Future Cats, a nature documentary that uses imaginative visual effects to show how big cats would adapt to four different worlds changes, including ice, floods, desert and the merging of continents. Set in a polygonal diorama of sorts, the animals they came up with range from lean, muscular tigers that resemble woodcarvings to a metallic robot cat. This groundbreaking approach, which included creating matte paintings and a miniaturized world filled with lifelike carvings of animals and environments, earned Richie and Big Machine an Emmy award for Outstanding Graphic Design & Art Direction. Effective animation often calls for innovation, but the groundbreaking visuals featured in National Geographic Wild’s Future Cats, required exceptional creativity and technical know-how. The result is a documentary that pushes programming to a new level.