Android

#TheAndroidShow

Recurring Format

Role: Producer / Exec Producer

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#TheAndroidShow

Running from 2021 through to the present day, #TheAndroidShow is a recurring quarterly format for the Android Developer Marketing team aimed predominantly at the B2B Android developer audience, but always conscious that this audience acts as a key B2C audience for them as well.

The concept was born from the post-covid need for additional virtual touch points with their audience, offering a vessel for communicating key updates in a fun and entertaining format.

I acted as the lead Producer for the first 2 shows, creating the blueprint for the format and it’s brand guidelines. I have since acted as the Exec-Producer on the subsequent instalments through to 2024.

TheAndroidShow: JetpackCompose

The teaser for the very first episode.

The first episode aired in 2021. Following Covid-19 pandemic and the lack of in-person events, Android Dev Marketing needed a vehicle to draw focus on specific launches and announcements as well as smaller incremental updates.

Using YouTube’s live functionality we developed a Magazine format show - with stylistic roots in USMorning shows and embodying the sense of fun and playfulness the Android Dev Community liked. With pre-recorded host sections and pre-edited segments wrapped around a live 20minute Q&A.

The full live show

This full show was streamed using YouTube live - including the live Q&A & Fireside chat with Dave Burke.

Recap in 60 Seconds

Along with the teaser trailer live a week before the live show, straight after the show a recap film was dropped - including a quick summary of the key points talked about in the show.

The Segments

The show featured a magazine style format, with stand alone pre-recorded segments that the presenter introduces.

For the first episode this featured the announcement of Jetpack Compose - Android’s newest UI toolkit for developers - entering Beta. This was followed by an announcement of a new Developer Challenge using Jetpack Compose for developers to enter into. As well as a film covering the latest in Modern Android Development - setting the scene for the future of android development and how Jetpack Compose would fit into this - featuring an interview with Director of Dev Relations - Jacob Lehrbaum.

My Role & challenges

As lead producer I helped oversee all initial creative development, as well as ensuring the strict Covid-19 requirements were met throughout the production during multiple waves of the outbreak - navigating ever changing safety guidelines for a complex multi-country production.

I helped source & negotiate key hosting talent in Ex-Mythbuster Kari Byron - whose personality and tech-y leanings gave the show a fun, zany flavour. We worked with scriptwriters at Speechless and created action filled host sections that would entertain and pull the audience through.

We worked within Covid-19 regulations with multiple remote shoots, with teams across the US & Europe to pull together the first episode. Keeping all filming in exterior locations.

We filmed in downtown SF Car parks, closed Science Museums and on the middle of a ranch in Marin County.

We doubled London for the US in certain segments and had to coordinate between multiple teams to create the seamless live actions/animation intro in Episode 2.

As Exec producer whilst Head of Production at Gramafilm, I oversaw multiple teams come in to produce the show - briefing them on the format and client and ensuring that production values were kept.

Creative Director: Ben Corr

UK Director/DOP: Tiago Kingwell

Adtl. UK Segment Producer: Effie Theos

US Service production: Matthew Mayotte

Intro & brand guidelines

We teamed up with designers, animators, and composers to create an introductory title sequence with an original score, as well as a complete set of brand assets and guidelines. This included title graphics, lower thirds, transitions, and the main show logo.

The title sequence cleverly reused 80% of existing footage from previous Android shoots, supplemented by stock footage. The idea was to create a sense of unity among the global developer community in light of missing key events like Google IO and the Android Developer Summit.

The sequence concludes in San Francisco, where Episode One was filmed, with future episodes featuring the hosts' locations. Green lines symbolize the community coming together to form the #TheAndroidShow logo..

Some work in progress screens:

Episode 2: Android Dev Summit

Episode 2 saw TheAndroidShow take on the role of functioning as the keynote wrapper for Android Dev Summit 2021.

With in-person events still not possible the Android Dev Summit used the TAS format to help it stay engaging. This time we took host Kari to the same location, had her interact with the Team Jetpack characters who had featured as part of a digital interactive - and with animation from Seed Animation - we brought to life a mixed live action/animation sequence that thrilled viewers.

The show then featured keynotes from the full developer marketing team including talks from Sagar & Diana Wong in San Francisco as well as Florina Montenescu in London in an equally iconic rooftop location on the Thames.

From here TheAndroidShow has tweaked and changed it's format and structure to better suit the Dev Marketing team's needs, switching to 2 hosts - 1 Googler & 1 Developer Expert from the community. The shows also found a more consistent pattern of segments, including the new: 'BTS' segments. These are Vox-like, animation-led investigative journalism style films that delve into specific topics.