EE BAFTAS with Liam Payne

An unforgettable EE BAFTA opening performance sees Liam Payne performing in a world of particles with a holographic avatar of himself.

NorthHouse and Black Skull Creative threw away the rulebook for the EE BAFTA’s 2021 opening performance. Their contemporary design featured an interactive particle world in which singer Liam Payne could perform alongside an avatar of himself.

The team envisaged a design that was responsive to the music and choreography and took the viewer on a journey through the cosmos. They needed to transition seamlessly between their design and the BAFTA’s shortlisted film clips.

NorthHouse jumped straight into styleframes and animatics, blocking out the positioning and timings of all the various elements in Notch. Working in collaboration with Black Skull, the team created spectacular moments where Liam and his avatar were immersed in audio-reactive particle systems. The performance was broadcast to over 2 million people and streamed in augmented reality on EE’s ‘The Round’ app. The audience was surprised to see Liam Payne reappear from a cloud of particles as an avatar, and those using ‘The Round’ were able to experience Liam flying through the cosmos in their living room.

“Notch is incredibly fast when it comes to creating complex particle simulations. We loved the motion generated using field nodes and mirroring affectors. These tools allowed us to create animation with a higher fidelity of movement – something we believe is unique to Notch.”

Tom Bairstow, Creative Director & Founder, NorthHouse

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Credits
Client: EE BAFTA / BBC / Black Skull Creative
Produced, Directed & Designed by Black Skull Creative
Video Designed & Produced by NorthHouse