National Geographic is an internationally recognized brand that represents exploration, history, and discovery of "the world and all that is in it." As a designer for Hoff Productions, I art directed graphics for nearly a dozen 60-minute documentaries. From internal combustion engines, to maps, to Niagara Falls, I got to explore the world through our shows, and illustrate fascinating phenomena through motion design.
Role
• Art Director
• Motion Designer
• Graphic Designer
Berlin Wall: escape to Freedom
My first challenge for National Geographic was to make a complete 3D model of the Berlin wall for the National Geographic Channel. The show needed a sweeping overview of the wall as it looked in 1962. I had a week to build it, using 3D software I’d never used before: Cinema 4D. Luckily, I had great reference material. Not only did I build the wall in a week, I also provided map and info graphics for the show.
Hidden Armor, Found Treasures
This show was a combination of history and technology: the story of how weapons have changed since their invention. My part of the show was told through the technology that launched bullets through a gun’s barrel and into battle. The heart of the show was the Greg Martin Colt Gallery of antique Colt revolvers at the Gene Autry Museum in Los Angeles. I animated diagrams of how antique guns worked, from the flintlock pistol to the cartridge-firing revolver.
Crash Science
Life comes at you fast, especially in a race car: Crash Science explored the technology of racing by showing how physics impacts fast moving vehicles on the track.
ULTIMATE factories
Over six episodes, I made graphics that illustrated the internal combustion engine, the insides of a Winnebago, a yeast molecule fermenting to make Budweiser beer, and the incredible engineering that goes into building iconic vehicles like a Harley Davidson motorcycle and a Corvette. Our source material ranged from marketing visuals from the companies’ publicity departments, to actual CAD models provided by BMW & GM’s engineers.
