In the summer of 1776, British forces assembled in New York Harbor, preparing for a decisive confrontation with George Washington and the Continental Army.
History, as breaking news.
Presented by TIME Studios and produced by the visionary team at Primordial Soup, this episode of On This Day… 1776 reimagines a pivotal moment in the American Revolution through HMNN, His Majesty’s News Network, a fictional British broadcaster reporting on history as it unfolds.
I joined the production to help develop the episode’s visual language, character and look direction, and generative video execution, collaborating with a talented team of writers, filmmakers, actors, producers, and editors.
Creating Hannah Moore
At the center of the episode is Hannah Moore, a British correspondent reporting from Staten Island as tensions escalate between the Crown and the American colonies.
Developing Hannah was one of the most involved parts of the visual process.
Her appearance needed to convey the confidence and composure of a seasoned journalist while remaining believable within the social and historical context of 1776.
Through successive character studies, we refined her facial features, expressions, wardrobe, and overall screen presence, establishing a consistent identity that could carry through different environments, camera angles, and captured performances.
The process also extended to John Almon, HMNN’s London anchor, and a supporting cast of reporters, officers, and historical figures, each developed to feel part of the same visual world.
Building the World
From a London newsroom to occupied Staten Island and the Continental Army’s preparations across New York Harbor, each setting needed to feel authentic while belonging to the same broadcast universe.
Finding the right balance between historical realism and the immediacy of television news.
This required a less cinematic approach, favoring sharper, more direct compositions and the visual conventions of broadcast journalism while maintaining the detail and credibility of a historical production.
The HMNN brand identity, news graphics, maps, and on-screen typography were equally important in establishing the language of the fictional network.
Performance at the Center
A defining aspect of the production was its integration of live-action performance capture with generative filmmaking.
Working with real actors on set, the production captured dialogue, voices, gestures, and performances that became the foundation for the generative sequences.
Translating those performances into the episode’s characters and environments required careful attention to facial consistency, expression, cinematography, and timing, preserving the nuances of the original acting throughout the process.
From First Frames to Moving Images
For this project, first frames played an important role in establishing the visual direction for each scene, reinforcing character identity and continuity while defining lighting, environments, and camera composition.
Every action, voice, and gesture originated with the actors, bringing their performances into the visual world developed for the episode.
Working closely with production and editorial teams, we refined each scene to maintain visual consistency, preserve the actors’ performances, and support the pacing and storytelling of the episode.
I’m grateful to Primordial Soup and everyone involved for the opportunity to contribute to this ambitious series.
Credits
Series: On This Day… 1776
Episode: His Majesty’s News Network Presents: Dispatch from Staten Island
Production: Primordial Soup
Generative Artist / Visual Direction: Felipe Posada
Executive Producers: Darren Aronofsky, Ari Handel
Creative Director: Hoyt Dwyer
Head Writer: Lucas Sussman
Writer: Olivia Leong Sulkowicz
Producer: Eric Watson
Project Manager: Elle Kurata
Editor: Max Ethan Miller
Year: 2026