Set in 1814, “Taboo” follows James Keziah Delaney (Tom Hardy), who has been to the ends of the earth and returns irrevocably changed. Establishing a nefarious tone for the thriller, the series’ opening titles, created by Method Studios, show people and objects languishing eerily underwater. “Taboo” co-creator and star Tom Hardy and the production team shot and created a rough cut of a fully underwater sequence rooted in the show’s themes to which Method Director Johnny Likens applied his artistry, seamlessly blending footage shot from different angles and in varying lighting conditions, composing shots for distinct effect and adding CG bubbles to create elegant transitions. While the bulk of the sequence was captured in camera, Likens also added CG elements to appear as if they were filmed underwater. Finalizing the look, Deluxe’s Company 3 Colorist Rob Sciarratta provided the color grade.
“Taboo” is created by Steven Knight with Tom Hardy and Chips Hardy, who is also the show’s consulting producer. Executive producers are Ridley Scott and Kate Crowe for Scott Free; Tom Hardy and Dean Baker for Hardy Son & Baker; and Steven Knight, with Timothy Bricknell producing. Kristoffer Nyholm directed episodes one through four while Anders Engström handled episodes five through eight. The series is now airing on FX Networks and the BBC.