Type: Immersive Experience
Role: Motion Design Director
Screen Content Team: 1 Motion Director/Designer · 1 Sound Engineer · 1 Producer
Timeline: 15 Days
Client: HSBC Global Private Banking
🔍 Executive Summary
Nutopia was a bespoke, multi-sensory 360-degree dining experience designed for HSBC Global Private Banking to translate complex market investment outlooks into a captivating narrative journey. Created through a cross-disciplinary collaboration between myself (Motion Design Director), Ellie Motion (Animation Studio), Gastrogig (Event Production Company), and Chef's Table, the event aimed to inspire high-net-worth clients to explore key economic growth drivers across Southeast Asia by pairing visual storytelling with fine dining.
Serving as Motion Design Director, I worked directly with HSBC’s VP of Marketing to craft the narrative structure and direct the visual film. I created, animated, and edited the core video and motion design content, while leading technical integration on-site, aligning full-room 360-degree screen mapping, lighting systems, and culinary pacing into a seamless, cinematic event.
🧠 Concept & Narrative of the Story
The central concept, Nutopia, represents a vision of a new investment landscape anchored in Southeast Asia's future. The narrative was structured around four core economic themes, each paired directly with a culinary course:
SEA's New Dawn: Celebrating the emergence of regional economic growth, business vitality, and untapped market potential.
China's Green Revolution: Highlighting the shift toward clean technology, renewable energy, and sustainable infrastructure.
Sustainability: Exploring long-term environmental stewardship and circular economic growth.
The Metaverse: Imagining a boundaryless digital future where identity, connection, and opportunity are limitless.
⏳ Narrative Flow / Key Moments
The story unfolds through a series of symbolic sequences:
1. Onboarding: Guests board the conceptual vessel to launch their immersive investment voyage.
2. The Hook: A high-impact opening sequence sweeps through Earth's most breathtaking landscapes, establishing a grand scale.
3. Cloud Dining: First course service begins enclosed within serene, ambient cloudtop vistas.
4. SEA Transit: A cinematic fly-through showcases Southeast Asia's bustling shipping channels, iconic landmarks, and growth infrastructure.
5. SEA Regional Dining: Guests dine immersed in tranquil, scenic natural landscapes across Southeast Asia.
6. China Green Revolution: Dynamic visuals highlight China's pioneering sustainability mega-projects and clean technology infrastructure.
7. Bamboo Forest Dining: A lush, peaceful bamboo forest backdrop grounds the room in a nature-centric dining atmosphere.
8. Orbital Ascent: The environment lifts off into space, offering a humbling macro-perspective on Earth’s fragility and the urgency of sustainability.
9. Space Dining: Course service takes place against a breathtaking cosmic backdrop overlooking the planet.
10. Digital Transit: Abstract, fast-paced data conduits visually shift the experience into the digital realm.
11. Metaverse Dining: Guests dine within a futuristic, boundaryless virtual world celebrating infinite digital opportunity.
12. Closing: A compelling finale brings the voyage full circle, cementing HSBC's vision for future growth and sustainable investment.
2. The Hook: A high-impact opening sequence sweeps through Earth's most breathtaking landscapes, establishing a grand scale.
3. Cloud Dining: First course service begins enclosed within serene, ambient cloudtop vistas.
4. SEA Transit: A cinematic fly-through showcases Southeast Asia's bustling shipping channels, iconic landmarks, and growth infrastructure.
5. SEA Regional Dining: Guests dine immersed in tranquil, scenic natural landscapes across Southeast Asia.
6. China Green Revolution: Dynamic visuals highlight China's pioneering sustainability mega-projects and clean technology infrastructure.
7. Bamboo Forest Dining: A lush, peaceful bamboo forest backdrop grounds the room in a nature-centric dining atmosphere.
8. Orbital Ascent: The environment lifts off into space, offering a humbling macro-perspective on Earth’s fragility and the urgency of sustainability.
9. Space Dining: Course service takes place against a breathtaking cosmic backdrop overlooking the planet.
10. Digital Transit: Abstract, fast-paced data conduits visually shift the experience into the digital realm.
11. Metaverse Dining: Guests dine within a futuristic, boundaryless virtual world celebrating infinite digital opportunity.
12. Closing: A compelling finale brings the voyage full circle, cementing HSBC's vision for future growth and sustainable investment.
🌟 Outcome & Impact
Elevated Client Engagement: Transformed traditional, data-heavy market outlooks into an emotionally resonant brand experience that left a lasting impression on HSBC Private Banking guests.
Flawless Sensory Alignment: Achieved tight synchronization between storytelling, motion design, spatial lighting, and culinary timing, delivering a polished and cohesive multi-sensory experience.
Innovative Brand Positioning: Reinforced HSBC’s reputation as an innovative, forward-thinking wealth manager capable of pioneering novel client experiences.
🪞 Reflection
This project demonstrated how cross-disciplinary design can make complex strategic ideas tangible and memorable. Bridging motion design, event production, and gastronomy required precise alignment across creative and technical teams. Overseeing the process from early narrative development through to final technical execution proved that immersive visual storytelling is one of the most effective tools for elevating corporate messaging into an unforgettable event.
🛠️ Behind The Scenes + Set Ups
Some behind the scenes photos of the setups:
Screen Mapping Diagram
Content Input Console
Preview Mapping
Preview Mapping
Preview Mapping
