Case Study
Hexagon Networks Animation
A cinematic case study film built using 2.5D motion graphics and After Effects
CLIENT
01
The Challenge
Deliver cinematic ambition without a cinematic pipeline.
Hexagon Utilities asked for a premium, cinematic case study film to showcase the work of their Geospatial Insights team and the launch of Locate EV — a product supporting renewable energy and grid management.
The visual ambition was clear: the film needed the depth, atmosphere and sophistication of a Hollywood-style opening sequence. The constraint was equally clear. There was neither the budget nor the time for a full 3D pipeline, complex rendering workflows or specialist software.
The challenge was to achieve a convincing sense of depth, scale and motion using 2D tools alone, while keeping the build flexible enough to accommodate inevitable late-stage script and scene changes.
02
The Approach
Recreating the feeling of 3D by leaning into what 2D does best.
Rather than chasing technical realism, we focused on cinematic believability — using After Effects to build layered, pseudo-3D environments entirely in 2.5D.
Every scene was constructed from cut-out 2D assets arranged in 3D space, using After Effects’ camera system, lighting tools, parallax and depth of field to create the illusion of volume and movement. Reflections, atmospheric lighting and organic camera motion helped sell the sense of scale without ever leaving a 2D workflow.
To avoid laborious keyframing and maintain natural motion, we relied heavily on expressions and procedural animation — allowing movement to feel alive and rhythmic while remaining efficient and adaptable.
Anticipating client revisions, the project was built modularly. Nested compositions, expression-driven controls and replaceable assets meant changes could be made once and ripple through the entire animation — dramatically reducing rework and render complexity.
Sound design played a crucial role in elevating the final piece. Carefully layered audio added weight, tension and pacing, reinforcing the cinematic feel and bringing the visuals fully to life.
03
The Outcome
A cinematic result, delivered on time, on budget and built to last.
The final 70-second animation delivered the premium, cinematic feel Hexagon were looking for — without the overheads of a traditional 3D pipeline. The film was completed on schedule and within budget, while still pushing creative and technical boundaries.
Now live on Hexagon’s website, the animation continues to serve as a highly effective case study tool — clearly communicating the innovation behind Locate EV and reflecting the sophistication of the platform it represents.
More broadly, the project demonstrated how creative constraints can drive smarter, more inventive solutions — proving that cinematic results don’t always require bigger tools, just a deeper understanding of the ones you already have.
