Michael Ogden is a creative director.
Michael has developed and directed projects on multiple platforms for some of the most creatively respected companies in the world, including PlayStation, Pixar, BBC and Time-Warner. He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts.
With his work, he aims to better connect people by creating stories that generate conversation and inspire positive change.
Currently — Virtual Reality Director
Michael is the Creative Director of Gatherings VR, a virtual reality platform designed to host live talks and events. Developed with a team of 30, Gatherings is a new, multi-purpose virtual space where people can meet, find ideas, and make new connections. Gatherings launched in September 2020. gatheringsvr.com
Other Highlights
2269: A Global Celebration
Role: Creative Director / Co-founder
Client: Kickstarter
Project: A lifestyle brand celebrating imagination and the things that last. 250 years in the making.
Outcome: Funding goal exceeded by 530%, raising $15,000 with 141 backers. Invites designed & delivered. More ahead, including merchandise and events.
Mad Factory VR
Role: Creative Director / Writer
Client: Framestore / The Third Floor
Project: An original, interactive VR game set in the retro future. Highly replayable.
Outcome: Award-winning (Infinity Film Festival for ‘Outstanding Achievement in VR’); played in 130 VR arcades
2DO Before I Die
Role: Creative Director / Author
Client: Time-Warner
Project: A book to inspire making a list of things to do before you die. Includes first person stories and prompts designed to get you asking big questions.
Outcome: Published worldwide in 9 languages. Various live promotional events.
https://www.amazon.com/2DO-Before-Die-Do-Yourself/dp/031610972X
Testimonial:
"Michael is strong on story and has a passion to deliver high quality, innovative work. He's an excellent communicator and has a natural enthusiasm that really motivates a team. I hope we get the chance to work together again."
-- Matthew Luhn, PIXAR, Lead Story Supervisor
Key Skills
Imagination
Extensive experience in:
Developing original concepts
Facilitating idea generation
Designing formats
Experience working across a range of content platforms
Deep resource of visual and historical references to draw from
Know-how
Pitching / Presenting
Directing interactive narratives
Defining creative development processes
Branding
Adapting IP to new media
Constructing pitch decks
Defining story structure
Directing promo videos
Directing mo-cap
Writing copy, including promo materials
Leadership
Responsible for leading on projects with budgets of £1million plus
Client facing
Excellent communicator
Experienced team manager
Strategic support to business development
Supportive mentor to creative talent
Self-starter / pro-active
Have interviewed over 40 entrepreneurs about business development and leadership
Pitching / Presenting
Michael has successfully presented original concepts at the highest levels, including concept pitches to John Lasseter, CCO of Pixar, and prototype presentations to Shuhei Yoshida, President of PlayStation. He has also sold original pitches to CNN (‘The War Room’) and to Time-Warner’s Little, Brown & Co. (2DO Before I Die).
Creative Development Process
To help shape and develop original content, as well as improve creative cultures, Michael has defined and introduced creative development pipelines — from brief, to prototype, through production — for several organisations, including The Space, The Third Floor VR, and Sony’s story team. He has supported numerous artists in fine tuning their proposals to assist in funding and in finding collaborators, and has long been a champion of entrepreneurship.
Recently completed notebooks.
Daily writing = cheap therapy!
Drawing by Luke, a friend from PlayStation days
Testimonial
"Michael was thoughtful, punchy and detailed in his Masterclass on 'Crafting The Perfect Pitch'. He was thorough about thinking through how to communicate every element of an idea and giving it every chance of success. He's also so knowledgeable about the XR landscape. Our participants really valued his insights".
Shehani Fernando, StoryFutures Academy
At work
Directing mo-cap at Imaginarium Studios
With Pixar’s Head of Story, Jason Katz
With filmmaker Terry Gilliam
Speaking at The Oxford Collective
Speaking on a panel at the BFI
Speaking on a panel about interactive storytelling
Clients include:
Recent Projects
Gatherings VR
Imagine inviting the whole world to your next event…
As Creative Director and Product Manager, Michael led a multi-disciplinary team of developers in the production of an original virtual reality platform that is designed to host live events and talks. It launched with client Morningstar in September 2020. Michael was responsible for communicating the vision of the experience, managing client relations, creating the branding and defining the product road map over the next 18 months.
2269: A Global Celebration
An invitation to the greatest party of all time. 250 years in the making. Put it up, keep it up, pass it on.
Michael is the co-founder of a bold experiment in time and long term thinking. He and Peter Dean have designed an invitation to be passed on from one generation to the next, resulting in an epic story that unfolds over two centuries. Successfully launched on Kickstarter, 2269 is the start of an innovative design brand that holds hope and imagination at its core. To join in, please visit: 2269.co
Michael also wrote and directed this promo. video.
Learn more about 2269: A Global Celebration of Imagination, Exploration & Progress and buy prints at 2269.co
Mad Factory VR
Designed specifically for VR Arcades, Mad Factory is a fast-paced, and highly replayable VR experience. Winning the award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in VR’ at the Infinity Film Festival, Mad Factory’s visually rich world, intuitive interactions and innovative gameplay will delight a wide range of VR players, from 8 on up.
