Illumina

Author Arthur C. Clarke once said that “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” To us, Illumina is that.

It was the beginning of summer. The LA days were long and hot. Then, like a breeze, a brief wafted through the door—a brief full of excellent writing, exciting gifs, and beautiful gradients — telling the story of a brand who wants nothing less than to change the world. Our collective eyebrows raise.

We embarked on a journey to reimagine storytelling for this complex topic and to appeal to scientists and regular people alike. A story to inspire the next generation of researchers to focus on this life-saving field aiming to find a cure for any kind of cancer — the same field that brought us the COVID-19 vaccine in record time. Now we’re excited.

Genomes tell a story beneath the surface. Like screenplays, they hold the potential and possibilities to be captured. And, like a good script, they are a starting point. We needed to go deeper to express their ultimate potential.

To capture the soul of Illumina, we wanted to avoid the traditional hype film so prevalent in the world of tech. Instead, we pursued deeper truths through fluid animated visuals that lead the audience on a journey from dream to reality.

The spoken word and the visuals became a dance — where one supports and never overpowers the other. Word and image flow as one to underscore the complexities and benefits of genome sequencing.

Breaking our story into chapters echoing the sequencing process, we pulled viewers along a journey fueled by dynamic tension between the elegant and energetic, linked by fluid transitions both logical and magical.

It’s our hope that this film leaves the viewer with optimism.