Skyler Liu
ESPN OPENING
2025
In this project, my design challenge is to create a logo reveal animation under 5 seconds for ESPN’s broadcast of the 60th Super Bowl. My goal was to make the logo as thrilling as the game itself by building an impressive scene and making the trophy stand out boldly.
Credits
Softwares
Designers: Skyler Liu
Instructor: Ed Cheetham
Cinema 4D
After Effects
01
Research: Super Bowl LX
Through my research on past Super Bowl intro animations, I found that they typically use fully 3D animation, often with blue as the dominant color and bright lighting.
The logo is always the clear visual centerpiece, with consistent layout: the numbers are placed below and the trophy is centered. The camera angles are almost always from a low angle, to make the logo appear large and powerful.
The annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL)
It is usually held on the first Sunday of February and marks the end of the American football season. Super Bowl is more than just a sports event; it is a major cultural phenomenon, famous for its halftime shows, commercials, and fan celebrations.
Brand style: Epic & Spectacular, Athletic, Recognizable, Futuristic
02
Logo design & 2 Ideas
1. A theme logo surrounded by iridescent flaming effects, evoking the heat and intensity of competitive sports.🔥I chose a bright red color scheme partly because I felt it better fits the tone of the Super Bowl's 60th host city, Los Angeles. More importantly, I wanted to break away from the traditional blue tones used in previous years.
2. A more geometric version of the theme logo, with the two letters positioned at a 90-degree angle—allowing for dynamic camera movement. 📸️ With the logo placed at the center, it naturally draws immediate attention.
03
Modeling & Motion test
From this point, the work transitioned into Cinema 4D. I Finally chose Logo Design #2.
Since the final video would revolve around the logo, I started by focusing on modeling it first. The process involved building the model, applying materials, setting up lighting, and then constructing the background. After each modification to the logo model, I saved a new version of the file—this way, if the art director requests any changes, it's easy to roll back or adjust.
The first version of the background featured a cityscape with the logo surrounded by tall buildings. However, since Los Angeles isn’t particularly known for skyscrapers, I changed the background to mountains to better reflect the city's identity.
04
FINALS
The final rendered output is shown above. In addition, I created a transition to showcase how this logo reveal animation can be used as a visual cue when switching shots during a live broadcast.