Michael created the concept, directed the production and devised all marketing materials. It is currently in 130 arcades around the world.
“Why is it so much fun to stress your brain out? Great graphics, great gameplay, great fun!” - Reviewed on Steam
‘After Life’ - VR Narrative
Michael led the Third Floor VR team in developing an ambitious, original narrative VR experience for a major feature film company. Due to circumstances beyond our control, the game was unfinished.
We remain proud of what we accomplished, having learned a lot along the way about constructing interactive narratives, directing motion capture, and designing virtual reality games.
Concept art by Peter Lumby
The Third Floor
The Third Floor is the world’s largest visualisation studio. They deliver high-end animated storyboards that provide a narrative blueprint of production for all Marvel films, Star Wars and Mission Impossibles.
Michael was their Creative Director for VR. He led a team in the development of original and adapted productions. He also directed the promo video to showcase the team’s talents.
See it here
Crowd Scene
Crowd Scene is a podcast about successful crowdfunding campaigns and the people who make them happen. Each episode features an entertaining, inspirational interview that captures the highs and lows of developing a concept and sharing it with the world.
Created and co-hosted by Michael Ogden and Peter Dean. More info at crowdsceneshow.com
Listen on iTunes and all other podcast networks.
“Insightful, entertaining and a creative people first approach, which feels authentic and accessible.” Redmesh
The Space
The Space is funded by the BBC and Arts Council, distributing millions of pounds to support cutting edge art projects and reach audiences online
Michael was responsible for defining the creative development pipeline, and designed its online commissioning process.
He was also the Exec Development Producer on multiple interactive experiences, including original projects with Neil Gaiman and Terry Gilliam.
Stephen Hawking’s
Time Traveler’s Reception
In 2009, Stephen Hawking conducted an important experiment. His aim: to determine whether time travel is possible. He held a Reception for Time Travellers - but the invitation was not shared publicly until after the fact, a beautifully simple way to ensure that only time-travellers would be able to attend.
It was Stephen Hawking’s concept, and Peter Dean of Kiteprint designed the invitation. Michael added a critical line of copy that brought it together:
“A time traveler’s reception to be held in the past…”
Among other locations, the poster hangs in Stephen Hawking’s home and in Stephen Colbert’s office.
Hawking’s own copy of the print was recently auctioned off by Christie’s for charity for £11,500.
Unreleased interactive narratives
Michael wrote and directed a series of interactive narratives for Sony's Wonderbook. The first prototype, "Hansel VS Gretel", caught the eye of Pixar and led directly to Michael working with their story team in writing additional interactive experiences.
He also led Sony’s concept team in the development of a social interactive game inspired by role-playing board games, as well as writing & directing Sony London's first VR prototypes.
JK Rowling’s
Book of Spells
Michael directed the initial prototypes of ‘Book of Spells’, leading a multi-disciplinary team in the production of demos shown to JK Rowling to great success. These were playable prototypes of four spells and led directly to her extensive engagement with the project as principal writer.
Sony PlayStation’s Wonderbook
Michael was instrumental as a Creative Director at Sony in defining the core interactive mechanics of Sony’s Wonderbook.
Michael also wrote the first promo for Wonderbook, as seen here in the video.
BBC’s The Great Escape
Michael was Exec Development Producer for Magic Lantern in the production of an original interactive drama for the BBC.
Designed as an entertaining, educational vehicle for young teens, The Great Escape was developed from the ground up, inventing processes, designing games, working with subject matter experts, and working with scriptwriters to define the narrative.
2DO Before I Die
2DO Before I Die, was one of the first of its kind, deriving its stories from user-generated content via his website and blog. It was designed to help people record & share the pursuit of personal ambitions both huge and tiny. A non-fiction book followed, co-authored with Chris Day, featuring contributed stories from both established writers and those experiencing their first time in print.
Published in the US & UK by Time Warner, the book has since been translated into nine languages. International press included radio interviews on NPR and BBC, features in Metro and Men’s Journal and a TV interview on Channel 5 News.
Along with Chris, Michael created the concept and designed the brand. He also wrote, pitched and sold the treatment to various publishers, edited all contributed stories and co-authored the book.
The Playfair Steps
Michael wrote and recorded an album of original songs, ‘Please Yourself’. Long on his list of things to do, completing the album remains a proud achievement. He still thinks it could do with more drums, though! :)
ITV’s Granadaland
Michael was hired by ITV to adapt children’s television shows for an online audience - these included Knight School, Flantastic, and others. He also consulted with established show writers to introduce ways to think about telling stories for a new, interactive medium.
CNN’s War Room
Michael pitched and sold this original concept to CNN - an interactive campaign room that followed the news of a US presidential campaign.
Michael directed ‘The War Room’, leading a team of NYC developers. Unusually for the time, The War Room was a highly visual online experience, reducing the amount of text necessary to intuitively guide users to CNN’s political content.
Contact
Email: mo@2269.co
