David Badounts is a Creative Director for major brands.
Set in a fractured future Chicago, Divergent opens with a society governed by rigid structure: five factions define one's identity-Abnegation (the selfless), Amity (the peaceful), Candor (the honest), Dauntless (the brave), and Erudite (the intelligent). Those who do not conform are rendered Factionless, excluded from power and privilege. Our title sequence introduces this world with a visual language that leans into realism, restraint, and a sense of institutional permanence.
Each faction is revealed through grounded vignettes pulled from the environment itself: weathered iconography, utilitarian housing, stark interiors, and surveillance footage. Instead of presenting a polished sci-fi future, we embraced a worn, archival tone that reflects a society functioning under quiet but absolute control. Faction spaces are introduced as part of a larger bureaucratic system, seen through the lens of cameras, training logs, or faction briefings.
A custom-designed user interface runs throughout the sequence, inspired by analog systems, cold data terminals, and public record overlays. The faction scoreboard and biometric scans were intentionally built to feel organic and plausible, more government issue than glossy tech. These UI elements work hand in hand with the edit, reinforcing the idea that in this world, identity is tracked, tested, and judged.
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Role: Designer + Creative Director
Client: Lionsgate