Brief
We partnered with famed director Guillermo del Toro and his team to create the title sequence for Netflix’s latest anthology horror series, ‘Cabinet of Curiosities.’
Approach
We embraced the metaphor of a physical cabinet in how it relates to an anthology of stories. We envisioned a disorienting, psychedelic journey that would prime the viewer for the sinister tone of each episode.
Impact
The sequence fuses elements of surrealism and takes the viewer on a ride that is full of easter eggs from the stories. We loaded the opening sequence with details that beg repeated viewing, giving those with an eye for detail a reward for paying close attention.
Storyboards to Final Animation
Guillermo del Toro and his team were a blast to collaborate with. Guillermo was observant, insightful, and generous throughout the process. Upon first hearing the concept, he very quickly saw how to refract and refine it into the schematic for what became our final sequence. We were always motivated to push each moment as far as we could.
-Chet Hirsch, Director
Automaton Development
The Mill Design Studio storyboarded out the full sequence and suggested specific curiosities to be featured based on scripts provided. These objects became the characters of the title sequence, hinting at moments contained in the series. From there, ideas were shared back and forth such as the automaton above, designed by Guy Davis, a frequent GDT creature design collaborator.
I love being able to pause at any moment and see the level of detail and care that the team put into every single frame. This project was a beautiful alignment between the twisted members of the Mill Design Studio and Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and their team, who were dream collaborators throughout.
-Mike Schaeffer, Creative Director
The process of creating our main title for ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ was a joy. Chet, Mike, and the entire team at The Mill came to us with a very strong first pitch, and we just kept building the vision together from there. Using strong imagery inspired by our episodes, they were able to capture the tone of the series and create a mood that sets our audience up perfectly for what they’re about to experience.
-J. Miles Dale, Producer
Behind the Scenes
Our talented team—comprised of Mike Schaeffer, Chet Hirsch, David Rowley, and Akshay Tiwari—has been nominated for Outstanding Main Title Design at this year's Emmy Awards for their remarkable work on Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinets of Curiosities on Netflix. We sat down to discuss their creative exploration and the innovative use of Houdini to bring this special project to life.
In addition to our team's nomination, we are proud to share Holly Amber Church’s nomination for the opening score. Best of luck to all the Cabinet Nominees in other categories of the show!