Microsoft Hololens

2020

As Microsoft is pivoting to industrial applications for its Hololens AR technology, they wanted to demonstrate their technological capabilities in a series of case studies. We came on board to transform what could have been dry explainer videos into some visually-exciting eye candy.

Each of the four films we created (2 minutes each) had its own narrative and its own vibe and visual language. And each one needed to support both statistical and abstract discussion points while keeping the viewer engaged.

The challenge was the subject matter was pretty opaque and inside baseball. So the question was how do we visualize complex industrial and medical information into easily digestible bits of elegant design.

1 / 5

We took a hybrid approach to design — developing stills and motion at the same time so they could help inform each other.

These films have a feel of technological complexity while remaining very minimal in execution.

1 / 5

The Golden Age of graphic design was a big inspiration for this — we wanted to communicate precision — and boy did we ever find it in the NASA design systems book. A simple and impossibly precise execution of form rooted heavily in an underlying grid. Just the thought of that make us all tingly.

1 / 5

This job initially felt like it might be on the dry side but we were absolutely blown away by what this thing can do. Brain surgery through augmented reality, making satellite and rocket parts through virtual heads-up displays, using holograms to teach about anatomy. It was like a science fiction movie, but instead of bleak and apocalyptic it made you feel hopeful about the future of humanity.

We had little production constraints on this so let our creativity run wild. These films are a mix of live action and 2D animation. We brought expertise to the copywriting because of the subject matter and we brought it all together with some creative editing. There was a great conversation between ourselves and our clients about how to find the best solve for every piece of the puzzle. And I think we’re both very satisfied about how this thing came together.

Credits

BUCK

Executive Creative Director

Kevin Walker

Executive Producer

Luisa Murray

Creative Director

Dan Marsh

Associate Creative Director

Gosha Kuznetsov

Producer

Jamey Kitchens

CG Supervisor

Alex Dingfelder

CG Lead

Adam Webber

Storyboard

Judah Dobin

Design

Ana Gomez Bernaus

Daniel Hyo Kim

Kenneth Kuh

Kenni Huang

Mau Borba

Rafael Bessa

2D Animation

Abigail Fairfax

Dries Van Broeck

James Kim

Marco van der Vlag

Moses Journey

Terence Ginja-Martinho

Tobias Kutz

3D Animation

Adam Webber

Andy Hahn

Mau Borba

Nick Scarcella

Trevor Kerr

William Mendoza

Editor

Billy Kostka

Paal Rui

Assistant Editor

TJ Rozsa

Sound

Music Studio

Zelig Sound

Composer/Sound Designer

Mattew Wilcock