Creating the Main Title and GFX for Netflix’s WWE: Unreal was a passion project for Creative Director and WWE Superfan Steve Biggert. He and his team of expert creatives delivered graphics that channel the excitement, match the spectacle, and honor the legacy of wrestling. We spoke with Steve about what makes this project unique and what it means to him.
Tell us about how you tackled the task of this project. Where did you find inspiration, and how did you settle on the final direction?
I grew up, and truthfully have never grown out of, being a huge wrestling fan. But the sport tends to have a pretty heavy-handed design style. We wanted to create something that had its origins in wrestling, but had a fresh, refined look to it. We looked at iconography from WWE history and wrestling folklore, and discussed what nuances could we extract from these? How could we make something that represented the WWE, whilst also being elegant and graphically refined?
What is unique about this sequence, technically and/or creatively?
We created a documentary graphics package that looks unlike anything you'd see on WWE programming, and yet it's all pulling from the history of the company and the sport. Old wrestling posters have bold typography and texture — so do our calendars and type graphics. WWE logos make use of massive lettering and key underlined elements — so does our logo. And the main title as a whole was inspired by another icon of pro-wrestling — the ring entrance. Each entrance is an iconic moment of drama and pageantry before every match. It also acts as a bridge between the world backstage and the one in the ring, which we felt was the perfect representation of the series' main title.
Were there any notable challenges you faced, and if so, how did you address them?
The project went so smoothly, and much of that was down to the clients we worked with. This was our fourth collaboration with the NFL Films team, having previously worked with them on two seasons of Quarterback and the Receiver series. I love working with their team. They're organized, communicative and so trusting of our creative process and vision. Our team had everything we needed, and were given the opportunity to make the best work we could.
What are you most proud of about your work and the team’s work on this title sequence?
When I was 13, I taught myself Photoshop by designing posters and DVD covers for WWE events, so this project was a surreal, full circle moment for me. I am so thankful I had such an amazing team to work with. Designer Pete Sickbert-Bennett developed a beautiful look for the calendars and schematic diagrams, while Steven Do and Daniel Moreno expertly brought those to life in motion. The project was also an opportunity for Amy Lee-Suits to take the reins as a producer, and she ensured the project ran as smoothly as it did. The whole team created such great work, all while I subjected them to never-ending "fun" facts about wrestling. They deserve medals for that alone — maybe title belts!
Watch the Title Sequence and GFX Package for WWE: Unreal below.
