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Ancient Apocalypse: The Americas

The thought-provoking, compelling and beautifully shot documentary series produced by ITN Productions for Netflix. Journalist and best-selling author Graham Hancock searches for evidence in the Americas to support his hypothesis that an advanced civilisation was lost to history in the series of cataclysms that brought the last Ice Age to an apocalyptic end. The findings give Graham reason to question the accepted timeline of human history.

At the heart of the work was a collaborative relationship with the series production team. This partnership allowed us to meticulously test, craft, and experiment with new techniques and artistic aspirations. We explored these across all aspects of the graphic sequences, visual effects, series branding, and creative approach. Our goal was to create a unique identity and visual style that enhanced the storytelling in the most intelligent and accurate way.

Myths & Legends
Sequences that visualised legendary tales and ancient inherited knowledge needed to be immediately engaging and highly distinctive. They were designed to set a mythical tone that visually illustrated Graham’s descriptions. The sequence compositions were hand-illustrated and combined various textural elements, transparencies, focal techniques, and lighting. These elements were key to maintaining a consistent and unique graphic style throughout the series.

Historic Buildings & Landscapes
The detailed VFX representations of historic and legendary buildings, cities, and landscapes were created using Unreal Engine and compositing techniques. Each began with a precise and meticulous build and texturing process to ensure accuracy based on the latest research. Our art direction and VFX sequences were seamlessly integrated into the descriptive editorial.

Explanatory Sequences
Parts of the narrative required intricate and informative visual explanations. These ranged from illustrating the workings of the Mayan Calendar to showing how sunlight, through specific alignments, illuminated purposefully designed interior spaces. They also included portraying complex lunar alignments within a landscape. All explanatory sequences were crafted with the highest level of detail and techniques requiring a full understanding of the complex subject matter.

Maps & Location Sequences
The series visits multiple locations in the US, Easter Island, Brazil, Mexico, and Peru to explore when people first arrived in the ‘New World.’ Our animated maps and location graphic explanations were designed with an in-camera, tactile, and textured feel. This approach worked in harmony with the editorial, meeting the need for both accuracy and the portrayal of a large amount of information within a short time frame.