Stephen Kern Case study deck for design work at Wing
(Alphabet company)
12.22.22
Contact - skernart@gmail.com
While video and infographics are useful tools for explaining operations at Wing, there’s a more compelling way to express our
content visually.
By using Cinema 4D (C4D), I discovered how 3D can help simplify the story of
drone delivery.
Drone Delivery Animation
CASE STUDY 01
The top image, which was for internal use only, depicts the first outcome of using 3D.
After receiving feedback, I explored different colors and models that reflected both suburban and urban environments.
I animated this within two days in order to meet a tight deadline. With my limited C4D knowledge at the time, I streamlined production by using After Effects and animated the drones over the 3D rendered image.
CASE STUDY 01
The positive feedback surrounding my use of 3D proved that it’s a great medium to convey complex information. My next project began when the partnerships team needed a simplified way to communicate Wing’s operations with potential partners.
For this round, I proposed a clean, focused, and modern design which highlighted the key steps in drone delivery. To date, I have made multiple custom videos for the Partner team, that helped push 12 contracts forward, including signing the Doordash partnership.
The impact of this format to explain complex information to potential partners was apparent, and it was clear that there needed to be another version geared towards external audiences. I then decided to enroll in an online 3D bootcamp where I learned more about Cinema 4D, and Redshift.
CASE STUDY 01
Confidential imagery is edited out of the videos
A high fidelity version was needed for external audiences. After receiving an expensive quote from an external vendor to create the next version, I offered to create it myself and was given the greenlight.
Post C4D bootcamp and certificate, I was able to create the entire animation. The goal for this version is to highlight the problems with standard courier delivery, and show how Wing can solve them. Currently nearing the end of this project and the only motion designer at Wing, I’ve created the storyboard, the models, and developed the overall aesthetic.
Next step is to add animated text over the video. Click the play button to see the latest version.
CASE STUDY 01
Drone �Model
CASE STUDY 02
Educating people on drone technology can be complex, but it’s important. Low poly drone animations serve the purpose of explaining how drone delivery works as an operation.
But what about people that want to learn about the drone itself? The audience can’t learn much from the image to the right (drone used in a previous case study), so I began exploring the possibility of using realistic drone models in C4D to educate our audience about the technology.
I received CAD models that were used to fabricate the drones that were subpar topologically and not in line with my knowledge of RedShift materials.
CASE STUDY 02
However, my knowledge of Zbrush came to the rescue; see the top right image for a creature I’d made previously with the application.
I was able to take the CAD model piece by piece into Zbrush and retopologize them to work well with C4D and RedShift. The image on the bottom right is the drone’s wing
in Zbrush.
CASE STUDY 02
After a few attempts, I was able to open the file successfully in C4D. The drone can now be shown in any angle needed to educate the audience on specific parts. I based this drone render off of current Google product photography and renders.
REFERENCE
PHOTO
CASE STUDY 02
Piece by piece, I am working on adding realistic materials created with RedShift renderer. Apart from educational purposes, this drone model will bring other benefits as well. When completed, Wing will have a photo realistic drone that can be superimposed and animated over any background to meet the various use cases in Marketing. It can save costs on hiring, and transporting photographers to shoot specific images, since it will be possible to get the same image that I created.
Using Zbrush and my knowledge of Cinema 4D, the model can now receive photo realistic textures, like the styrofoam on the wings to the right.
CASE STUDY 02
3D Shopping Mall
CASE STUDY 03
When Wing and Mirvac (Australian property developer) partnered, we needed an image for press use. To meet this need, I created a 3D render based off of the references to the shopping centre photos to the right. With C4D, I began modeling the structures and placed the realistic drone models in the sky. It was supposed to look real, but not too real; we didn’t want people thinking drones were already there.
REFERENCE
PHOTO
REFERENCE
PHOTO
CASE STUDY 03
This project request came with a tight turnaround, and I was able to create this render in 4 hours.
CASE STUDY 03
In anticipation for an event, the team was considering suspending a drone from the ceiling to drive awareness of the technology. To help visualize how this could look in situ, I placed the 3D render of the drone in a photo of the event space and matched the lighting using an HDRI image. The render helped with drone placement, and angle.
CASE STUDY 03
The realistic drone is proving to be useful in other areas of the business. With HDR images and realistic camera settings, it’s been helpful for engineers needing visuals of the drone at different distances. In these cases, they’re the small specs in the sky!
CASE STUDY 03
Friendly Drones for Social
CASE STUDY 04
One of Wing’s greater business goals is to build a positive community around Wing & drone delivery. The tactic to build community was to educate & entertain by using short form video (Tiktok, YT shorts, IG Reels). The content request came with a tight deadline, and needed to be low lift, and repeatable.
We started by testing a variety of content styles and analyzed their performance. Through that process we identified the highest performing content and doubled down on it. These 2D drone animations created over existing video footage were part of that greater strategy and one of the higher performing styles.
CASE STUDY 04
Through this iterative social strategy Wing was able to increase quarterly view counts from 100k views in Q1 2022 to over 2.9M in Q4 2022, with an average view of 95.8% and 4.8% CTR.
CASE STUDY 04
Animation & Design Extras
When Wing and KFC partnered in Australia, we needed an upbeat video that married both the KFC and Wing brand for press to release along with the announcement.
I was given RAW footage to work with, cut the video, edited music and created the motion graphics. The resulting video helped garner 623 pieces of coverage and over 6.5M in reach.
We also needed creative for the paid media strategy, so I built off of the launch video and created the asset to the left.
WING AND KFC LAUNCH VIDEO
Both Wing and OpenSky (Wing’s drone flyer app) needed assets for their demand generation paid media strategies. As the only motion designer at Wing, I owned the creative globally from concept to delivery, and created the videos to the right.
For all paid ads, I was given footage that I cut, edited music, and designed the motion graphics. These efforts resulted in over 230,000 app installs, and a click through rate of 5.5%.
PAID AD VIDEOS
Wing needed a branded van to transport drones to delivery demos, to create advocacy amongst key audiences. I was asked to create a utilitarian style van with fun elements, so I created several designs using Adobe Illustrator. The team chose the design to the right, and will be produced this year.
I also illustrated a new vector to add to the back of the van which has perspective, unlike the one we have been using.
Former
New
WING DRONE DEMO VAN DESIGN
Here are some examples of vector illustrations that were used for various marketing purposes at Wing. The needs range from large fence wraps to provide coverage over a drone site, to direct mailers, motion graphics, and stickers for Instagram. Most recently, I am developing illustrations for our Partnership Team, which you can see below.
WING ILLUSTRATIONS
Wing needed an upbeat sizzle video that showed positive consumer sentiment to present to stakeholders. I was tasked to create this with a tight deadline, and submitted this 3 hours later.
SOCIAL SIZZLE VIDEO
2020 Showreel
My most recent showreel is currently in production and will showcase the latest work for Wing, as well as previous clients such as Walmart and Nikon.
Check out my online portfolio website below.
https://www.stephenkernart.com/
In my free time, I continue being creative by painting and drawing with real materials as well as digitally. The next few slides have examples.
Personal Work
DIGITAL ILLUSTRATIONS
PAINTINGS AND ILLUSTRATIONS