- Written by Oasis Studio
- December 9th, 2019
- About | Find out about our 2019 Christmas card
Our 2019 Christmas Card - Mini Santa!
Our clients know that we love to do something exciting for Christmas, and this year is no different.
As we come to the end of our 15th year in business, we decided to challenge ourselves even more than usual by using all of the skills available in our team, as well as developing a few new ones!
We also wanted to do our bit for charity, so this year we’re raising money and awareness for Centrepoint, a charity that gives homeless young people a future by helping them to get back on their feet through education and work. As we operate in both the property industry and the education sector, we were pleased to find a charity who fitted the bill! (please donate to our JustGiving page generously).
Therefore we bring to you...
(Drumroll please)
...Mini Santa, our interactive, augmented reality Christmas Card!
The beginning of Mini Santa
It all started during a team meeting a long time ago where we decided what we wanted to do.
Our Director Paul Deakin, explains:
“We set the studio team three goals of what we were looking for from this year’s card. We were looking for something tangible, something digital, and something that tells a story, all combined into one idea.”
We took it in turns to present our ideas, and collectively decided that the best way forward was to bring all the suggestions together... and Mini Santa was born.
Where it all began - the 2019 Christmas meeting
Turning an idea into (augmented) reality
As soon as our grand idea was in place, we got to work and planned the storyboard of what we wanted the animation to show.
Creative Visualiser, Nick Bounds, explains the vision of the card:
“We wanted to be creative with the story, and make something that can be enjoyed by everyone; and by making Santa stumble around and act comically, we believe we achieved this!”
We then turned the animation into an augmented reality scene, which you can play from our Mini Santa app when your phone camera is pointed at the pop-up house.
We’re extremely proud how this years card has turned out
Research and developer, Rob Watts, said:
“We tried to be really ambitious this year with our card. We’re releasing an augmented reality app available on both iOS and Android.
We’re always breaking new grounds with augmented reality, you may notice that we’ve incorporated shadows into the real world, casting from the house, Santa and his sleigh, and of course the reindeer.”
Even the sound we’ve designed was conducted in the studio, with the team comically lending our voices to the character of Santa.
Designing an augmented reality card
Although the magic of the pop-up card is down to the augmented reality, the design of card and sleeve were vital components in bringing our idea to life.
Creative media specialist, Samson Tudor, discusses the design process:
“When it came to designing the house, I wanted a simple yet stylised look that would fit with the augmented reality and animation, and the character of Santa.
Here’s Samson hard at work designing our card
I took inspiration from traditional English houses and festive gingerbread houses. It was important that there a cohesive look from the house, to the sleeve, to the app interface.”
After the design had concluded, we began printing the cards, laser cutting them and all 16 Oasis team members signed every card before being delivered to our clients and individuals.
Every card has been signed by each member of the Oasis team
Just received your card?
If you’ve just received your Mini Santa card, then congratulations! You’ve made it onto the nice list this year!
Are you on the naughty or nice list this year?
Here’s what you need to do next:
Step 1: Remove the house from it’s sleeve and watch it pop into life.
Step 2: Scan the QR code to download the Mini Santa app, or alternatively download it now for iOS or Android.
Step 3: Open your newly downloaded ’Mini Santa’ app, and click ’Start Augmented Reality’.
Step 4: Point your rear phone camera towards your pop-up house, and watch Mini Santa come to life right before your eyes.
Step 5: Donate to our JustGiving page, either from the app, or by going to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/oasis-studio
Not made our list?
Dont’t worry, we haven’t forgot about you!
Download our app using the QR code on the image, and watch Santa fly out of your PC montitor, laptop or a friend’s phone
Watch our behind the scenes video, The Magic in the Making.
From all of us at Oasis Studio, thank you for your support in tackling youth homelessness in our society, and we wish you a very Merry Christmas!
Find out more about Oasis Studio.
