Plains of Yonder on creating the easter egg-laden opening sequence for The White Lotus

The White Lotus is the TV series that seems to have everyone and their nan hooked. Premiering its first season back in 2021 with its intriguing death-to-start format and clever dissection of the perils and inequity of luxury tourism, the series reached new heights with its second instalment in 2022. With a flurry of quotable lines, meme-able moments and characters you love to hate, another aspect that has kept the series so relevant is its brilliant, easter egg-laden opening credits, all three crafted by the Seattle-based creative studio Plains of Yonder.

Some things are a little different this season. There’s no Tanya McQuoid, the hapless, pink-clad anti-hero played by Jennifer Coolidge who’s been a central (if not main) character in the previous two series, the tone feels much more sinister and mysterious than the comedic and high-camp notes of the latter too, and (to much dismay online) the warbling opening song has been dumped. In my humble opinion people need to get over it, the new one is a certified grower with a belting climax. But Plains of Yonder has applied much of the same process to the third season creation, prioritising in-depth research and script analysis. And yes, of course, the sequence is full of clues that will leave you pausing the TV and playing detective.

In a world of ‘skip intro’ buttons, The White Lotus’ opening credits prove just what can be gained from putting time and effort into this recurring feature – sometimes it feels as though people are chatting as much about its opening minute and a half as they are the show itself. This is down to director Mike White’s understanding and respecting of the “power” of the opening sequence. Such awareness caused him to turn to Plains of Yonder, the opening sequence experts (see also their work for True Blood, Rings of Power and High Desert) to create something to fit the bill, leading to rotting wallpaper, followed by Italian frescos and now landing on recreations of Thai temple paintings. Below, co-founders of the studio Mark Bashore and Katrina Crawford share the story behind the project, what it’s like working with Mike White, and just how they pull together all those easter eggs.

INT: How did the White Lotus project arise the first time around, and why did it feel like a project you’d want to work on?

MB: We had a call with Mike White who briefly explained the vision for the show. He opened by saying he just really likes main title sequences and wanted one for his new show – he saw the power in them. He gave us complete freedom, there were no guardrails for what the title should or should not be.

KC: We pitched around five ideas and the one that really struck a nerve was perhaps the simplest; a series of patterned wallpapers themed to match some of the suite names that we had read about in the scripts, Palm, Hibiscus, Pineapple and Tradewinds. Within these patterns hidden stories appeared on a closer look. Then we had the idea of ‘decaying wallpaper’ where ink would run, mould would seep through to hint at the hidden rot in paradise; the colonisation in Hawaii as an element ‘papered-over’. Those frames communicated very simply and powerfully what the show was about at its core.

INT: Can you tell us about one or two bits from the opening credits that you’re partially happy with how they’ve turned out?

KC: We developed a series of chapter headings that were created completely from parts, then mapped in 3D to wooden shutter forms, these represent little worlds like jungle, village, temple, swamp. We’re really happy the way these turned out because they’re beautiful and look like a real, physical place.

INT: What’s it like working with Mike White and his team? How much are the production team involved in the POY creative process?

KC: Mike White is the ultimate client to create great work for. He gives a clear sense of mood and vibe for each season of the show, but we are given an immense amount of freedom. We enjoy creating scenarios and character scenes, on top of hitting a particular mood.