The Witness (2000)

Concept and creative process

Key events of the 20th century seen through the eyes of people who witnessed them first hand was the subject of this BBC Knowledge series. The theme of ‘The Witness’ was interpreted in a 3D computer-generated animation which married these world events with the creative concept of a giant ‘sundial’ image, representing the passage of time. The figure of the witness stood at its centre, acting as a gnomon casting a long shadow over each of the historic events in turn. The close-up eye of the witness became the background for the programme title.