Creative Brief

Dinosaur with Stephen Fry is a four-part Channel 5 series exploring the rise and fall of dinosaurs over 165 million years, presented chronologically with a mix of virtual environments, expert narration, and dramatic creature animation. Little Shadow was brought on to create the infographics, animated maps, and the title sequence that would frame the series’ storytelling and offer viewers visual orientation within a vast timescale.

Our Approach

We developed a visual identity for the series that would complement both the high-end virtual set (created by Dock 10) and the animated dinosaur sequences. Our graphics needed to balance scientific credibility with accessibility, supporting a broad, family-friendly audience while maintaining documentary rigour.

• Title sequence: Designed to evoke prehistoric wonder, the sequence blends geological textures, amber tones, and fragmented fossil motifs, intercut with glimpses of CG dinosaurs in motion. Typography and transitions were matched to the tone of Stephen Fry’s narration and the show’s high-production aesthetic.

• Infographics: A series of animated explainers covering evolutionary changes, anatomical comparisons, and timelines. These were presented in a clear, digestible style, using silhouette comparisons, period layering, and annotated callouts.

• Maps: Animated paleo-geographic maps showing continental drift, dinosaur migration patterns, and ancient landmasses across the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. These were built using Earth modelling data and adapted to support real-time narrative transitions.

All graphics were composited for seamless integration with the virtual studio environment and calibrated for broadcast clarity across HD and SD formats.

The Results

Dinosaur with Stephen Fry aired to a strong viewership and critical response, praised for its ability to bring deep time and complex science to life in an accessible format. Our graphics played a key role in contextualising the narrative, offering viewers a clearer understanding of when, where, and how these extraordinary creatures lived.