Neverwhere (1996)

Concept and creative process

Memorable titles for an urban fantasy drama created by cult author Neil Gaiman about a nightmarish journey set in a parallel world that exists below the streets of London. Dave McKean, the designer of the title sequence, appropriated the shape of the famous London Transport logo and adapted it as the logo of the programme. The circular motif appeared in various ways throughout the sequence, for example in the curlicues decorating random single letters in the credits. The credits themselves were interesting in the way they were handled, highlighted by the addition of textured strips behind all or a part of the names. Shadowy images from the production, such as the skull of a bird and characters’ faces, were also used to great effect, fading in and out as part of the multi-layered digital edit and endowing the sequence with an enigmatic aura appropriate to the drama’s theme.