Project Idea : M.Ben

Project Idea and Summary


Metto is a collaborative and productivity-focused meeting application developed by Startup Kitchen, an incubation and training centre based in Istanbul. The enthusiastic team behind Metto comprised developers, product designers, art directors, and a copywriter. This talented team has a track record of designing and developing some of Turkey’s most innovative games, e-commerce platforms, and feature-driven portals.

In 2012, after completing the mobile UI and UX designs for Metto, I was entrusted with the task of creating a compelling promotional video. I enthusiastically took on this project and decided to make the video more engaging by using stop-motion animation.

Solution : M.Ben

Problem and Solution


Problem:  At the time, the application’s features were not fully finalised, yet a promotional video was urgently needed. Additionally, the aim was to highlight the inefficiencies of traditional meetings and demonstrate, humorously and engagingly, how Metto could address this critical issue.
Solution: Given that the application was not operational, I opted for stop-motion animation. This approach allowed me to creatively showcase the app’s interface as if it were functional. Moreover, I incorporated statistics on meeting inefficiencies and demonstrated how Metto could transform these figures positively, presenting the information in a visually compelling and entertaining manner.

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Application: M.Ben

Execution and Technology


To create the video, I used the stop-motion technique. I began by designing the UI and UX layouts in Adobe Photoshop. I then wrote a script and sketched a storyboard, which helped me identify the materials required for the shoot.

From the storyboard, I recreated the app’s interface components as physical paper cut-outs. By elevating these cut-outs slightly, I created subtle drop shadow effects for a more dynamic look. I set up a top-down photography rig and captured approximately 2,000 individual frames. The final edit was completed using Adobe Premiere and After Effects.

Results


The animated video received an overwhelmingly positive response during investor presentations, effectively capturing attention with its engaging and playful storytelling. This video successfully communicated the application’s potential and simplified the process of explaining its functionality. At a time when the iPad 3 and tablets were just beginning to gain popularity, both the application design and the stop-motion video attracted significant attention and acclaim.