Mission Accomplished: Creative Filter creates NASA’s most viewed educational video of all-time.
How do you explain an incredibly abstract concept like space travel in a way that’s consumable and interesting to a generation with notoriously short attention spans? How do you inspire the next generation of NASA scientists? How do you present visual content when capturing live footage of the subject is practically impossible? NASA tasked Creative Filter with finding the answers to all of these questions and to go boldly where no NASA project has gone before.
The challenge
NASA needed an image refresher; assets that could educate and inspire, all while building brand affinity and shifting perceptions of the organization in the public sphere. Their mission was clear: to create a series of educational videos that not only explored the intricate details of the moon return plans, but also ensured accessibility and engagement of a younger, broader audience.
Our approach
While NASA supplied the science and the script, it fell upon the Creative Filter team to creatively translate and visualize the complex information in a way that was accurate and engaging.
Determined to delve into the intricacies of space travel and NASA as a whole, the team set off on a road, packing up the camper and heading to Houston for an epic educational field trip.
The team absorbed invaluable insights from NASA experts, gained in-depth and hands-on understanding of the current moon landing program and the plans for an upcoming lunar return.
With storyboards and style frames fine-tuned, it became evident that the magic of motion graphics and animation would be the keys to creating an unforgettable video.
Leveraging Creative Filter’s expansive network of illustrators, one-stand out talent emerged in Matt Chinworth. His graphic novel-inspired style infused depth, movement and resonance into every image, making him the ideal illustrator to execute the vision.
The results
The final product was a visually beautiful video, with a blend of live action, historical footage, and the breathtaking custom motion graphics masterfully crafted by Matt. The video struck the perfect balance of youthfulness and sophistication, ensuring mass appeal and attention.
Remarkably, this video stands as one of NASA’s most triumphant releases to date, amassing over 10 million distinctive views on YouTube.
This project stands as the standard for future NASA productions showcasing how captivating storytelling, innovative animation techniques, and an engaging visual approach can communicate complex ideas of space exploration and capture the attention of the audiences of today.
