Accelerating Next 2.0

‘Accelerating Next 2.0’ proved a prime opportunity to draw together Framestore’s cross-departmental talent, with Framestore Pictures’ Murray Butler offering directorial vision; concepts and graphics by the Design Studio; and seamless CG and Compositing all playing key roles in the final product. 

Due to the international nature of the brief, Butler chose a bold, graphical style for the campaign, as demonstrated in ’Scale on Demand’, which shows how HPE can support any given business - be they start-up or behemoth - in launching an app. Rather than contend lip sync issues at a later stage, the crew instead embraced the necessity of masking the actors’ faces in the camera moves, shooting wide silhouettes and close-ups, and focusing instead on the tech detail of an app in action.

The look and functionality of that app came from Framestore’s Design Studio. Says Marc Smith, Creative Director and Head of Design of the team’s work: ‘From early concept development frames, through to final animation delivery and finishing, the HPE campaign was a recent favourite for us here in Design.'

'The New York Studio collaborated with our partners in the Live Action, CG and VFX departments throughout the process, providing assistance with everything from pitch artwork and pre-vis animation, through to on-set art-department, and final motion graphic sequences.’

In ‘Security’, HPE sought to show their prowess in the open, borderless markets in which they operate, safeguarding their customers’ data and businesses from the ever-increasing risks, threats and vulnerabilities of the digital world. Butler borrowed from the corporate thriller genre for the spot, posing a cyber threat as a physical intruder in an office environment. A chase plays out in a seamless camera move, merging two spaces blended artfully into one.

Framestore fashioned the control room environment with physical screens, shooting with a Steadicam to capture the moodily-lit office space. The network simulation was inspired by modern representations of cyber worlds, drawing on the Design Studio’s extensive experience in imagining the future and the world of espionage for ‘Zero Days’ and ‘We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks’ (2013).

What’s in a number? For 'Analytics', the third and final spot, the team developed the idea of a written number as a focus point, creating a tactile foil to the beautiful, graphical representations of the logistics discussed in the voiceover. Using a long lens only, Butler placed emphasis on the intricate detail and physical gestures in the fast-paced film, showing once again how HPE is at the fore of enterprising solutions.