A man who slices vegetables with a playing card. The real dangers of sword swallowing. For the Travel Channel relaunch of Ripley's Believe It or Not!, Pixeldust built the title sequence and the 3D graphics that explain the unbelievable.
For a hundred years Ripley’s has collected the world’s wonders and astonishing real-life stories. When Texas Crew Productions relaunched Ripley’s Believe It or Not! on the Travel Channel, continuing Robert Ripley’s legacy, it came to Pixeldust for the show’s graphics package.
Pixeldust delivered a modern 3D take on the Ripley’s logo in a title sequence built from archival footage, plus in-show 3D graphics that reveal the science behind some of the greatest “believe it or nots.”
A graphics package for the Travel Channel
The client wanted a modern take on the Ripley’s logo for a 3D title reveal that matched the weird and unusual theme of the series. Pixeldust created concepts that included eye-catching kaleidoscope effects, juxtaposed collages, double exposure and archival footage.
The client chose the archival footage concept, because it told the story of Ripley’s through the past 100 years.
The first challenge was combining the flat look of the archival sequence with the dynamic 3D space of the title. Through color grading, the animators emphasized a unique green-red look while keeping the well-known look of the Ripley’s brand.
Working in After Effects and Element 3D, the team showed the journey through time by gradually adding color as the sequence unfolds.
Beyond the title reveal, Ripley’s needed 3D graphics to explain the fascinating science behind some of the greatest believe it or nots. Each graphic matched the style of the title, with grain and parchment elements, while using different animation techniques to suit each peculiar story.
The graphics range from the physics behind a man’s ability to slice a vegetable with a playing card to the dangers of sword swallowing, leaving audiences with a better understanding of each remarkable feat, and a yearning for more.
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