This Netflix series, created by emmy award-winning Greg Whiteley, follows the dramatic story of Ohio Valley Wrestling, an iconic wrestling gym that boasts names like John Cena, Dave Bautista, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton and CM Punk among its alumni. When the gym falls into financial trouble, Snow—the owner, manager, and heart and soul of OVW—is forced to take on business partners who insist the gym has one summer to turn things around or close its doors for good.
The main title design reflects the bulk and power of this gloriously muscle-bound enterprise. The letters grow together and crowd each other, reflecting the elbowing for position happening both on and off the mat. Each of the seven title treatments reflects the visual motif of that particular episode’s opening scene.
We designed and animated unique character title cards which introduce the larger-than-life personalities on the show. These characters come in two varieties: “Babyfaces,” who play the hero in the storyline, and “Heels,” who play the villain. For the supporting graphic elements like lower thirds, the typesetting is irregular and a little “banged up” to suggest wrestlers who have taken their bumps.I worked with the team, led by Emily Oberman, to conceptualize the logo design and led the development of the motion graphics.