Engineered visualization involves the use of high-speed cameras and robotics or other automated staging mechanisms to create something that is visually spectacular. The end product is typically a super-slow motion video that shows a process or activity in mind-boggling detail.
And the cool thing about these videos is, even if the subject seems mundane, when it’s captured with visualized engineering, it’s sure to attract an audience. And there’s actually science behind this. Studies have shown that slow-motion video increases viewer attention, evokes positive emotion (the slower the video, the more positive the emotion) and makes one feel that time is essentially flying. 1
While the idea that slow-motion makes viewers think time is flying seems counter-intuitive, Eric Olson, Saturn Creative Director, explains that it’s really not. “Think about how pulled in you become when you see super slowed-down images of liquid splashing,” he says. “It’s so captivating, you forget about everything except what’s right in front of you.”
“It’s so captivating, you forget
about everything except what’s
right in front of you.”
-Eric Olson
Because engineered visualization often requires a calculated and inventive approach, it is a good fit for a creative agency like Saturn. The team is tasked with engineer-like thinking and coming up with methods to stage events in easily repeatable ways. The events such as beverages pouring or powder exploding are then performed over and over until the team captures enough footage to select the perfect take.
Saturn clients who have used engineered visualization vary widely and range from food and beverage producers, machinists, and the Milwaukee Ballet. “Really anything can be captured and replayed so that it is astonishingly beautiful,” Olson says. He notes that he’s had great success using engineered visualization with industrial clients because many of their processes are hard to appreciate at normal speed. “When you slow down what they do, and you can see all the parts moving and the little things happening, it gives their work a sense of artistry,” Olson says. “And what’s more, it really sticks with people. These are the types of videos that are likely to be shared and therefore can rapidly build a brand.”