Google Cloud NEXT ‘23
Showcase Theater — Animated Agenda Signage
We teamed up with Pinch and Salt* to animate a pair of LED screens that displayed the Showcase Theater agenda at the Google Cloud Next ‘23 conference in San Francisco. A key consideration was how to get as much information as possible to the conference attendees without making anyone dizzy.
We also knew that there would likely be tweaks and changes to the agenda, not only in the lead up to the conference, but during the event itself. In order to facilitate a streamlined revision process, we decided to store all of the agenda data inside of a Google Sheet that fed directly into After Effects. This allowed anyone on the team to update the info without needing to open complicated animation software.
Using a healthy dose of custom Javascript coding and a squeeze of silky smooth motion, we delivered a batch of animated agendas that updated every half hour.
*Pinch, an immersive design studio, works collaboratively with its sister agency Salt Productions.
Final look of the scrolling animations, without any pauses. During the conference the scrolling happened every 10 seconds.
Signs on the conference floor
Behind the Scenes
A selection of explorations, motion tests, and final looks.
The initial motion brief called for a flipboard sign, similar to what you find at older train stations. However, given the amount of information that had to be displayed, and the need to quickly revise the data during the event, we decided to pivot to something more akin to a phone app user interface, which worked well thematically within a future-focused conference.
Flipboard motion test
UI motion tests and interim iterations
Final look
Credits
2023