Scandal's new title sequence gets the gossip flowing

Says Scandal Producer, Romano Gorlei, "The title sequence required an update due to the direction the show had taken in developing new plots and characters. Scandal is a much loved series, having received the Crystal Award for Best Local Soap 2008, centring around drama, suspense, love and intrigue and so the title sequence had to properly display these elements in order to remain true to the show. All in all, the title sequence had to be gritty and hard with a clear African urban environment finish."

Scandal turned to South Africa's leading animation studio, Masters & Savant Worldwide, to blend live action and animation to create the new title sequence that would see the actors and various sub-plot scenarios play out high above the streets of New Town, Johannesburg, on the rooftop of Scandal's fictitious offices.

Says Masters & Savant Worldwide JHB MD, Roger Smythe, "The client wanted to visibly see that the highest possible motion graphics craft was used; keen on interesting techniques when cutting to close-up and in the way the names of the actors were presented. While the final art direction was important, the primary creative concern lay on how easily the title sequence could be updated with the addition of future actors.

"It was clear that the title sequence had to communicate the show's Johannesburg roots and the drama come to be associated with Scandal. Everything had to be presented in a single creative element, so the concept of a long dinner or cocktail table was developed around which characters would interact with each other, on which the actors' names were presented. During the name progression, short cut-away scenes of a hand on a leg, or a knife or gun would present the undercurrents of suspense, deception and intrigue, showing a range of emotions.

"To ensure that the title sequence could be kept fresh, a library of these scene cut-aways was developed, that could be added as the storyline progressed or when a new actor joined the cast," concludes Smythe.