Here’s How LOTD: Rings of Power Opening Credits Are Made With Real Magic
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is set nearly 5,000 years ago. It follows Frodo’s quest to carry the One Ring into the depths of Mordor and cast it into the fires of Mount Doom. It delves into the origins of the magical rings bestowed on Middle- earth’s powerful figures, Sauron’s rise, and the early days of familiar characters like Galadriel.
While he did not return to work on the series’ score, Lord of the Rings composer Howard Shore contributed by writing a new theme tune for the Prime Video series. And it does resemble his work from Peter Jackson’s Middle-earth epic. Along with Shore’s theme music, the series has a special title sequence with fanciful and evocative graphics made through an astonishing natural process.
The real inspiration behind The Rings of Power title sequence
In a series of 11 tweets on his Twitter account, King explains the real inspiration behind the title sequence. He explains how Chladni figures inspired the shifting sand imagery used in The Rings of Power title sequence
In his thread, King also included a brief explanation of Chladni Figures and several instances. The sequence’s creative director, Anthony Vitagliano, then responds, explaining how it connects thematically with Tolkien’s Middle-earth mythology.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power delves into the early days of Middle-earth. It also follows undiscovered characters like Maxim Baldry’s Isildur, taking a deep dive into Tolkien’s lore. As a result, the title sequence’s stunning, hypnotic imagery contributes to a sense of awe while also bearing deeper meaning. The Lord of the Rings franchise is no stranger to magic and sorcery. And King’s thread demonstrates how real-world magical phenomena and processes influenced the Prime Video series.
