In the opening sequence to Starz’s short-lived series Magic City, light filters down through the still surface of the sea. A breezy and slow jazz theme composed by Daniele Luppi tinkles in and a woman, nude, swims in azure with the elegance of a creature born to water. She is temptation and desire incarnate, a lure to a glittering world where men seek their fortunes: Miami, Florida, 1959, just after the Cuban Revolution.

The sequence is a dream. It was directed by Ahmet Ahmet and Michelle Dougherty at Imaginary Forces with design support from Arisu Kashiwagi and Greg Herman, and in 2012, it was nominated for an Emmy in Outstanding Main Title Design. It’s an oasis and a mirage — a James Bond title sequence on vacation. That is, until the final moments, when a predator appears — smooth and stealthy, setting the stage for seduction and deceit.

Nominated for a 2012 Emmy in Outstanding Main Title Design.