Alien: Romulus Opening Sequence_Creative Direction

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The opening sequence of Alien: Romulus was an opportunity to set the film’s analog, tactile tone from the very beginning. It began with reimagining the 20th Century Studios and Scott Free logos, running them through analog hardware to create natural glitches, distortions, and signal decay—immediately grounding the audience in the raw, imperfect world of Alien. The Echo Probe’s boot-up was inspired by the iconic Nostromo start-up from the original film. On authentic CRT monitors, we displayed custom boot-up text, star maps, dials, and mission data consistent with the established lore of the Alien universe.

As Creative Lead, I directed the design and animation teams, ensuring every screen graphic, device, and animation served both story and style. Our goal was to preserve the nostalgic CRT/analog aesthetic while foreshadowing the visual evolution seen later in the film, and the Covenant film that exists next in the timeline. Every glitch, dial, and line of data was crafted to feel like an authentic part of the world.

Client: Twentieth Century / Disney
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Directed by: Fede Alvarez
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Creative Lead: Jason Forrest Hogg
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Studio: Logan

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ECHO PROBE_Design and Animation

The Echo Probe's opening sequence set the analog visual tone for Alien: Romulus, grounding the audience in the tactile, lived-in aesthetic that defines the Alien universe. With actual CRT monitors featured on set, the sequence evoked the familiar warmth and flicker of analog tech, recalling the iconic boot-up sequence of the Nostromo from the first film. The design established a tonal throughline that would later evolve into the look and feel of the Renaissance Station.

Animation Sequence_Concepts and Art Direction

Building a complete sequence for editoruial was essential, even if the most of the screens wouldn't make it into the final cut. It gave the director the flexibility to refine and shape the scene. The sequence begins with the terminal booting up, followed by data modules displaying star maps, the probe's position, its trajectory, and an array of cockpit devices—each element reinforcing the sense of purpose and precision in the probe's mission.

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Animations and Design

The design needed to reference 80s computers while still seeming somewhat future forward. The animation needed to do the same, referencing clunky cockpit devices and antiquated NASA target systems.

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Studio Logos_Remix

We "remixed" the 20th Century and Scott Free logos for the film open, using Tachyons+ hardware video synthesizers, which were then filmed off of a CRT television and comped back into After Effects for additional treatment. The Scott Free remix wasn't used for the film but was featured in the trailers.