Launch America SpaceX Demo-2 & Crew 1 Broadcast Show Opens
Client: NASA
Studio: Oxcart Assembly
Background:
Large-scale government programs are dependent on public support to maintain long-term sustainability. Stakeholder buy-in is notoriously difficult, particularly in a politically divided landscape, with unilateral consensus a nearly impossible feat. We were tasked with developing the communications identity and execution for Launch America, the live broadcast and public relations campaign of NASA’s return to human space flight. On the cusp of a potential administration change, the potential for the Commercial Crew Program to ignite public sentiment and support and renewed interest in space exploration was essential to NASA's plan to return humans to the Lunar Surface and onwards to Mars. Secondarily, we were charged with galvanizing target audiences and creating a groundswell of enthusiasm for space travel and exploration through positive media engagements to help ensure uninterrupted support of signature NASA programs: Commercial Crew and Artemis.
Challenge:
Our challenge was to synthesize 60 years of NASA history down to 60 seconds in 60 days. A key criteria was to build on the NASA's existing visual identity. We needed to unite a fractured array of centers and stakeholders with a simple, easy to use system that could work across a broad array of uses and needs. It needed to build on what was already there, whilst being intuitive and enable in-house teams and creative partners to thrive.
Approach:
Utilizing NASA's vast archive and library of footage and imagery was a unique opportunity but also a difficulty given the time constraints. The goal of this edit is to showcase the tremendous history and accomplishments that NASA has achieved and culminate in the fact that the Demo-2 launch would be next in a linear sequence of historical firsts.
Illustration:
This opening sequence is created by juxtaposing highlight video and photographic moments in a linear format leading up to the current event being covered by the day's broadcast. Each 'first' is treated by taking an image or video clip and combining it with a news headline related to the event, as well as a related schematic rendering/drawing from NASA rendered into a technical animation. A multi-layered visual experience that highlights the historic first is created through a parallax or 2.5-D motion graphic treatment with the various elements. The first :53 of the broadcast show open covers major NASA firsts through time. The final :07 is intended to be inclusive of each new mission and the applicable commercial crew partner and is switched out for each broadcast.
This opening sequence is created by juxtaposing highlight video and photographic moments in a linear format leading up to the current event being covered by the day's broadcast. Each 'first' is treated by taking an image or video clip and combining it with a news headline related to the event, as well as a related schematic rendering/drawing from NASA rendered into a technical animation. A multi-layered visual experience that highlights the historic first is created through a parallax or 2.5-D motion graphic treatment with the various elements. The first :53 of the broadcast show open covers major NASA firsts through time. The final :07 is intended to be inclusive of each new mission and the applicable commercial crew partner and is switched out for each broadcast.
