This is a Robbery

To design the series graphics package for this docuseries, we had to hit several different angles of the heist and in the process utilized a number of techniques, including some that were brand new. First, to establish an informed perspective of how the crime went down, we created suspect boards and map animations of the areas surrounding the museum to create a visual narrative to supplement the story.

Potential suspects are introduced right away in the series, starting with the security guard on duty the night of the robbery who was either oblivious or complicit in the events that led to the art theft.

“The technique for the painting CUs involved a number of steps. First the paintings were resized to the maximum we could achieve without loss of fidelity/resolution. Then, I did research and found some firms that do hi-res scanning and examination of old master painting surfaces and their layered and cracked topology. Using some of this data, I was able to create what are called normal maps that give a 3D surface dimension. Using the resized painting and these maps, the paintings were re-built in 3D, allowing for the placement of lighting that would reveal these surface details in a way that was convincing. Subtle play of light movement as well as camera drift was the final step. An interesting problem to solve, and I learned quite a bit about impasto (layered paint on a surface) and the decay of varnishes.”

• John Leamy, Creative Director

To create suspect boards that evolved with the telling of the story and revelations of new information, we worked intimately with the director and producers to ensure the information we were delivering was accurate and easy to understand visually. Similarly, the map animations had to be clear enough to take a viewer who has likely never been in the museum and place them at the scene in a way they can understand the layout of the museum and the path the thieves might have taken.