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A monumental surprise awaits viewers of the Emmy^® Award-winning "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" in the show's new main title sequence. Designed and directed by female business owner Erin Sarofsky and her team at Chicago-based design-driven production company Sarofsky, the highly stylized 20-second introduction presents Samantha the way the world increasingly sees her: as a curious giant in the cultural landscape.

The concept was initially developed by the producers and writers of "Full Frontal" after weeks of brainstorming on how to fine tune how they see their place in late night. "I loved the idea right off the bat," Erin began, before further summarizing the project's ambitious creative briefing. "Simply put, we were asked to create a main title creatively reflecting Samantha's tone, persona and content. As a smaller-framed woman who has a larger-than-life presence, Samantha's words carry a lot of weight. Still, she is the first person to joke about herself. Self-deprecating and highly self-aware, she is a master at turning it back around and using herself as the punch line."

Show principals including executive producers Miles Kahn, Alison Camillo and Pat King also emphasized the need to convey Samantha's strong sense of purpose, motivations, inquisitive nature, and her drive to shake things up. For Erin, who has built her career resolving creative puzzles like this for a Who's Who of entertainment industry all-stars and brand marketers, even being invited to pitch was the stuff of dreams.

"As a woman, I know how hard it is to strike the right tone with people," she explained. "In whatever we came up with, I wanted to communicate what a bad-ass I think she is... slicing through the messy political landscape each week and doing it all with a wink. To be such a powerful, hilarious figure in the mix, calling it as she sees it, is courageous and bad-ass beyond words."

Beating out scores of other smashing ideas, Sarofsky's chosen approach combines a "punk rock poster" aesthetic with the gigantic Samantha idea. "There was something endearing and honest about the look of that approach, melded with the concept of her being a giant," Erin added. The specific scenarios set a colossal Samantha in familiar terrain, standing up for issues like human rights, legislature, leadership, representation and activism. Donning signature blazer and high heels while towering above American neighborhoods, cityscapes and monuments, she shakes hands (then "fan girls" a bit) with the Statue of Liberty; dismantles and consumes a section of the border wall; spies inside the White House and Capitol; battles a 5-headed hydra of pundits; and rallies a woman's march... before defacing a poster of herself as she walks off the stage.

For editor Dustin Kaufman of Cutters, the pundit hydra deftly highlights Sarofsky's creative brilliance. "To me, that moment perfectly embodies the loudmouth talking-head media landscape we are submerged in... and Samantha's actions represent exactly how I feel every time I watch the news."

Dustin continued, "I seldom use the word 'inspiring' in a non-facetious way, but Erin Sarofsky is inspiring. A true creative in every sense, she's always thinking of wild ideas to play around with."

While the title sequence's background imagery is either stock or computer-generated 3D, the footage of Samantha was captured on stage in Vancouver in August, during a single day of production. For that shoot, Erin once again enlisted director of photography Mike Bove, a key team member from her main title projects for Netflix's "Friends from College" and TNT's "Animal Kingdom."

"We had a lot to capture that day, and we also did a ton of improv work," Erin confirmed. "Since much of the comedy in the finished piece comes from Samantha's interactions with the background elements, our very best footage came from working through the scenarios on the set."

To maximize their time with the star, Mike painstakingly designed the lighting and the green screen stage set to allow them to capture Samantha's movements from head-to-toe. Shooting in 4K resolution with the ARRI ALEXA Mini camera package and Leicra Summicron-C prime lenses, Mike explained, "The Mini has the bit-depth and latitude to provide an extremely clean key for Sarofsky's VFX artists."

Back in the studio, Sarofsky's executive producer Steven Anderson, senior producer Bryan Haney, designers Duarte Elvas and Levi Reardon, and designer/animators Josh Smiertka, Leah Evans, Jake Matthews and Tanner Wickware all focused on finessing their animated elements and the project's finishing. While they set out to instill a stop-motion feel, showcasing Samantha's performances and facial expressions was paramount. Enthusiasm peaked as their combined touches rendered the patent, design-rooted look they desired.

Among the project's deliverables were a few unusual assets. Along with the :20 version, Sarofsky delivered :10 and :3 versions, too. There are also several alternate endings and captions, which will be rolled out on TV, online and in out-of-home marketing (including billboards) as the season progresses.

"Speaking for Erin and everyone at Sarofsky, I know this project checked all the boxes," Steven Anderson concluded. "Bringing in a project that allows everyone to be part of something bigger than ourselves – where we know our time and talent are going into evolving humanity for the better, and that our work will have a voice in a vital narrative – is almost too much to hope for."

Erin added, "It's rare to work on a project that is deeply meaningful to you. We got to collaborate with a woman we respect and admire. We developed a unique visual point of view in a category littered with other personas and styles...where women are underrepresented, and even harder to brand." 

"Here's hoping that it will motivate change," she continued. "That it will help get people more accustomed to women in positions of power, that they will vote for more of us, hire more of us, promote more of us, and respect our opinions more."

Additional information on the "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" main title project can now be viewed on Sarofsky's website by visiting http://www.sarofsky.com.

"Full Frontal with Samantha Bee" airs Wednesdays at 10:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on TBS. 

About Sarofsky
Director, creative director and designer Erin Sarofsky launched Sarofsky in Chicago in 2009 to provide her patent, design-driven production services to leaders in the advertising and entertainment industries worldwide. Today, Sarofsky's staff artists use animation, visual effects, computer graphics and live-action to collaborate with illustrious clientele from concept to delivery, producing work that is visceral, innovative and diverse. With artistry that heightens audience impact through sublime commercials, brand films, title sequences and much more, Sarofsky's reputation for breakthrough design, its proven cross-media production expertise, and its fabulous Olson Kundig-designed studio in Chicago's West Loop are all key components of the attraction. Learn more at http://www.sarofsky.com.