Imaginary Forces peers back on some of the most iconic comedians of the past four decades and the career-defining moments that still make us laugh in the opening sequence for Saturday Night Live's 40th Anniversary Special. The open takes slices in time from the live sketch comedy show's star-studded tenure, weaving in timeless characters and sketches in a graphic horizontal timeline of the show's history. The three-hour special that featured the open aired on Sunday, February 15th.
Click
to view the opening.
Imaginary Forces also crafted a series of promos for the special announcing the show's celebrity lineup that aired during NBC's broadcast of Super Bowl XLIX.
The Imaginary Forces team, led by directors Jeremy Cox and Alan Williams, sought to bring a fresh perspective to the iconic title sequence, while still maintaining enough of the standard elements to remain authentic to longtime fans. Starting with the show's extensive history, they chose content to emphasize the wide variety of footage that the show has produced over the years, while also highlighting the reciprocal NYC influence on the show. Editor Nate Buchik worked closely to refine the cut to incorporate the vast list of guest stars for the special while maintaining a fluid graphic theme throughout.
Notes Cox, It was exhilarating to collaborate with a team that is so seasoned at producing a whole new show each week and acclimating to this accelerated creative timeline. It was great working with the entire SNL team and being trusted with the creative freedom to help kick off this monumental special in a manner appropriate to the magnitude of the talent.
Credits:
Client: NBC/Saturday Night Live
Producer: Rhys Thomas
Designed & Produced By: Imaginary Forces
Directors: Jeremy Cox, Alan Williams
Executive Producer: Sarah Roebuck
Editor: Nate Buchik
Producer: Kacie Barton
Designers: Maggie Tsao, Jeremy Cox, Juan Monasterio
2D Animators: Toros Kose, Andy Mastrocinque, Adam Tanner
Coordinator: CJ Trahan II
A Product of Imaginary Forces Top entertainment studios, global brands and A-list agencies tap Imaginary Forces (IF) to find new ways to engage and inspire audiences. IF's diverse talent pool of artists and creative professionals bring elite conceptual design solutions to projects in commercial, digital media, feature films and film marketing, television and architectural spaces.
Underlying each endeavor is their passionate belief that no project is too large, too small or too complex to benefit from beautiful and inventive design.
The innovative studio has garnered numerous advertising industry awards as well as multiple Emmy Awards including an Emmy for their iconic titles work on AMC's smash drama series Mad Men.
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Imaginary Forces peers back on some of the most iconic comedians of the past four decades and the career-defining moments that still make us laugh in the opening sequence for Saturday Night Live's 40th Anniversary Special. The open takes slices in time from the live sketch comedy show's star-studded tenure, weaving in timeless characters and sketches in a graphic horizontal timeline of the show's history. The three-hour special that featured the open aired on Sunday, February 15th.
