The American West / Main Title Design
AMC / Stephen David Entertainment
Opportunity, conquest, and ambition: these drives have defined the story of America for generations. AMC docudrama series The American West shoots viewers into the action of the Wild West, chronicling the history of legends like Jesse James, Billy the Kid, and Crazy Horse. Executive-produced by Robert Redford and Stephen David Entertainment, we at Adolescent came on to create a main title treatment that was fitting for the rugged and passionate time period of the Wild West. Flying dust and gritty terrain highlight the design, pulling viewers up by their bootstraps, preparing them for the action to come.
LOGO DEVELOPMENT
In designing the logo for the series, we wanted to create something bold and visually grabbing, that would immediately give the audience a feel for the explosive and dramatic stories ahead. With so much iconic imagery to draw inspiration from (i.e. classic “Wanted” posters), we finally landed on a stylized logo that is as distinctive as the show itself.
CONCEPT DESIGN EXPLORATION
The American West is not simply a retelling of the lives of historical figures -- the series is an exploration of the relationship between these iconic figures and the land they sought to control, the legacy they sought to leave behind. In this context, we made sure to emphasize the juxtaposition between nature and man, depicting both conflict and harmony in the graphic identity of the show. Dust symbolizes the rugged terrain, while maps represent the theme of exploration and adventure.
MAIN TITLE DESIGN
Each character from the show had their own scene and ID, and when it came to edit and animation we had to make sure everything felt connected but also make sure each ID felt special. We applied flying dust transitions between the characters, which was to accent the rustic aesthetic, in addition to a number of other visual effects including double exposure techniques, quick cuts, and graphic overlays.