It is always lovely to hear that a client is seeking an enhanced-level video that aims to engage its users, in this case, their staff, with a high-end aesthetic. It means having more time to craft a solution and to push the boundaries of what is achievable.

I was given a script to work with and began putting together a mood board. As usual, the mood board catalysed discussions about style and approach. A lot of the imagery I had gathered was better suited to technology products and was not appropriate for this project. I had previously produced some 3D animation for the same HSBC Learning and Development team, and we agreed that I should steer this project in a similar direction in terms of look and feel. HSBC has great brand guidelines, making it clear where to constrain the design and how to use the brand effectively.

The video serves as an introduction to an e-learning piece, providing an overview of the central concepts that learners will explore. I came up with the idea of following a red thread that connects the different elements, represented by icons from the course content or b-roll video. A stylised vault serves as a navigational device in the course, so I modelled a 3D version and had great fun animating it in various ways.

The project ran smoothly, and the result was exactly as I had imagined it would look: clean, simple, yet refined and sophisticated at the same time. I also had the opportunity to work on the sound design, which is something I enjoy and makes a significant difference to the overall quality of the animation. I'm pleased to say that the video was well-received, and the client's feedback was overwhelmingly positive.