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INTRODUCTION
Our team at Perception collaborated with Marvel Studios on Loki Season 2, expanding on our critical contributions to the first season of this show. Loki Season 2 follows Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Mobius (Owen Wilson), Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) and other key players within the Time Variance Authority who are struggling to harness the infinite branching timelines. Because of our work on Loki Season 1, we were brought on to design the TVA-inspired Main on End title sequence, along with other design details.
Loki Season 2 End Title Sequence: Episode 6
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COLLABORATIVE EXPANSION
For Loki Season 1, our Creative Director and Cinematographer, Greg Herman, filmed nearly the entire title sequence using handmade props, files and research documents. This footage was integrated with shots filmed by the Marvel Studios team on set.
BEHIND THE SCENES OF LOKI SEASON 1
When Loki Season 2 began production, the Marvel Studios team wanted to us to expand on our title sequence from Loki Season 1. During filming, they captured additional footage with our title sequence in mind. Their team provided us with a range of B-roll, establishing shots, sets and props to include within our title sequence.
TVA B-ROLL PROVIDED BY MARVEL STUDIOS
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MULTI-SEASON HYBRID
Since the title sequence for Loki Season 2 was an expansion upon our title sequence from Loki Season 1, we decided to blend the two sequences together to create a cross-season hybrid. We experimented with how much of the sequence we wanted to change, ranging from replacing only 25% of the sequence to doing a mostly complete overhaul. Ultimately, we decided to keep some of the most iconic and critical shots from the first season while transitioning a majority of the sequence to include footage from the second season and new CG designs.
Loki Season 2 End Title Sequence: Episode 2
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EXPLORING THE TVA
Once we received footage from Marvel Studios, we began sorting through the shots to determine which would fit seamlessly within the narrative context and overall aesthetic of the sequence. Since the audience and characters have learned about new sides and histories within the TVA, our Loki Season 2 title sequence aims to explore these new discoveries.
Loki Season 2 End Title Sequence Textless
We collected shots that complemented and reflected our footage from Season 1. We utilized Season 2 footage that felt like an evolved version of the Season 1 clips they were replacing, while also feeling equally as iconic. We also utilized a warmer color palette for this season, removing all blues and focusing on oranges and browns to match the overall atmosphere of the second season.
LOKI FILE COLOR TESTS
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BUILDING THE SEQUENCE
With our mix of filmed footage and CG, this title sequence took on a multi-step process to get to the final version. We used Cinema 4D for modeling, lighting and texturing our CG assets, along with any 3D work. To edit this sequence, we utilized Adobe Premiere Pro. Our final color correct was completed using Adobe After Effects.
VINYL DESIGN USING CINEMA 4D
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CHAOTIC CLOCKS
As a callback to the multi-hand clock we created for Loki Season 1, our team also designed a unique clock for Loki Season 2. We digitally created a clock seen within the Loom Room of the TVA. This clock would update and evolve as the episodes progressed. To craft this clock, we received reference imagery of the clock on set from Marvel Studios. Then, we began to model the clock in Cinema 4D, followed by lighting, texturing and animation. We lit the clock based on the show’s lighting to match the precise style of the titles and the TVA. Once the clock was completed in Cinema 4D, we used Redshift for rendering and After Effects for final composite.
Before & After of CGI Clock
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JUMPING THROUGH TIME
Loki Season 2 is a thrilling show, with even more mischief and chaos than Loki Season 1. Because of this, we decided to embrace that chaos with the overall edit of the title sequence. The composition of this sequence is snappier, flashing and jumping between more clips at a quicker pace. Frames are rotating and the footage within the titles feels like it’s breaking down, reflecting the unhinged activity within the TVA and the ticking of a clock.
Loki Season 2 End Title Sequence: Episode 3
The only episode where we pulled back on the speed of the jumps was in Episode 4. Due to the events of this episode, we opted for a slower, less snappy title sequence that gives the audience time to reflect on the episode while also matching the tone.
