Microsoft Strategic Prototyping Group
Experience Design // Interactive Design
AGENCY: BELLE & WISSELL, CO.
What is the potential for storytelling in the next five to ten years?
Microsoft’s Strategic Prototyping Group asked Belle & Wissell to help them explore what the future of a family’s story-time might be like—with a resulting media experience that is presented at the new Microsoft Envisioning Center. This original story comes to life through a series of seamless interactions, in a dynamically illustrated (and animated) world.
The experience centers around active participation of a child, her grandmother, and the child’s stuffed lion (who becomes the central character).
Belle & Wissell’s content development team worked in close collaboration with Microsoft’s internal programming group to create an innovative interactive experience that tells a thoughtful and timeless story about his adventure in search of his beloved cherry blossom.
Many unique interactive methods and combinations of Microsoft’s latest technologies are utilized to explore the potential of what storytelling might look like in the future–a truly theatrical and exciting experience.
Belle & Wissell Team
Design Director: Gabe Kean, Art Director: Thomas Ryun, Senior Designer: Edrea Lita, Junior Designer: Jing Wu, Operations Manager: Sarah Faulkner, Illustrator: Steven Henry, Animator: Jed Bursiek, Animator: Eugene Kong, Writer: Pat McKay
Additional Project Credits
Director, Strategic Prototyping: Jonathan Cluts, Director, Office Envisioning: Anton Andrews, Senior User Experience Designer, Strategic Prototyping: Ana Pinto da Silva, Principal Program Manager: Reena Kawal, Programmer: Sven Pleyer, 3D Character Animator: Mike Stravides, Architect: Olson Kundig Architects, Interior Design: NBBJ, Product Design: General Assembly