The Twelve, a gripping Flemish-language television series created by Sanne Nuyens and Bert Van Dael, captivated audiences when it premiered in 2019. The show revolves around twelve individuals who are summoned for jury duty in an extraordinary murder case. Accused of two murders, including that of her own child, school headmistress Fri Palmers stands trial. As the trial unfolds, each jury member reacts emotionally to the prosecutor’s presentation, tasked with the difficult responsibility of determining the accused’s guilt or innocence. The Twelve gained popularity and was made available to viewers worldwide through its release on Netflix.
Challenge
Cyrex was approached by a producer company involved in the production of The Twelve. They required the creation of “real” interfaces for digital screens that would be used in the show’s props. Rather than adding digital interfaces in post-production, the producers sought to have the actors interact with authentic interfaces in real-time during filming. Cyrex gladly accepted this exciting project for a fan-favorite show.
Solution
As a design-focused project, the scale of the task was relatively small, with Bruno Dobres and Rita Branco leading the efforts to create these interfaces. Their first step involved thoroughly reading the scripts and gaining a clear understanding of the producer’s vision for the screens’ content and the specific interactions required from the actors. It was crucial to ensure that all interactions mimicked those performed on actual smartphones and computers, encompassing typing, swiping, clicking, and unlocking screens, while maintaining a genuine look and feel.
A significant aspect of their work involved replicating interfaces for well-known apps such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Tinder. However, due to licensing restrictions, the team had to develop these app interfaces with different branding, ensuring they resembled the real apps without infringing on copyright. They then proceeded to create mock-up screens and establish connections between various interactions, resulting in a functioning prototype that authentically simulated the experience of using a real app.
Challenges faced
The first major challenge encountered was identifying the perfect tool to create these prototypes. With several options available, each with its pros and cons, the team ultimately found a suitable match in Framer.
The second significant challenge was creating prototypes for both Android and iOS. Rendering the prototypes differed for each operating system, and the interactions behaved differently when used in a browser versus the Framer app. The team had to strike a balance between what could be tested as a prototype and what could be captured on camera, ensuring that the end result aligned with the script’s requirements.
The third major challenge involved working under strict deadlines while maintaining flexibility. As the project involved live shooting for a television series, preparations had to be completed before the shooting day. However, last-minute changes were not uncommon, necessitating the team to adapt and deliver ready-to-use interfaces in a timely manner.
Result
Despite these challenges, the team achieved tremendous success in this project, meeting all requirements and delivering on time. Working on a television production was exhilarating, and seeing their hard work displayed on screen was incredibly rewarding for the team at Cyrex.