The NBA Experience
I was the Creative Director for all 13 of the interactive attractions within the NBA Experience at Disney Springs in Orlando.
Each interactive attraction had multiple unique creative deliverables that required everything from early concepts and storyboards to onsite installation and testing. I led a creative team of 15 art directors, designers, and animators working in collaboration with our software development teams, as we created each attraction from the ground up.
My responsibilities also included pitching all creative concepts and art deliverables to the clients at Disney and the NBA.
The Player In You
Linked from the Disney NBA Experience website:
Enter an immersive world where all of your basketball dreams are just a layup away.
Inside this impressive venue inspired by modern-day NBA arenas, you can enjoy 13 unique experiences that merge the magic of Disney with the thrills of the NBA. Step through the Player Entry Tunnel—welcomed by the roar of an excited crowd—and embark on the full player journey, from training to competitions to championships and beyond.
Here Is A Sneak Peak Behind The Creation Of The NBA Experience
Art In Motion
Motion graphics and arena style animations were used throughout all of the interactive NBA Experience to drive fan engagement.
This sizzle reel is a sample of some of the designs in motion.
SHOOT! - Full Court Interactive Fan Experience
Every sports fan dreams of shooting the final shot when the game is on the line. The concept behind SHOOT! was exactly that. This experience was designed to challenge fans to navigate the court and take critical shots, while the clock counts down. Using Magic Band technology, fans represented their favorite team while on the court. The dynamic game engine used customized projections and team-specific arena animations on the court and walls to drive fan engagement and bring the arena to life.
These rough storyboards illustrate how the initial concept was flushed out. It was important that the fan felt a bond between themselves and their team of choice.
The interactive court projections and gameplay needed to be engaging for the most advanced weekend baller and the youngest of NBA fans.
Multiple types of animations and motion graphics were used to bring this experience to life. All 42 NBA and WNBA teams were represented at the NBA Experience, therefore animations were created representing every team.
Custom arena animations, a live recorded crowd, and interactive projections all needed to be in sync to give fans the ultimate pressure cooker simulation.
As fans made baskets, motion tracking cameras would alert the game engine and fans would be rewarded with congratulatory arena banner animations.
These messages would play randomly and never repeat within a single fan’s experience.
When The NBA Experience opened, SHOOT! was an instant fan favorite due to its interactivity and customization. It truly put the fan on their favorite team and let them live out their dream of being an NBA or WNBA star.
PLAYER’S LOCKER ROOM – Interactive Touch Screen Live Stats Exploration
As fans entered this modern version of an NBA locker room, they were able to explore player stalls. At each stall, there was a state-of-the-art vertical touch screen that gave fans instant access to every NBA and WNBA team and player’s stats all at their fingertips.
This interactive feature was visually presented using a crisp info-graphic aesthetic and dynamic motion graphics.
The home screen had an automatic left-to-right scroll that featured every NBA and WNBA team icon.
At any time, a fan could walk up, take control of the scroll, and tap on their favorite team.
Once a team screen was selected, the fan could tap on their favorite player. Motion graphics would then introduce the player-specific screen using a visually stunning display of multiple data streams and infographics.
A critical part of the experience was to make sure that the data for the players and teams were always fresh and accurate.
Our dev team wrote a custom AI data engine that would wait until the last league game of the night and then use a software API to retrieve up to the calendar day game data.
When fans entered the building each day and interacted with this experience, they were presented with the most accurate data available, allowing for deep explorations and player comparisons only available on these touch screens at the NBAX.
Although the attraction was called The NBA Experience, it was critical that the WNBA be equally represented.
We worked closely with both the NBA and the WNBA to make sure there were no discrepancies in the content and data presented.
Below is a gallery of photos from all of the physical locations within the NBA Experience. Every location was a physical destination that included an interactive experience.
