Imaginary Forces | City on Fire Main Title Sequence

The opening title sequence for the Apple TV+ crime drama City on Fire.

Based on the novel of the same name, the series follows a murder investigation in NYC, where mysterious citywide fires, the underground music scene, and a wealthy upstate family connect.

Introducing the murder mystery burning for answers, the sequence was designed by Creative Directors Karin Fong and Rob Slychuk.

Notes from IF on creating the sequence:

In the city that never sleeps, the truth is bound to be exposed. Juxtaposing the slow-burning dramatic soundtrack, we used whiteout, felt pens, and glue to hint at the coaliting evidence of a malicious crime.

New York marquees made in bold hand-written type embrace the spirit of the gritty punk rock zine culture while we referenced street flyers of the Lower East Side.

Making each credit feel like its own poster, the Xerox machine served as a source to illuminate the frames, scanning the city for answers.

Challenged by finding the balance between dark and light themes within the series, we sparked a conversation around civil unrest post 9/11 and gentrification. No secrets here; we plotted easter eggs in a main title that ought to be criminal.