Mill+ has collaborated with 25/7 Productions and director Michael John Warren on the striking opening titles for Fearless. The new Netflix series documents Brazilian bull riding culture, and the grueling journey of riders from Sao Paulo to championships in Las Vegas.
The Mill+ team crafted opening titles that play a pivotal role in introducing viewers to the characters. Each scene works as a vignette, introducing a unique character’s personality and story using a distinctive, hand-painted look.
Mill+ art director Helen Hsu explained, “We used oil paintings as an initial influence to create a tactile effect. The concept started with looser brush strokes but gradually got more refined to add realism and purpose. We wanted the titles to look and feel like a painting, while using 3D software to achieve the look. To avoid them looking too ‘3D’ we had to repaint the frames multiple times.”
Mill+ creative director Clarice Chin added, “The quality of the style was very important. The titles had to evoke meaning because of the very emotional, intense stories that are being told. Fearless is a documentary series with a lot of heart in it and it was crucial that we visualize that.”
Credits
Client Netflix/”Fearless” Production 25/7 Productions John Warren, director; Andrew Fried, David Broome, John Henion, Frank Salinas, Yong Yam, executive producer. VFX & Design The Mill Luke Colson, exec producer; Elizabeth Newman, head of production, Mill+; Sumer Zuberi, producer; Anica Douglass, production coordinator; Clarice Chin, creative director; Helen Hsu, art director; Justin Demetrician, animation lead; Justin Demetrician, Tim Devlin, Viraj Ajmeri, animation; Alan Chen, Amy Graham, Helen Hsu, design. Color The Mill Adam Scott, colorist; Thatcher Peterson, exec producer, color; Diane Valera, color producer.
Stain remover Vanish presents this emotional short film--created by BETC Havas, Sao Paulo, and produced by LOBO--that explores the profound consequences of bullying and highlights the importance of open conversations between parents and children. Titled The Bully Monster, the animated film premiered at the Maquinaria Festival in Rio de Janeiro on February 15 in a special edition featuring family-focused programming.
The film’s protagonist is a boy who experiences bullying at school but keeps silent about his suffering. Isolation turns sadness into insecurity, creating invisible emotional scars that only grow in the absence of dialogue. When his mother notices stains on his uniform, these marks become the starting point for a revealing conversation. As words find space to make themselves heard, the stains begin to fade.
This initiative aligns with the Vanish Saves Your Uniform campaign, which, for the past three years during the back-to-school season, has engaged with parents by positioning the brand as a trusted partner in preserving school uniforms. This year, Vanish decided to broaden the conversation, bringing bullying into the debate as the real stain that can impact a child’s life.
The Bully Monster is being screened as preshow material in movie theaters starting February 20 and will also be available on streaming platforms and digital channels. In addition to the film, the campaign will include out-of-home activations and school initiatives through a partnership with Abrace – Preventive Programs, the founding organization of the “Bullying-Free Schools” program, which has been equipping institutions with resources to combat school violence for 12 years.
“Research indicates that stains on a uniform can... Read More
