An animated intro sequence created for Critical Role, an American actual play web series featuring a group of voice actors playing Dungeons & Dragons.
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The opening is centered around their Campaign 2 adventuring party the Mighty Nein, animated to the theme ‘Your Turn To Roll’.
Team:
Kamille Areopagita (director, animation, backgrounds, compositing)
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Kevin Areopagita (co-director, animation, editing)
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Corinne Caro (additional backgrounds)
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Production: Critical Role
Travis Willingham, Sam Riegel
As the first animated opening for Critical Role, I worked as the lead (in charge of direction, art direction, storyboard, animation) in translating the party members of the Mighty Nein to animation, showcasing each character’s backstory while also giving them their time to shine, until they all stand together against their foes (and the dungeon master that pits them against those foes). Â
As a livestreamed campaign, the Mighty Nein’s adventures and story was at the time still ongoing, so it was important to have character backstories and small party scenes as the bulk of the opening for the show — both a way of reintroducing the characters and their pasts, and a way to have the intro stand on its own alongside a developing plot.
At the same time, the intro was also designed to be adaptable and adjustable, built so that certain developments in the campaign can be updated within the opening sequence.
One of these is the Dungeon Master’s book that showcases NPCs (played by the DM) and the occasional guest player, which was updated a few times to have the more current and plot-relevant characters featured.
Character backstory moments were also adjustable, such as a change involving a grave, marking a notable development in what turns out to be a culminating arc in the party’s adventures.
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Character shots can also be switched out, such as in the Mighty Nein Reunited special episodes, where a player opted to play a different character.Â
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The ending shot was also designed to be able to adapt with the changes in the main antagonistic force/s and the party itself, serving as a preview of what’s to come.
Animation breakdown video showcasing the different stages and steps in creating this animated intro.
concept designs
some concept designs and proposals, particularly for backstory-related scenes that have not been covered in the show.
style frames
Tests for the coloring, lighting/shading, and compositing style of select scenes from the animation.
