Let’s create a visual embodiment of the idea of a positive chain reaction . . . something that enriches our story but never distracts from it.
The idea that small changes in energy conservation can make a big difference is worth making memorable, attention-getting, and out-of-the-ordinary.
That’s why my recommendation is to bring each “simple change” moment to life with a world-shifting visual . . . a big, ownable, “how-the-hell-did-they-do-that?” opening moment that grabs the audience and lets everyone know they’re about to watch something special.
To achieve this goal, I have developed a handful of attention-getting visual concepts related to the theme of a chain reaction. We could lock in to a single visual idea for the entire campaign, but I think there’s an advantage in designing a unique visual hook for each spot, depending on what works best for the setting and story of that spot.
This is not about just creating ANY visual – it’s about locking in to a specific visual that effortlessly and powerfully reflects our message. To that end, I’ve considered chain reactions, snowball effects, butterfly effects, ripples, Transformers, fold-ins, fold-outs, Rube Goldberg devices, and every other cause-and-effect visual concept out there. The ones that will work best for us are simple and clear, yet with the potential to feel epic and in-camera. I also like the idea of starting with a visual concept with the potential to add humor to the moment. Not that we’d apply it playfully to every spot, but I want to remain open to infusing this moment with personality.
Also, to dramatize this transitional moment even more, consider this: we could start in our old environments just hearing realistic sound design (e.g., kitchen noises for the cupcake shop, and ambient machinery sounds for the tortilla factory), along with a very simplified, subtle music bed. Then, when our transformation hits, the music kicks in dramatically and escalates, emphasizing the wonderful change that’s happening. This could bridge the gap between our two worlds and make for a very inspiring moment – and a more dramatic transition.
Although I’m using words like “transformation” and “world-shifting,” what I really mean is a “dramatic reveal” of the new setting. As I mentioned earlier, most aspects of our great, art-directed settings are already in place, hidden beneath a layer of bad lighting, desaturated colors, unflattering camera angles, cluttered décor, unhealthy air, and grim expressions. These visual concepts reveal the best version of the settings in a memorably exciting way.
Also, it’s worth noting that these visual hooks only apply to the opening transformation from the old environment to the new one – a transition that can unfold in as little as 2 or 3 quick shots if we decide they need to be that fast. They merely set the stage for our “Next” moments, which will be the meat of our stories, and have a style of their very own.
These simple sketches and reference are just a starting point: even if we’ve seen a variation of any idea before, my plan is to make an original, new-and-improved version of it that feels as if it were created entirely in-camera.
Opening Concept #1: RIPPLE
RIPPLE is the epitome of the idea of a small change having big effects. The idea here is an elegant, intelligent, digital ripple that spreads over the “old” environment, revealing the vibrant new setting. (For a very basic demonstration of the close-up texture of a “digital ripple,” I’ve put an animated GIF in the header of this section – it’s the “rotating tiles” effect under the “TRANSFORMATION” headline. It’s not a perfect reference, but it helps envision where it could go.) The ripple effect could just be seen on surfaces, or it could be more playful, e.g., flipping over pans of cupcakes that turn from boring to spectacular, turning on new light fixtures, or spreading out onto the sidewalk to grab the attention of more potential customers in front of the cupcake shop.
Opening Concept #2: FLIP
FLIP represents quick, simple changes with a touch of magic. The moment the first change happens, the walls flip around and the floors flip over, revealing new elements and colors throughout the environment. This also presents the opportunity to do big, room-sized flips, and very small flips of single objects. I also think of this also as “turning over a new leaf.”
The cupcake example frames above don’t represent our art direction – they just convey that we’d have multiple “flips” at once to make this moment big and fast. Also, note that the architecture doesn’t change – everything simply becomes more colorful, and there are now more cupcakes. Similarly, we could use this concept to “flip” in more customers.
In the three factory example frames pictured above, our factory manager looks up at the old HVAC, then down to his tablet, which has a new HVAC pictured on it. He taps the tablet, and the new HVAC moves into place with a dramatic visual (a “FLIP” concept is pictured here, but this could also involve our manager “swiping” the old HVAC out of frame and swiping a new one in – or another way of depicting a similarly dramatic-yet-effortless transformation).
Opening Concept #3: TWIST
TWIST links the small movements of a character’s hand – e.g., screwing in a new light bulb or ordering a new HVAC system – with large movements in the environment. It’s a very tactile idea, and it also conveys the sense that our main characters exert a very effortless sense of control over their environments.
In this reference sketch, as our cupcake shop owner screws in the new light bulb, the entire room twists around her, revealing the new setting. We could extend a moment like this by having the owner react to the amazing contrast that her twisting action is creating – for instance, she briefly turns the light bulb backwards to glance at the old look before twisting the bulb all the way into place, immersing herself in the new environment.
A more subtle alternative could have the room stay in place, and have the look twist into place, as if a dreary layer were being rotated off screen, revealing the vibrant layer underneath.