Illumina - The Genome Era - NovaSeq X
Illumina is the leader of genomic sequencing, pioneering technology to help solve humanity’s most complex problems. For their first ever brand film we wanted to avoid the traditional hype film so prevalent in the worlds of tech. Instead, we set out to capture the soul of the company and pursued deeper truths through fluid animated visuals that lead the audience on a journey from dream to reality.
Role: Creative Director
Credits :
Client : Thorne
Agency: FIG
Studio: BUCK
Executive Producer: Kitty Dillard
Creative Directors: Dan Marsh & Liron Eldar-Ashkenazi
Producer: Mackenzie Alexander
Art Director: Kevin Heo
Lead 3D Animator: Taylor James
2D Animation Lead: Gilles Desmadrille
Storyboard: Tucker Klein
Design: Freya Yeh, Gunnar Pettersson, Hannah Sun, Kevin Heo
Twisha Patni, Yukyung Lee, Zack Williams
3D Animation: Auron Luxe, Hannah Sun, Hernan Lindenbaum, Rifat Muharram, Emiko Inskeep
2D Animation: Fabien Rousseau, Hannah Sun, Jordan Scott, Po-Chen Chia
Editor: Billy Kostka
Assistant Editor: Oliver Lin
An abstract Story
Author Arthur C. Clarke once said that “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” To us, Illumina was 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.
The Story of the Genome
We embarked on a journey to reimagine storytelling for such a complex topic, a story that would appeal to scientists and laypeople 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.