The Expanse - Opening Titles

Opening Titles

Client: Amazon

Charting a journey into the future; for six years and counting.

The Expanse is a hard sci-fi set hundreds of years in the future where Earthers, Martians and Belters vie for power in a solar system divided by class. Breeder has had the immense pleasure of being creator and custodian of the title sequence and its evolution for all 6 seasons on this multi-award winning series for Alcon Television and available on Amazon Prime Video.

The concept tells the story of humanity's expansion from earth to the outer-rim and beyond over hundreds of years through an impressionistic time-lapse. As the show developed from season to season, and the political winds of the factions at play added new pages to our history, the title sequence also evolved - sometimes every episode.

Role: Title Design, Art Direction, Visual Effects, 3D, 2D

"Thank you from all us at the Expanse for creating such an amazing main title sequence over the past six seasons. Your collaborations and artistry has gone unmatched. Hope we can work together again soon"

Gary Mueller | Associate Producer on the Expanse

Deciphered by fans

It was incredibly gratifying for Breeder when we realised fans were watching the opening credits with eagle eyes. Seasons 5 and 6 had new content in every episode's opening sequence and fans would dissect our work to find every detail that changed then post explainer videos to Youtube. Every frame was picked apart, so we had to be extra diligent; making sure every pixel was communicating something true about the episodes prior and foreshadowed the episode itself.

From remixes, YouTube rips, and fan theories, to full pages dedicated to breaking down the tiny tweaks to each episode. We see you Expanse fans. 💕

Research

Select Storyboards

Shot Breakdown

Plate Shot
Final Shot

Episodic Changes

From the start, each season would have subtle changes that reflected key shifts in the politics of the solar system. For seasons 1-4, these changes might only occur once in the season. In Season 5, every single episode had multiple changes as the show drastically evolved. Luckily, this labour of love was noticed by fans!

Season 5 Episodic Changes
Season 1 vs Season 6

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

Season 5

Season 6

Additional - Closing Titles

Season 4

Credits

CREATIVE DIRECTOR (SEASONS 1 + 2)

Joyce N. Ho

Creative Director (Seasons 4 - 5)

Dan Rice

PRODUCER (SEASONS 1 - 4)

Candace Marshall

PRODUCER (SEASON 5 + 6)

Steph Walsh

CO-PRODUCER (SEASON 4)

Jess Huddart

Technical Director (SEASONS 1 - 3)

Chris Morris

3D LEAD (SEASONS 1 - 2)

Bradley Coomber

3D LEAD (SEASONS 4 - 6)

Joel Sankey

2D ANIMATION + COMPOSITING (SEASONS 1 - 2)

Alex Gee

2D ANIMATION + COMPOSITING (SEASONS 1 - 5)

Ryan A. McShane

3D (Season 5)

Jacob Stanley

2D Animation + Compositing (season 6)

Shell Weiss

2D Animation + Compositing + 3D (season 4 - 6)

Dan Rice

Awards

  • Production Design Guild Awards 2016 - Title Sequence
  • AGDA 2022 - Motion / Title Sequence (Distinction)
Next Project: The Fourth Industrial Revolution