Loki Season 2 End Title Sequence: Episode 4
We also reflected the chaos within the text of the titles. Just like in Season 1, the text of the credits jumps across the screen. This is representative of jumping through time, but also a new way to interpret the timelines within the series. Before a name is legible, the letters are scrambled and sized disproportionally to one another, depicting the alternative versions of characters, people and names on branched timelines. Once the name forms into something legible, it is showcasing the “true name” or “true form” on the Sacred Timeline.
Loki Season 2 End Title Sequence Text Only
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EPISODE VARIATIONS
As the season progresses, the title sequence evolves to reflect the events within their respective episode. Similar to Season 1, the file photos on the casting card change with every episode. However, instead of including new variants, the photos showcase key moments for the characters from the episode.
FILE VARIATIONS FROM ALL EPISODES
We included a vintage black and white Miss Minutes in Episode 3 as a callback to her 1800’s design seen within the episode.
VINTAGE MISS MINUTES
In episodes 3, 4 and 5, the entire sequence begins to become worn down and destroyed, with the level of wear and tear becoming more progressive each episode. Episode 5 is the most deconstructed title sequence, scattered with destroyed and torn apart artifacts.
Loki Season 2 End Title Sequence: Episode 5
One key element that showcases this wear and tear is our CG clock. This clock gets more chaotic and destructed as the episodes pass, until in the fifth episode, it breaks and shatters. However, it is back to normal in Episode 6.
BROKEN CLOCK & UNBROKEN CLOCK
We also designed a record player for this title sequence, which slowly deteriorates as the season moves through each episode. In Episode 5, the record is at its most destroyed state to reference the events of the episode. The record player’s label is also artwork that was directly pulled from and inspired by the clock, mirroring that item’s state.
PROGRESSION OF VINYL BREAKDOWN
One of the most crucial variations we included was in the text for Episode 5. In this episode, things truly fall apart and the title sequence is no different. The type begins shifting and letters fall from their names. The line work that was once straight and rigid begins to angle, bend and curve as if they’re becoming new timelines.
Episode 5 Text Shifting Motion Test
Despite all of the chaos in the title sequence of Episode 5, by the time we reach the title sequence of Episode 6, everything has returned back to normal. The title sequence for Episode 6 is actually the same title sequence as Episode 1 to reflect critical events that occurred in the finale.
Loki Season 2 End Title Sequence: Episode 1
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MAIN TITLE
Our team also updated the Main Title from Loki Season 1 for Loki Season 2. We adjusted the colors of this title to be warmer, since the second season takes on a warmer aesthetic than the first season. We also crafted a version of the main title where the letters of Loki pop out and disappear, flickering in and out, and ultimately, disappearing in the dark void.
MAIN TITLE SHADING VARIANTS
LOKI SEASON 2 FINAL MAIN TITLE
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LOCATORS
A critical narrative design detail we created were the locators, indicating where and when a character has landed within the Sacred Timeline or Branched Timelines. We discussed in detail with Marvel Studios on what was the clearest and most appealing way to visualize where the characters are.
LOCATOR LOOK DEVELOPMENT
Since this show includes so many locators, dates and places within the multiverse, it was imperative that our locators were clear on where a character was positioned. Ultimately, we landed on two separate locators. For events occurring on the Sacred Timeline, the locator timeline is a straight, clean line.
Sacred Timeline Locators
When a character has landed on a Branched Timeline, we show branches stemming, curving and growing from the timeline. To include additional details in our locators, no two Branched Timeline locators are the same. Each has different patterns of branches every time it is shown on screen.
Branched Timeline Locators
We also designed two time passage locators that acknowledge the progress of time without indicating where the characters are located or on which specific timeline they have landed.
Time Passage Locators
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CONCLUSION
It was an honor to continue our collaboration with Marvel Studios on Loki Season 2 to expand on our contributions from Loki Season 1. Our Loki Season 2 title sequence explores Loki and the TVA in new, exciting ways while also paying homage to our classic titles from Loki Season 1.
All episodes of Loki Season 2 are now streaming on Disney+. Be sure to check out how we created the title sequence for the first season of this show in our Loki Season 1 Title Design case study.
