Airside animates Minghella’s detective TV film

Airside is designing the opening and closing visuals for BBC One drama The No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, directed by Anthony Minghella.

The show (pictured), about Botswana’s only female private detective, will be previewed on 18 March along with Airside’s animations, and screened nationwide on 24 March.

Making feature-length animations is part of Airside’s long-term plan, says a company spokeswoman.

Inspired by the film’s setting, Airside has used a warm colour scheme. The 20 designs depict five key scenes, each comprising four illustrations which show the main characters, says Airside designer Malika Favre.

Favre continues, ‘We took our inspiration from African shop signs, dress patterns and the reds and yellows of Botswana.’

‘The show is a comedy, and the bright and saturated African earth colours we are using suit the light-hearted mood of the programme,’she adds.

Originally, Airside’s brief was to design the closing credits but the BBC decided to open the drama with the rugged and action-packed drawings as well, in a 15-second introduction.

The programme is based on the best-selling book series by Alexander McCall Smith.

Airside won a pitch for the work last September.