Exploring the frontier between programming and free will 🤖🪐
Creative Director Hazel Baird and the MakeMake team created the main title sequence for Murderbot on Apple TV+ — a collision of unexpected freedom and a surreal explosion of color, chaos, and curiosity. With the series now in Emmy consideration, we sat down with Hazel to discuss their process and the challenges of bringing Murderbot's journey to life.
1. What's your favorite part of being a Creative Director?
My favorite part of being a Creative Director is getting to work with incredibly talented people every day on a wide range of projects. One of the things I enjoy most is discovering new talent. I think one of my biggest strengths is recognizing the right person for the right job and building teams that can bring an idea to life in the best possible way.
2. What's the biggest lesson you've learned about creative leadership?
One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that creative direction is as much about managing people as it is about creativity. Many talented designers assume the transition to Creative Director is a natural next step, but it's a completely different discipline. You're often juggling multiple projects simultaneously, each with its own challenges and creative language. On any given day, I might be overseeing a main title sequence, a commercial campaign, a documentary package, and a promo, all while coordinating different artists and ensuring every project stays on track creatively.
3. Are there any tools, techniques, or creative habits that have become indispensable to your workflow?
My main creative habit is research. Before any project begins, I spend a significant amount of time immersing myself in the subject matter and gathering references. Whenever possible, I still like to get hands-on during the pitch phase, using Photoshop and After Effects to explore ideas and create initial visuals. Finding time for that can be challenging when several projects are running at once, but it's something I always enjoy.
4. The Murderbot titles balance existential themes with humor and whimsy. What were the biggest challenges in finding that tone?
The biggest challenge on Murderbot was the story. We had several narrative arcs that the showrunners wanted represented within a very limited amount of time. At its core, the sequence is about Murderbot discovering its autonomy. We wanted to show its creation, its awakening, its escape into a strange and liberating dreamlike world, and then its return to reality, where it's ultimately responsible for protecting its humans. Fitting all of those ideas into a concise title sequence was difficult, so my approach was to continually simplify. The goal was to keep the audience engaged while still communicating the emotional journey.
5. The dream world feels vibrant and playful. Was there a particular moment or image that best captured the idea of liberation for you?
The dreamlike space sequence represents Murderbot's freedom from the constraints of its programmed existence. In an ideal world, I would have pushed that section even further and made it more surreal, but production realities always play a role. Even so, seeing Murderbot flying through space, moving between bursts of color and energy, captures a sense of joy and freedom that feels true to the character.
6. Looking ahead, what kinds of creative challenges or projects are you most excited to take on next?
Looking ahead, I'd love to direct animated shorts. I've already written one project that I'm hoping to develop with the talented team at MakeMake. I think it's important to keep challenging yourself creatively and step outside your comfort zone. Animation direction is an area I'm particularly excited about, and it's something I hope to explore much more in the future.
Watch Murderbot on Apple TV+! and the Main Title on our Instagram
