Kansas City Motion Design | T2 + Back Alley Blog - Part 2

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Teri Rogers
September 15th, 2010
by Teri Rogers
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Kansas City’s T2 Lab: Exciting Experiential Design Underway

The Lab at T2, which specializes in experiential design executions as well as augmented reality, has some great projects underway and some surprises in store. If you love pop culture, keep your antennae up over the next few months.

One thing that’s not a surprise is a sequel to the award winning “T2 Massacre” one year later. Dubbed “Haunting in the Crossroads,” this one will happen during Kansas City’s traditional First Friday in the Crossroads event in October – and will have a distinct Twilight Zone feel. Not to give everything away, but we can tell you that this “experience” will be super cool and something to put on your “don’t miss” list.

We’re also working with Berry Plastics on an augmented reality piece. They make the plastic cups for lots of fast food chains. When you log into the url and activate the AR marker on your cup, you’ll get a personalized musical experience. Each cup will be different, having a variety of music genres and ways to customize, create, and share your song creation through your interaction and manipulation. We’ll share more on this exciting augmented reality project soon.

Experimentation and creative play is always a part of The Lab and we are working with Arduino Technology, testing all sorts of sensors like touch, breath, velocity, brightness, and temperature. With this super accessible technology we are measuring the real world, which can create the bridge, further connecting the digital world with the real world through various “experiences.” Stay tuned for more details on both of these projects.

Michael Ong
September 15th, 2010
by Michael Ong
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Gratitude

There aren’t enough words
to express my gratitude
in such short Haiku

– Michael Ong

Everything has its time. Sixteen years definitely flew by fast and, when you really love your job, it becomes part of you. T2 is definitely part of my DNA. As I’m looking back at this juncture, my heart is filled with gratitude. I am who I am today in large part because of Teri Rogers and T2. I owe it to everyone whose paths I’ve crossed while at T2 — mentors, co-workers, friends and clients. I’ve learned and grown, been challenged and encouraged, as well as recognized and rewarded. I have loved every moment of it! And rest assured, making the decision to leave T2 was one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make. However, it was one of those rare occasions
when all the stars lined up, and I knew it was time for me to take that next step.

It’s been great working quietly behind the scenes to beef up the team at T2 with a wide variety of talented people and I’m confident the team we’ve assembled will continue to add fresh thinking, a collaborative mentality and forward-thinking design to the solutions T2 brings to its clients.

I know I’m going to miss everyone at T2. They are my family. But the nice thing about family is that you can work in different places and still continue to be very close. I¹m looking forward to that. I am going to miss the incomparable amazing workplace that can never be replaced and saying “goodbye” is hard. It is easier for me to say this: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for the life experience you’ve given me.

Michael Ong

September 5th, 2010
by T2 + Back Alley Team
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Elephants Can Too Jump

Okay, I seriously need to get a life. The bozos leave for a long weekend and I steal into their offices and troll YouTube for interesting videos.

This 3D animation short by Nicolas Deveaux was the winner winner chicken dinner of the weekend.

Directed, designed, animated and illustrated by Deveaux, 7 Tonnes 2 is a 3D animation short film produced by Cube Creative, a production company in Paris specializing in animation, special effects, digital art and 3d animation.

It is impossible to watch this video without laughing. And admiring the talent that it took to create it. These crazies that work here at T2 + Back Alley love this animation stuff – maybe they’ll even give me an extra treat or two when I show ‘em what I found.

Teri Rogers
August 12th, 2010
by Teri Rogers
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For Target, Animation is a Natural Choice

Target tapped Venice, California-based Motion Theory to do a spot for them integrating animation design into their marketing mix. The spot was designed to showcase the creativity, team spirit and personality of the Target brand in a manner completely different from traditional TV spots.

The “A Better Bullseye” campaign was directed by Motion Theory’s Chris Riehl. Their goal was to create a memorable cast of characters – and a spot that viewers wouldn’t tire of, even after seeing it multiple times. Today’s consumer is easily distracted – or bored – so smart brands and creative shops are using tactics like animation design and creating interactive design experiences in innovative ways.

I love the spot and think they accomplished just what they set out to do. And I also love the fact that major brands are continually looking outside the realm of the traditional and allowing motion graphics firms and 3D animators the chance to showcase their talents – and contribute to the overall brand message – albeit in a different way.

August 9th, 2010
by T2 + Back Alley Team
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Globally Distributed Web Series? Hype Around Samsung Galaxy S Web Series

Fact Checkers Unit

A new web series, FCU: Fact Checkers Unit is generating buzz.  Samsung’s new Android phone the Galaxy S will be promoted via the new web series, hyped by NBC Universal as “the world’s first globally distributed web series.”

Hype aside, FCU is breaking new ground. FCU: Fact Checkers Unit is being distributed on multiple platforms in many countries.  Here in the US,  it will appear on NBC.com, Hulu, and Syfy.com along with the video-on-demand service. Mobile phone carriers like AT&T, Verizon and Sprint will deliver the show to smart phones and FCU will be available for download on your Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, and iTunes.

FCU: Fact Checkers Unit will appear in the United Kingdom, Singapore and Japan via Syfy Channel and Sci-Fi Channel in Australia.

Based on the short film of the same name that appeared at Sundance in 2008, FCU: Fact Checkers Unit will be available in an unprecedented number of platforms and regions.  According to social media blog Mashable, the series follows two celebrity fact checkers:

The series will follow two zealous fact checkers for the magazine Dictum; in each episode they will attempt to verify a fact about some celebrity the magazine is covering. For example, they must determine in the first episode whether or not 90210’s Luke Perry really believes his house is haunted by ghosts.

Each of the eight episodes in the series’ current order will feature some celebrity. The celebs named so far include the aforementioned Luke Perry, Jeopardy’s Alex Trebek, legendary rock guitarist Dave Navarro, model Karolina Kurkova , Scrubs‘ Donald Faison, NCIS‘ Pauley Perrette, Friday Night Lights‘ Zach Gilford, and Napoleon Dynamite himself, Jon Heder.

The show features the Samsung Galaxy S featured prominently in every episode. For example, it’s used to record a bedroom overnight in the first episode to document potential paranormal activity.  If this venture is a success, look for more “globally distributed web shows” coming soon. Here’s a trailer for the series: