Severance: unskippable opening titles
- Alex Iwanoff
- Mar 14
- 3 min read
Opening sequences set the tone. They introduce the mood, establish themes, and sometimes tell a story before the first scene even begins. While they exist to present the cast and crew, they’re also a chance to immerse the audience in the world of the film or series. A strong opening sequence can define a film’s identity and, if done well, linger in the viewer’s mind long after the episode ends.
That’s exactly what happened with Severance.
The opening sequences for both seasons were done by Berlin-based digital artist Oliver Latta (Extraweg). They’re a kind of nightmare that is bizarre and fascinating at the same time. Strange. Uncomfortable. And yet, so enjoyable. Why?
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF UNSETTLING DESIGN
There’s a reason we can’t look away from things that disturb us. Uncanny imagery, like Latta’s rubbery faces, distorted bodies and overall weird art, triggers an emotional response. It generates discomfort that demands our attention. And ultimately, that’s the goal: to make people stop scrolling, to keep them from hitting the “skip” button.
And that is what Latta does. He’s known for his eerie and often grotesque 3D animations, that subvert your expectations. His Instagram is filled with hypnotic loops you don’t really know how to feel about, but you keep watching one after the other (though it’s been a while since he last posted). His unique art quickly got a lot of attention on social media and he's worked for various brands and music videos.
“My aim is to provoke emotions and be different, outstanding, and innovative. [...] I take viewers out of their comfort zones and make them think for themselves”, Latta told SIGGRAPH and added “I want to provoke and sometimes confuse”.
AN UNFORGETTABLE INTRO
So, it’s no surprise that he was approached by Severance executive producer and director Ben Stiller to craft the opening title that visually embodied the show’s themes of fractured identity and corporate control. When he reached out, Stiller had no specific treatment—just the script. With only those lines of dialogue as a reference, Latta began his research and built mood boards, exploring ways to create a surreal world that left room for interpretation. It took them nearly a year to refine the vision.
“I saw this guy on Instagram called Extraweg, that had this weird animation of like babies coming out of a brain and turning into jelly. And I though, this is amazing! And so, I reached out to him and he hadn’t done an opening credit sequence, but it felt like his vibe was right for the show”, Ben Stiller in the Late Night with Seth Meyers on S1.
With Season 2 of Severance now also streaming, we were able to watch yet another mesmerizing opening title sequence, that got people talking. “The sequence intricately explores Mark's fragmented memories and anxieties, symbolizing his struggle to reclaim his identity”, as explained in Extraweg's website. There seems to be even a little use of AI when the goat appears and morphs, which is very well thought and nobody seems to be bothered by it (very different to the scandals from the past!).
To create the sequence, Latta scanned actor Adam Scott to accurately capture his likeness. The digi-double was then manipulated—deformed, duplicated, and reshaped—to visually reflect the show’s themes. For the animation, he pulled inspiration from online references but also relied on his extensive library of unpublished work, adapting existing ideas to fit Severance's unique world, as he told It’s Nice That.
THE MUSIC
Of course, you cannot talk about the opening titles without mentioning the music. You see, title sequences are a bit like moody music videos. The music is as important as the images themselves. In Severance case, Theodore Shapiro is the Emmy-award composer behind the series main title, which is “so eerily satisfying” that it perfectly fits with the visuals themselves.
And this is true for many great intro sequences. Take Westworld, where Ramin Djawadi’s score enhances the amazing 3D tableaux. In fact, music is so important that it can sometimes be the defining element of an intro.
That’s probably the case with The White Lotus. The sequence itself is visually simple—a curated wallpaper-style montage telling a story of wealth, gossip, and treason (for S2). But Cristobal Tapia De Veer’s strange, hypnotic score turned it into something unforgettable. At first, the music felt odd, unexpected. But by the end of the season, people became obsessed.
So, in the end, what makes Severance’s intro stand out is a combination of both elements: the unfiltered imagery of Latta accompanied with a great music that just wraps up everything perfectly. It’s something to think about for when you’re doing your intro sequence. Think beyond the usual. The best intros aren’t safe.
The ones you remember are the ones that take risks. And we can help you with that.
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