PROJECT
illustrated title sequence & film graphics
RECOGNITION
Winner: SXSW Special Jury Recognition for Main Title Design
Winner: SXSW Audience Award for Main Title Design
Winner: The One Club For Creativity Awards
Winner: The Art Directors Club Awards
Winner: Communication Arts Design Annual
STUDIO
Warner Bros.
D.C.
Luckychap
Shine designed, animated and produced the main on ends title sequence and “grievance” graphics for “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn”. For the title sequence, Shine created unique, hand drawn illustrations of the wild sets for a dynamic, animated reprise of the film’s climatic ending. For the grievances, hand drawn, character based graphics were created and animated as expressions for the villains. The Shine team was honored with a 2021 SXSW Special Jury Recognition for Title Design plus the Audience Award for the main title category for “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn”.
"Birds of Prey and The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn" follows Harley Quinn after her breakup with the Joker. She teams up with Huntress, Black Canary, and Renee Montoya to protect a young girl, Cassandra Cain, from crime lord Roman Sionis, aka Black Mask, in Gotham City.
The concept, a hand drawn, illustrated fun house… isn’t all just fun. Surreal and surprising characters, some of which appear theatening or otherwise violent, reveal names in a dynamic and cinematic way. The fun house, inspired by the film, is rendered in a scrawly spontaneous hand-drawn style.
The fun house in "Birds of Prey and The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn" is a vibrant, chaotic, and visually striking setting. It features a carnival-themed interior filled with bright, clashing colors, oversized props, and playful yet menacing decor. The house's design includes funhouse mirrors, slides, and trap doors, creating a disorienting and surreal environment. This location serves as the backdrop for an intense, dynamic fight scene, where the characters navigate through the whimsical yet dangerous space, adding a layer of unpredictability and excitement to the film's climactic battle.
Each character is represented by a graphic image that represents their strength. For Harley, her icon was the sledgehammer. For Huntress, it was the crossbow – as she was known by Gotham as “The Crossbow Killer. Canary used a canary, or a “songbird” as her strength was her voice. Montoya, the cop, was represented by the badge. Cass had the stuffed beaver from Harley’s apartment. And Roman Sionis was placed in front of the red stage in his nightclub.
Several characters have grievances against Harley Quinn. Roman Sionis, a crime lord, is enraged after Harley destroys his club and thwarts his plans. Detective Renee Montoya is frustrated by Harley's criminal activities and the chaos she brings to Gotham. Huntress seeks revenge on those connected to her family's murder, inadvertently crossing paths with Harley. Black Canary, initially a reluctant ally, is wary of Harley's unpredictability. Additionally, Gotham's criminals target Harley once they learn she no longer has the Joker's protection, making her a vulnerable but formidable adversary.
Huntress, also known as Helena Bertinelli, is on a personal vendetta against those involved in her family's massacre. While her initial targets are different, her path crosses with Harley’s due to the interconnected web of Gotham's underworld, making Harley an indirect obstacle in her quest for vengeance.
Roman Sionis, also known as Black Mask, harbors deep resentment towards Harley after she destroys his nightclub and disrupts his criminal operations. His anger intensifies when he realizes Harley is no longer under the Joker's protection, making her an easier target for his revenge. Sionis’s primary grievance is her interference in his business and the humiliation she causes him.
The Shine team also designed graphics to introduce each character. A femme force to be reckoned with, the Birds of Prey is traditionally an all-women group of vigilante operatives who’ve gone on covert missions across the globe. Originally a partnership between Black Canary and Oracle, the team’s roster has grown over the years to include friends—and frenemies.
Thank you to The One Club for Creativity for the for the Art Directors Club Award win for the main title sequence design for Birds of Prey and The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn!
The One Club champions the global creative community through the calendar year, but its efforts culminate with the celebration of Creative Week, which takes place every May in New York City.
By day, Creative Week features a handful of sessions, workshops, and reviews, designed to foster discussion, reflection, and connection in the advertising and design industries. By night, Creative Week rolls out the red carpet as it recognizes the very best work of the past year by way of three internationally acclaimed award shows: the lauding of “big ideas” at The One Show 2024; the celebration of design and craftsmanship at the ADC 103rd Annual Awards; a showcase of typographic perfection at the Type Directors Club’s 70 Annual Competition Exhibition; and the salute to the next generation of talent at the Young Ones Student Awards.
Thank you to SXSW for both the “Special Jury Recognition” and the “Audience Award” for the Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn in the Title Design category.
The SXSW Film Awards is an annual event at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival, celebrating excellence in film. It honors standout features, shorts, and documentaries across various categories, showcasing innovative and influential work. The awards highlight emerging talent and contribute to the festival's reputation as a cultural hub.
Shine designed, animated and produced the main on ends title sequence and additional graphics for “Birds of Prey”. For the title sequence, Shine created unique, hand drawn illustrations of the wild sets for a dynamic, animated reprise of the film’s climatic ending.
