Art of the Title

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Magic City (2012)

Magic City
This will get ugly.
—Ike Evans
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In the opening sequence to Starz’s short-lived series Magic City, light filters down through the still surface of the sea. A breezy and slow jazz theme composed by Daniele Luppi tinkles in and a woman, nude, swims in azure with the elegance of a creature born to water. She is temptation and desire incarnate, a lure to a glittering world where men seek their fortunes: Miami, Florida, 1959, just after the Cuban Revolution.

The sequence is a dream. It was directed by Ahmet Ahmet and Michelle Dougherty at Imaginary Forces with design support from Arisu Kashiwagi and Greg Herman, and in 2012, it was nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Main Title Design. It’s an oasis and a mirage — a James Bond title sequence on vacation. That is, until the final moments, when a predator appears — smooth and stealthy, setting the stage for seduction and deceit.

Nominated for a 2012 Emmy in Outstanding Main Title Design.

  • Credits

Directors: Ahmet Ahmet, Michelle Dougherty
Executive Producer: Ben Apley
Producer: Kathy Kelehan
Storyboard Artist: Greg Herman
Designers: Greg Herman, Arisu Kashiwagi
Inferno Artist: Eric Mason
Coordinators: Joseph Abou-Sakher, Annie Chen

Series Music by: Daniele Luppi

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Title sequence

  • Production Studio

    Imaginary Forces
  • Creative Director

    Michelle Dougherty
  • Designer

    Arisu Kashiwagi
  • Category

    TV
  • Styles

    2010s, Emmy, live action, main title
Magic City
  • Creator

    Mitch Glazer
  • Release Date

    March 30, 2012
  • Aspect Ratio

    1.78:1
  • Network

    Starz
  • Country

    USA
  • Language

    English
  • IMDb has full details

Article

  • Writer

    Lola Landekic
  • Published

    March 10, 2016

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