Nadia Tzuo on Storytelling Through Title Design

This week on the DesignThinkers podcast, I’m joined by Nadia Tzuo—an Emmy Award–winning motion designer and director whose title sequences have become cultural touchstones.

Nadia’s work spans television, film, and streaming, with credits on The Last of Us, Shogun, American Horror Story, Pachinko, Star Trek Beyond, and Captain Marvel. Her sequences don’t just introduce a story—they set its mood, build its world, and often become iconic in their own right.

In this episode, Nadia shares how she approaches title design as both storytelling and branding, the deep research that fuels her process, and why she thinks in moods before visuals. We talk about the importance of cultural specificity, the role of collaboration, and how streaming has reshaped the way audiences engage with titles.

Whether you’re a designer curious about motion, a film lover fascinated by world-building, or someone interested in the intersection of story and design—this conversation is packed with insight and inspiration.

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