Diorama
This work was for a short video series by PBS Digital Studios, produced in New York at WNET / Thirteen about the dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. My role as a designer was to work with producer Tom McNamara in creating a comprehensive look and feel for the entire project and brand. Working on a tight deadline, I created typographic treatments, motion graphics, and custom illustrations.
Please enjoy first video about the moose diorama on youtube: See the entire series here: youtube.com/user/PBSDiorama The overall aesthetic of the video series drew heavily upon educational science videos from the 1950's and 60's.
Much of my work on this project took place in Photoshop and Illustrator. Tom and I surveyed the diorama photography, searching for interesting points of departure for layouts, infographics, and interstitial cards for the videos.
In this infographic, we sought to create a compelling backdrop for bullet points covering the fundamentals of what a diorama is, especially in an age where dioramas could be considered an anachronistic. Our discussions centered around how we could create a dictionary-like poster that would resonate in this age of screen ubiquity.
Tom and I had a great time on this project. He and I visited the lower reaches of AMNH, where much of the research science takes place. From the giant Coelacanth preserved in a weird metal crate filled with stinky formaldehyde to the offices of the world's foremost expert on termites.