising Producer - Rebecca Davis
Production Manager - Madeleine Cuda
Associate Producer - Ryan Maclennan
Production Assistants - Shant Alexander, Kiki Turner
Director of Photography - John P. Campbell
Additional Camera - Cory Popp
Editors - Benjamin Bartel, Nora Tennessen,
Aulistar Mark, Alex Minton, Dani Dillon
Post-Production supervisor - Jeanne Sison
Post-Production Manager - Jon Hewett
Archival Producers - Liam Brooks, Chris Platt
Colorist - Amelia Cragle
Audio Post-Production Services - Technicolor Postworks NY
Art Director - Rubab Shakir
Motion Graphic Designers - Caresse Haaser, Lynn Hwirin Park
Producer - Taylor Hess
Narration - Natasha Lyonne
Executive Producers - Claire Gordon, Joe Posner, Ezra Klein, Chad Mumm
Co-executive Producer - Marina G. Stadler
Supervising Producer - Rebecca Davis
Production Manager - Madeleine Cuda
Associate Producer - Alex Lederman
Production Assistants - Kiki Turner
Director of Photography - John P. Campbell
Additional Cameras - Cory Popp, Mariam Dwedar
Editors - Denny Thomas, Aulistar Mark, Alex Minton, Dani Dillon
Post-Production supervisor - Jeanne Sison
Post-Production Manager - Jon Hewett
Archival Producers - Liam Brooks, Chris Platt
Colorist - Amelia Cragle
Audio Post-Production Services - Technicolor Postworks NY
Art Director - Rubab Shakir
Motion Graphic Designers - Elizabeth Galian, Lynn Hwirin Park
Producer - Sam Ellis
Narration - J.K. Simmons
Executive Producers - Claire Gordon, Joe Posner, Ezra Klein, Chad Mumm
Co-executive Producer - Marina G. Stadler
Supervising Producer - Rebecca Davis
Production Manager - Madeleine Cuda
Associate Producer - Sara Masetti
Production Assistants - Shant Alexander, Kiki Turner
Director of Photography - Cory Popp
Additional Cameras - John P. Campbell, Jack Lin
Field Audio Recorder - Mike Guarino
Fixers - Matt Clarke, Andy Wang
Editors - Denny Thomas, Aulistar Mark, Alex Minton
Post-Production supervisor - Jeanne Sison
Post-Production Manager - Jon Hewett
Post-Production Assistant - Dani Dillon
Archival Producers - Liam Brooks, Chris Platt
Additional Research - Eliza Barclay, Julia Belluz
Colorist - Amelia Cragle
Audio Post-Production Services - Technicolor Postworks NY
Art Director - Rubab Shakir
Motion Graphic Designers - Audrey Sims, Lynn Hwirin Park
Producer - Christophe Haubursin
Narration - Vincent Kartheiser
Executive Producers - Claire Gordon, Joe Posner, Ezra Klein, Chad Mumm
Co-executive Producer - Marina G. Stadler
Supervising Producer - Rebecca Davis
Production Manager - Madeleine Cuda
Associate Producer - Sofia Melo
Production Assistants - Shant Alexander
Director of Photography - Cory Popp
Additional Cameras - John P. Campbell
Field Audio Recorder - Josh Tucker
Food Stylist - Alexandra Utter
Set Medic - Jermaine Allen
Editors - Nora Tennessen, Aulistar Mark, Alex Minton, Dani Dillon
Post-Production supervisor - Jeanne Sison
Post-Production Manager - Jon Hewett
Archival Producers - Liam Brooks, Chris Platt
Colorist - Amelia Cragle
Audio Post-Production Services - Technicolor Postworks NY
Art Director - Rubab Shakir
Motion Graphic Designers - Sean Lattrell, Elizabeth Galian, Lynn Hwirin Park
