Food Inc. 2

We leaned into the ultra-processed idea and developed several rounds of design riffing on the concept of glossy, plastic-feeling food. The bright style keeps the design of the film feeling exciting and fresh and cements it as a standalone film in its own right.

Because we were able to begin our design early in the development of the film, we had a highly collaborative relationship with our partners that began at kickoff and carried through the two years we worked on the film. Their creative input was essential in setting a direction for things like the logo, title sequence and interior graphics to influence the overall film design.

The 3D style we conceptualized for the overly processed food created a look that looked hyper real and then took it one step too far with a plasticky finish. This style was a great canvas for the information delivery we were focused on for internal graphics— sharing pieces of information about the products in discussion and explaining how they are bad for you.

We shot a lot of these products in-studio, buying the products from the many food purveyors available in New York and Marvin Perez capturing the item. Then our 3D team would take the shots in After Effects and add elements there, designing what would become one of our favorite aspects of the film.

The title sequence is a 1.5 minute animated journey through the history of food, starting with super illustrative basics and then ending with the ultra processed 3D food that sets the film’s design against the dystopian landscape of corporate agriculture ownership. The BGSTR team wanted to set an approach that was visually different and transition the look every hundred years or so— shifting the narrative and design language along with the time periods.

After spending over two years working on the design of Food Inc. 2, we’ve become deeply connected to the film’s message and the topics the documentary covers. We were honored to attend a recent screening of the film as part of New York’s Climate Week, and got a thrill from the interesting conversations with the highly intelligent crowd and hearing how they interpreted reacting to information through our graphics. Congratulations to our partners on another incredible film!