Peepshow takes credit for Culture Show look

The new series of the BBC’s Culture Show premieres tonight, with opening credits by Peepshow Collective.

The new-look series will feature illustrations by the consultancy in six- and nine-second animations for its Film Recommendations and Busking Challenge slots.

The main 15-second opening sequence uses 12 references to famous images from the arts world, reflecting cultural diversity.

‘Our creation draws its inspiration from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo, The Italian Job, Damien Hirst’s Shark, Pop Art, the British Museum and King Kong,’ says Peepshow producer Miles Donovan.

Peepshow animator Pete Mellor has created designs for the project, while illustrator Andrew Rae has produced the artwork.

Donovan explains that one of the key challenges when creating the animations was not being able to use some of the art worlds’ most iconic images due to legal constraints.

He points out that Peepshow was not permitted to use an Abbey Road design, while a Pop Art sequence had to be redesigned, omitting the word ‘Kapow’ due to legal constraints imposed by artist Roy Lichtenstein’s estate.

Donovan claims that the irony of this is that Lichtenstein’s own style was heavily influenced by comic books.

Peepshow was appointed by the BBC in March, following a four-way pitch.

The group has previously worked for the BBC, though indirectly, through Red Bee Media, creating a series of short educational animations for the pre-school CBeebies channel.

Complementing the title sequence is a series of Culture Show advertisement illustrations, also created by Peepshow, for advertising giant Fallon and the BBC.

The Culture Show will be broadcast tonight on BBC Two at 10pm.