Weapons & Warfare is a flagship show for Straight Arrow News (SAN) focusing on US national defense, international conflicts, and military technology. What began as a branding project evolved into a deep production partnership, where I became an integral part of the show’s daily visual storytelling.
- Deliverables: Visual Identity, Podcast Key Art, Broadcast Package, MOGRTs
- Output: 96 Episodes (3+ hours of custom animation)
- Impact: 1 Million+ YouTube Views

The Brief:
In December 2023, Straight Arrow News needed a visual identity for their new defense-focused show. The challenge was twofold:
- Identity: Create a brand that felt authoritative, technical, and non-partisan. This look also needed to fit within the larger SAN brand.
- Scalability: Develop a system that allowed a fast-paced news team to maintain high production value across dozens of episodes without slowing down the editorial process.
The Solution:
Phase 1: The Brand Package
I designed the Weapons & Warfare brand to mirror the precision of the subject matter. This included:
- Key Art: High-impact podcast and YouTube thumbnails designed for readability at small scales.
- Broadcast Elements: Modern, clean lower thirds, opens, and transitions that lean into a “tactical” aesthetic.
- MOGRT Development: To ensure efficiency, I built a library of custom Motion Graphics Templates (MOGRTs) in After Effects, allowing the editor to update photos, text and timings instantly within Premiere Pro.

Phase 2: Production Integration
Beyond the initial look, I integrated into the production team to provide custom graphics for every episode. This involved:
- Explainers: Many cutting edge military products are nearly impossible to show via traditional filmmaking, requiring 2D/3D animation to help visualize and explain how a product works or the features of a Saas.
- Mapping: Visualizing locations and battlefield lines to help viewers understand where on the globe events were happening.
- Data Visualization: Turning complex defense spending and lengthy government documents digestible animated charts and graphics.
- Remote Production: Greenscreen keying and compositing in each episodes over custom virtual backgrounds.
- Volume & Consistency: Over the course of 96 episodes, I produced over 3 hours of motion content, ensuring that episode 96 felt as polished and brand-consistent as episode 1.
Results
Deliverables:
Overall Brand:
- Logo
- Podcast Key Art
- Show Open
- 4 Transitions
- 4 Segment Bumps
- 18 MOGRTs
- Promo Graphics
- Marketing
Per episode
- Greenscreen A-Roll Compositing
- Custom Motion Graphics
- Episode Thumbnails
Impact:
The show’s visual consistency helped establish it as a trusted source in the defense niche. As of December 2025, Weapons & Warfare has:
- Surpassed 1,000,000 views on YouTube.
- Maintained a rigorous weekly production schedule
- Won a Telly Award for Remote Production – as the entire team, including the anchor/talent, worked remote.
You can see the entire back catalog of episodes on youtube or san.com.