March 22 marks the premiere of the special Omens of the Apocalypse on National Geographic. It’s a compelling look at the 2011 mass blackbird die-off in Beebe, Arkansas. The film is unusual not only for its subject matter, but its quirky tone.  Crazybridge created some funny 3D and 2D animations that we’re really proud of, but are hard to describe.

Here’s how National Geographic describes the show:

The year 2011 gets off to a disturbing start. On New Years Eve, blackbirds die in Beebe, Arkansas by the thousands. Nearby, fish and more birds perish. Then a wave of unsettling animal deaths seems to sweep the globe. Are the deaths connected? A wide-ranging story begins with an investigation of the blackbirds death and ends by assessing how the human mind is inspired, or derailed, by seeming patterns or coincidences in nature.

Tune Thursday at 10pm Eastern/Pacific.

Following up last year’s successful Earth: The Operators’ Manual, PBS will be airing two new hours on our changing climate and cutting edge energy production.

Hosted again by Dr. Richard Alley, Powering the Planet and Energy Quest USA premiere on Earth Day alongside a rebroadcast of the original show.

Here’s a sneak peak at some of the CGI:

The three shows are scheduled to air on PBS Sunday April 22, local air times may vary.  You can watch the first show in its entirety on the E-TOM site.

 

Last summer, Crazybridge Studios was asked to create the motion graphics package and all 3D animations for a 10-part series on TV One called Will to Live.  The show features first person interviews and reenactments of people in dire, life-threatening situations and the inspiration they take from living to tell about them.

To emphasize the show’s focus on life-and-death situations, the show’s suspenseful tease is accompanied by a rhythmic heartbeat, visually represented by an EKG.  The pulse quickens and quickens until it flat lines, and as the title resolves, the beats resume.

The stories cover the gamut of harrowing situations, from spinal injuries to near death at the hands of a serial killer, so the 3D animations in each episode need to visualize emergency situations, bullet trajectories, medical procedures, and more.

In addition to these graphics, Crazybridge also created numerous visual effects, including bullet hits, muzzle flashes, and on-screen graphics.

Watch full episodes on TV One’s Will to Live site.