Concept and creative process
The origins of the universe, the galaxies and the birth of stars were the themes of this 1990 Christmas series of programmes from the Royal Institution. Bernard Heyes responded to the brief with the concept of creating the titles with an Orrery, a mechanical model of the Solar System, represented by colourful fantasy planets and their moons orbiting around the sun. Bernard commissioned Three Peach Animation, a young group of ex-RCA animators, who had worked for him the previous year on the ‘Russ Abbott Show’. They created a beautiful motorised model of the planetary motions which was factually accurate and looked fantastic. Bernard then filmed the model live action in a studio, with lighting designed to create interesting colours and shadows. The title of the programme was introduced into the action in a similar manner to the animation of the planets.