Project · Direction, Design, Lighting, Rendering, Compositing · Documentary · 3D · Houdini, Maya, Arnold, After Effects

A Trip to Infinity

An animated sequence for A Trip to Infinity, a Netflix documentary in which scientists and philosophers explore whether infinity exists.

A collage of an astronaut in colorful filaments, an observatory beneath falling particles, and a ringed planet.

A Trip to Infinity is a 79-minute Netflix documentary in which physicists, cosmologists, mathematicians, and philosophers ask whether infinity exists. Directors Jonathan Halperin and Drew Takahashi illustrate the interviews with animated vignettes from artists and studios around the world. The production company Room 608 approached Studio AKA to create one of them, "End of the Universe."

The Sequence

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Our nearly six-minute segment, "End of the Universe," explores an infinite timeline through slow, music-led cosmic imagery.

Its final image reflects on the end of life in the universe.

  • Snow-covered mountain peaks under heavy clouds and a violet glow.
  • Streaks of falling particles above observatory domes on a dark rocky summit.
  • Dark storm clouds pierced by pale shafts of light.
  • A streak of light crosses misty mountain peaks.
  • A pale cratered planet encircled by a ring of dust.
  • A lone figure stands in thick fog on a pale, glowing plain.
  • An observatory tower shatters into fragments above a rocky, cloud-wrapped summit.
  • A small planet breaking apart inside a swirling disc of dust and debris.
  • The curved edge of a swirling blue-white planet under a bright distant star.
  • A glowing white sun beside a tiny planet trailing a dark wake.
  • An astronaut silhouetted against branching pink, violet and blue filaments of light.
  • A seated figure breaks apart into drifting particles on a misty plain.

Making Of

I designed and directed the sequence, sharing the FX and 3D work with Deniz Cinar. Will Eagar also worked on compositing.

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From layouts and FX tests to the finished sequence.

Deniz and I worked together on the FX and 3D scenes in Houdini. I brought elements into Maya as Arnold stand-ins for lighting and rendering, and also composited shots in After Effects.

The full documentary is on Netflix, and more on the sequence is on Studio AKA's website.

Credits

Production Company
Studio AKA
Client
Netflix
Documentary Directors
Jonathan Halperin • Drew Takahashi
Documentary Production
Make Make • Room 608
Animation Sequence Director
Gergely Wootsch
Animation Sequence Producer
Sharon Titmarsh
Production Assistant
Lara Salam
Editor
Nic Gill
FX Animation
Deniz Cinar
Compositing
Will Eagar

Screenings and awards

Winner 2023
44th News & Documentary Emmy Awards ↗Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction: Documentary • New York, USA • September 28