Specialized Group

Reflection Group

The Greek word for beautiful (kalos) combined with the Greek word for shape (eidos) serve as the origins for a design house making great headway in the advertising, film and television realms.  Founded in 1994 and based in Auckland, New Zealand, the animation and visual effects studio known as Kaleidoscope, (and much like the actual objects itself), is constantly changing the face of the world in which they live in.

Working across all channels of the moving image spectrum, the company is armed with bevy of very talented directors, designers, artists, and animators – all of whom have had extensive experience in the industry as well as having been part of the collective at Kaleidoscope for several years.  From designing and producing TVC campaigns to on-air promotions, channel IDs, title sequences as well as animation and VFX sequences for rich online media, Kaleidoscope has been intricately involved in the strategies behind some of the most influential brands in New Zealand.

Over the course of the past few years, with Kaleidoscope’s popularity on the rise, the company has been expanding their services to international markets. They have co-produced a recent Castrol Oil Intelligent Molecules campaign that rolled out in UK, Poland, Russia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, New Zealand and Australia. 

As recognition and accolades for their work increases, SourceEcreative sought out the collective to pose a few questions their way.  Here’s how Director/Producer Glen Robson weighed in: 

What are ‘Kaleidoscope’ directors known for? What kind of creative mix do you have in your roster of talent?

Kaleidoscope has a number of directors, motion graphics designers and animators specializing in what we call design based narrative. Our focus is to match these specialists and their chosen disciplines with specific clients to create visually compelling and meaningful connections between people and ideas. 

As the advertising landscape encompasses more visible outlets, how does Kaleidoscope adjust strategy to go beyond the traditional and embrace the new forums?  

Delivery and distribution is a changing landscape. As new mediums are developed the old medium becomes the content of the new, but the fundamentals still remain true. People seek out clever ideas, good storytelling and good design, and they always will.

In media both design and storytelling will become more interactive and demanding of their audience. People want to participate. We are seeing this already with the proliferation of user generated content. Successful brands will create a conversation with their customers, enabling them to do, think, act, or connect in ways that they have never even thought of before.

We have recently completed such projects for “V” Energy Drink, Telecom Mobile and Toyota Hilux here in NZ -- all completely different and all very cool.

“V” wanted to give away $100,000 to their loyal online Republic of V members. They wanted to drop the money from a helicopter into a park and create a kind of giant lolly scramble.  But apparently giving away $100,000 is not as easy as you’d think. The authorities stepped in and pulled the plug. Too much potential for disaster.  The Answer? Colenso/BBDO asked Kaleidoscope to assist in creating an online game where the player had to race through a virtual city to the park in the shortest time. Players then won a share of the $100,000 according to the time it took them to complete.  In the end: 2,000 winners - average play time 29 minutes with 473,000 games played.  Fastest time - 15.865 secconds.

Toyota was releasing their new Hilux 4WD Utility which was known for its toughness, -- the 2008 model being the toughest yet. Saatchi & Saatchi/Auckland asked  Kaleidoscope to help create a screen saver that used the accelerometer technology in the new Mac Books to spread that message. A 3D animated Hilux that shifted and rolled around depending on how the laptop was tilted or moved. The result was shortlisted in the Cyber lions category at Cannes this year. Toyota 'Hilux Motionull
Check it out at

Saatchi also asked Kaleidoscope to help with their latest campaign for Telecom NZ. Using the traditional broadcast space to show how Telecom can enable users to distribute their own content, we helped produce the Skydive and Geriatric spots which utilized a user generated look to illustrate both Mobile connectivity during a skydive… and how the internet is being embraced by everyone including the 81 year old YouTube video blogger  geriatric_1927.

What impact is the internet having on Kaleidoscope and the way the company approaches each new project?  Do you figure the web presence, a cross-platform so to speak, into the total package of deliverables? 

When we are approached for our input on projects - which is earlier and earlier in the process these days, in the back of our mind is always how we may be able to leverage what we do on air into other media and if appropriate we offer that up. Repurposing assets is one such way we can do this. Essentially the screen size is unimportant - what matters is the consistency in the feel of the communication.

Smart agencies understand what each medium is best at and will integrate the communication across all media and devices. They come with a cohesive strategy and get our input about the best way to execute ideas, repurpose content, and deliver engaging experiences across all platforms.

With the evolution of convergence – TV, internet, hand-held devices – how does/will this affect you creatively?  What about professionally?
A: Creatively… more input = more output.  Although sooner or later I think the “always on” mentality will experience a bit of a backlash. How much media do we really need in our day-to-day lives? When do we reach saturation? When do we become unavailable for email, text and other electronic interruptions? Often I find lying on the beach far more creatively and professionally regenerating.

Has the internet and affiliated technologies changed people's perception of animation?

Animation is a fantastic medium. In the right hands - it can tell stories, illustrate ideas and connect with people in ways that no other technique can. 

The internet has exposed a lot more people to the potential of animation and provided a great channel for creative expression through animation, which has previously only been available through festivals or what the networks have decided on our behalf is worth viewing.

That’s got to be good …more people watching, more people making, more great stories to view and tell.

What challenges do you foresee will play a large role in the next evolution of Kaleidoscope?

There is so much opportunity around and we are in a time of such change and accelerating rate of change, that it is hard to know where anyone is going to end up. The best bet is to strap yourself in, hold on tight,  point yourself in a direction and see where the ride will take you, hoping you don’t get hit by a truck coming the other way, or burst into a ball of flames, although that could be cool too….in an animation kind of way.

How do you see animation changing/evolving in the coming years?

CGI, FX, and animation will continue to strive for realism, which is great for the technology and art of the effects and animation industry. Faster computers and better software will help us achieve more in less time which is good, but it is not the be-all end-all.  We are just as interested in finding cool techniques and exploring new ways in which we can create something special, something never before seen that changes people’s perspectives and helps them see the world in a different way. That’s the cool part for us.