UI Production Director, Assistant Director & Producer
This was the broadest video in the Copilot+ PC launch set. Unlike the Surface pieces, it was not really about a single device. It had to introduce the bigger AI story across Surface and OEM hardware, and it had to do that mostly through software.
That changed the job right away. If the hardware was not the focus, the UI had to carry the film. I led the UI production for the piece, designing and animating screen stories for Recall, Cocreator in Paint, Live Translations, and Copilot, then working closely with art direction to make sure those moments felt like one system instead of a stack of feature demos.
A lot of the work was iterative. Cocreator took several passes before it felt right. Copilot went through multiple concepts before we found a version that was simple enough to read and strong enough to anchor the larger video. We also built a commercial cut afterward for a broader audience, where I stepped into assistant director and producer roles and reshaped the feature mix to better fit that version.
What I like about this one is the range. It had to connect Surface Pro, Surface Laptop, and partner devices from Lenovo, Samsung, Dell, Acer, ASUS, and HP without losing the thread. That only worked because the UI was doing real narrative work the whole time.
- Led UI production for a software-first launch film that introduced Copilot+ PCs across both Surface and OEM devices.
- Built and refined feature stories for Recall, Cocreator in Paint, Live Translations, Copilot, and the commercial Windows Studio Effects variation.
- Expanded into assistant director and producer responsibilities on the commercial cut, reshaping the story for a broader audience.
Microsoft
Given that this project focused solely on software rather than hardware, we aimed to create a video that highlighted AI stories enabled by the Qualcomm chip without featuring physical devices.
Cocreator in Paint Breakdown
One of the most challenging UI stories to tell in this project was the Cocreator in Paint feature. The concept of drawing and then letting AI create an image based on your sketches was particularly difficult to visualize. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process:
- Initial Concept: Started with a pre-created art piece, added sketches, and transitioned to an AI-enhanced final image. This approach was not effective, prompting a rethink.
- Refinement Stages: Used the product more extensively to create more accurate representations, improving UI flow and pacing. Developed a 3D version, but found the UI too accurate and not aligned with the video’s fantastical tone.
- Final Adjustments: After several iterations and directorial guidance, I rebuilt the entire scene, refining it to effectively showcase the Cocreator feature.
This iterative process was highly creative and ultimately successful, resulting in a Cocreator scene that seamlessly integrated into our final sizzle video.
Windows Studio Effects Breakdown
Windows Studio Effects has been a recurring feature in our sizzle videos, starting with the Windows 11 update video and the Surface Pro 9 video in 2022 when we first introduced the features, as well as the 2023 video in which we introduced the Surface Laptop Studio 2. The latest updates leverage a stronger NPU, enabling new creative effects and further enhancements to reduce background noise and portrait blur. Here’s a summary of our process:
- Initial Concepts: Laid the groundwork for showcasing the different features, exploring various layouts and transitions to effectively demonstrate the new capabilities.
- Polishing Stages: Refined visual presentation and user interface, incorporating feedback for clarity and impact.
- Final Version: The culmination of our efforts, used in the final commercial sizzle video. It effectively highlighted the enhanced capabilities of Windows Studio Effects, showcasing creative filters, portrait blur, and automatic framing.
While the main sizzle video focused on other features, the commercial version emphasized Windows Studio Effects, demonstrating its advanced capabilities.
Microsoft Copilot Breakdown
Creating the Microsoft Copilot segment was one of the most complex tasks in this project. Here’s a detailed shot-by-shot breakdown of the key versions that led to the final product:
- Initial Concepts: Laid foundational ideas for Copilot with step-by-step scenarios and experimented with different versions to showcase various capabilities.
- Developing the Concept: Explored three key concepts: find, recipe, and analyze. Expanded these scenes further but found them too lengthy.
- Exploring Narration: Experimented with a voice-over track but revised the approach to focus on music, simplifying the UI for clarity.
- Transition to 3D: Polished the UI and started creating style frames in a 3D scenario, progressing through 3D development.
- Final Version: Showcased Copilot’s capabilities effectively, emphasizing simplicity and user empowerment.
The complexity of this piece was significant, but it served as the catalyst for the entire sizzle video. The iterative process and collaborative effort ensured that the final video was cohesive and compelling.
Director - Cisco McCarthy
Art Director - Melissa Kim
Producers - Emily Duarte, Ryta Karagodina & Justin Sund
Creative Director - Brian Townsend
Executive Creative Director - Markus Weickenmeier
3D Motion Designers - Ziye Liu, Danny Yoon, Gap Yossanun, Kyle Moore
3D Art Development - Wes Cockx
Art Design - Phoebe Hsu
Storyboard Artist - Alex Alvarado
UI Production Director - Patrick Flaherty
2D Motion Designer - Toliy Patel
UI Design - Piper Phan
Following the Copilot+ PC announcement, I created a commercial version of the video, targeting a broader commercial audience. My responsibilities included:
- Assistant Director and Producer Roles: Took on additional roles to tailor the video for a broader audience, focusing on the practical benefits for those purchasing a Surface or OEM device powered by the Qualcomm® Snapdragon X Elite chip.
- Feature Modifications: Modified features to better suit commercial use cases, such as replacing Cocreator with Windows Studio Effects and updating Live Translations.
- Commercial Focus: Emphasized practical AI-driven applications in professional settings, showcasing enhancements in productivity and streamlined workflows.
This commercial adaptation highlighted the real-world benefits of the AI-driven experiences, demonstrating our commitment to improving user experiences and advancing AI technology.
Microsoft
Director - Cisco McCarthy
Assistant Director - Patrick Flaherty
Art Director - Melissa Kim
Producers - Emily Duarte, Ryta Karagodina, Justin Sund & Patrick Flaherty
Creative Director - Brian Townsend
Executive Creative Director - Markus Weickenmeier
3D Motion Designers - Ziye Liu, Danny Yoon, Gap Yossanun, Kyle Moore
3D Art Development - Wes Cockx
Art Design - Phoebe Hsu
Storyboard Artist - Alex Alvarado
UI Production Director - Patrick Flaherty
2D Motion Designer - Toliy Patel
UI Design - Piper Phan
Selected Works
