The Clearing
Role Graphic Artist
Production Designer Pete Baxter
RELEASED Disney+, 2023
Scope Graphic props, packaging design, photo editing, poster design, visual identities, environmental signage, screen graphics.
Based on J.P. Pomare's novel inspired by Victoria's infamous "The Family" cult, Disney+ series The Clearing spans multiple decades, demanding a distinct, era-shifting visual world. My work required navigating design styles across the 1980s, 90s, and present day, heavy on physical distressing and subtle narrative cues.
Graphic props (included edited photos) for a 1980s scene.
1980s police screen created in Photoshop.
From the Archives
A major hero prop for the series was a police archive box retained by an officer decades after the initial investigation into the cult. Working closely with the props team, I generated a full suite of graphic assets, including evidence folders, edited photographs, legal paperwork, and newspaper articles for them to physically print, age, and distress. Every document was styled to reflect organic wear, spanning original creation in the 80s and 90s through to decades of handling prior to its present-day screen reveal.
Cult Motif
Part of dramatising the story for television involved creating a visual motif for the cult. I built around a hundred iterations before landing on the final design, which included a simplified version for small-scale use and a detailed version for intricate props and dressings.
A focal point of this worldbuilding was a hero stained glass window featured throughout the series. I hand-sketched the initial layout on paper before meticulously rendering the final piece in Photoshop, adding realistic lead lines, colour variation, and faux glass textures.
A selection of period graphic props including letters, a certificate, prescription pad with business cards and airline tickets.