Based upon Agatha Christie’s original masterpiece, this adaptation was by written by Sarah Phelps and directed by Craig Viveiros for Lifetime. Thornberg & Forester was asked to pre-visualize the tone and mood for the miniseries by developing the initial identity and a host of filmic elements for a :60 trailer. We were engaged before dailies were available, so our design team conceived grand visions of what the mansion should look like, as well as Shelter Island from afar in 1939.
‘Elegant sophistication with a twist of mystery’ is what informed our identity work and design process. In addition to the nursery rhyme defined fate of the ten guests on the island, inclement weather, to us, was another character to consider in the manifestation of this work. Torrential rain, choppy waters and distance to the mainland is what held the guests captive to the island.
The :60 script from Lifetime included a haunting countdown from ten. Each number would represent one, unique murder. Our treatment aligned each number with the weapon, or device of choice used by the killer. We created a detailed shotlist for Mr. Viveiros to utilize during the production of the miniseries while on location in London. These plates were used for our countdown. Title card typography was tastefully set to feel in-camera and animated with subtle hints of decay.
