Apple TV’s new glassy intro wasn’t created on a Mac
Earlier this week, Apple revealed new branding that will appear at the start of Apple TV shows. The new title card features a colorful presentation of the Apple logo, and according to AdAge, the company took a more traditional approach to creating the look.
Instead of using computer-generated graphics or AI, Apple, in collaboration with TBWA\Media Arts Lab and Optical Arts, created the visual part of the brand with a glass Apple TV logo template and lighting effects captured with a camera. According to AdAge, this production approach aligns with a presentation Apple VP Tor Myhren made at Cannes Lions in June, in which Myhren spoke about the importance of human creation in an era where AI-based tools are emerging. AdAge has a highlight video that shows the behind-the-scenes production of the shoot.
In addition to the five-second clip that appears at the beginning of shows, a 12-second version was created to appear at the beginning of Apple Original Films (aka movies). There’s also a one-second “sting” designed for trailers.
The music accompanying the branding was created by Finneas, Billie Eilish’s brother and collaborator, solo artist, composer and producer. In a report from Variety, Finneas says he had HBO’s static and NBC’s peacock chimes in mind when creating the Apple TV jingle he dubbed “Mnemonic.”
Although Finneas used digital tools to create the final product, he primarily relied on his piano as a basis for the sound. “I played a chord that seemed quite hopeful and optimistic, but had gravitas and hopefully had a bit of an enigmatic and mysterious quality to it,” he told Variety. “And so I had this chord thing and then I started building the sounds around that.”
