STYLE DEVELOPMENT
The show’s visual identity was crafted to reinforce its suspenseful and investigative nature. We used a predominantly green and teal color palette to evoke a cold, forensic atmosphere reminiscent of a morgue or an old projector’s glow. The logo reveal encapsulated this theme perfectly—a toe tag hanging from a human foot, inscribed with the title Tell Me How I Died, immediately setting the tone for the series.
Our design approach was meticulous, ensuring that every visual element, from the title sequence to the explainer animations, contributed to the immersive storytelling experience.
EXPLAINERS
To aid in forensic storytelling, we created a diverse array of stylized explainer graphics, blending realism and abstraction to illustrate key forensic concepts. Our work spanned multiple cases and scientific phenomena, incorporating medical visualizations, crime scene reconstructions, and forensic evidence breakdowns. For medical explainers, we developed intricate 3D animations that took viewers deep inside the human body. One sequence zoomed into the bloodstream to showcase enzyme activity, while another depicted tiny blood vessels rupturing around the eyes to demonstrate petechiae, a crucial forensic indicator. A hyper-close-up of blood vessels illustrated how a rupture allows blood to spread through soft tissue, furthering forensic understanding.
Crime scene reconstructions played a significant role in the storytelling, bringing pivotal moments to life with detailed animations. We created a 3D reenactment of a car crash, depicting how the vehicle impacted a guardrail. Another animation presented a bird’s-eye view of a road before transitioning into a stylized line-art illustration of victims at the scene. A top-down blueprint of a parking lot visualized a shooter’s position and the trajectory of fired rounds, while another sequence showed a truck fleeing a crime scene and crashing into a fence due to a jammed steering column.
For forensic evidence and weapon mechanics, we utilized both 2D and 3D animation techniques. One explainer highlighted a skeletal diagram depicting an unnatural neck hyperextension, challenging the reported cause of death. Another broke down the mechanics of a rifle firing in slow motion, illustrating the trigger pull, hammer strike, gunpowder ignition, and bullet propulsion. Additionally, we created an educational animation on mummification, demonstrating how the human body shrinks over time in forensic cases.
Each explainer was carefully crafted to balance visual impact with scientific accuracy, ensuring that complex forensic details remained clear and engaging for viewers.
GRAPHICS PACKAGE
Beyond standalone explainers, we developed a complete graphics package to enhance the show’s branding and maintain a cohesive visual identity. Lower thirds were designed to display names and key information in a way that seamlessly fit the show’s eerie aesthetic. Location and date graphics were also created in a similar style. Additionally, we delivered a suite of templatized graphics, allowing A&E’s production team to customize elements as needed while preserving consistency across episodes.
These graphical elements contributed to a polished and professional look, helping to establish the visual language of the series and ensuring a seamless viewing experience.
THE RESULT
Pixeldust Studios’ graphics played a crucial role in shaping the visual storytelling of Tell Me How I Died. Our combination of atmospheric design, forensic detail, and cinematic animation elevated the show’s impact, making complex investigations visually engaging and comprehensible. To fully appreciate the scope and quality of our work, we invite you to view our demo reel, showcasing the best of our contributions to the series.
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