IMAGINE LEARNING
SCOPE SERIES
ROLE: Concept, Creative Direction, Creative Strategy, Series Producer, On-Set Direction, Project Management
TEAM: Justyna Welsh, David McGinty, Anise Lee, Jamie Martin, Heather Drummond, Steven Smithwhite, Ellen Forsyth, Lauren Bennett, Andrew Laing, Alessio Avezzano, Ross Blair, Noby Leong, Sarah Rose Graber, Ayo Sokale, Emily Wright, Fraser Allan, Stan Stawowiak, David Sexton, Ethan Keister, Rachel Lees, Laura Willis, Guy Baillie-Grohman, Kirsty Stevenson
THE BRIEF
Imagine Learning, the largest provider of digital curriculum solutions in the U.S., sought a new way to connect with educators and students through content marketing. The company aimed to move beyond traditional product-focused marketing and create valuable, educational resources that would resonate with teachers and students, reinforcing Imagine Learning’s commitment to empowering educators. The Executive Producer tasked me with the idea for an original series that could provide teachers with engaging content, focusing on connecting academic subjects to real-world events in a meaningful way.
I was asked to create this new series as Series Producer and Director, lead the development and production, overseeing the entire project from concept to execution. My role included managing a cross-functional team and crafting a creative strategy that would capitalise on Imagine Learning’s position in the market and engage audiences in innovative ways.
THE RESULT
The result was Scope, an original series designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world events. Each episode tackled relevant and thought-provoking questions, such as “What would happen if all bees died?” and “Why are we obsessed with dystopian fiction?”. These topics were carefully chosen to resonate with educators and students by making complex subjects relatable and engaging.
Creative Direction: I led a collaborative production process, involving writers, graphic designers, animators, and video editors to shape each episode. We worked closely with subject matter experts to ensure that the content was accurate and aligned with educational standards. This approach allowed us to create episodes that were both visually engaging and educationally sound. Inspired by popular educational channels like Vox and Veritasium, the series combined storytelling with reliable information, reflecting Imagine Learning’s high standards for quality and accuracy.
Visual Storytelling: We developed a distinct visual style using paper-cutout elements to give the series an approachable and hands-on feel, aligning with our aim to 'learn alongside the viewer'. This style allowed us to present complex ideas in a visually relatable way. To deepen understanding, we integrated creative data visualisations and historical explainers that connected past events to present-day contexts. Each episode opened with a real-life scenario relevant to the topic, grounding abstract concepts in familiar situations.
Building Community & Trust: A key element of Scope was its emphasis on providing valuable, non-promotional content to educators. By offering free, relevant resources,
we aimed to build long-term trust with our audience and support the ongoing conversations that teachers are having in their classrooms.
Collaborative Innovation: As the lead on this project, I guided the team to rethink traditional educational content, encouraging experimentation and pushing creative limits. To bring abstract concepts to life, we integrated immersive projections to create impactful moments, like a dollhouse metaphor to explore dystopian fiction or constructing “Inflation Street” from paper cutouts to illustrate economic principles. By blending illustration, animation,
and projections, we crafted an engaging visual language that elevated the storytelling and transformed complex ideas into memorable experiences.
CAPTIVATING STORYLINES
HISTORICAL EXPLAINERS
CREATIVE DATA VISUALISATION
ANIMATION BY JAMIE MARTIN
Scope redefined Imagine Learning’s approach to marketing content. The series not only revitalised our YouTube channel and garnered recognition as a Shorty Awards finalist in education, but it also set a new creative benchmark for how we connect with educators. By delivering valuable, insightful content without a sales agenda, we established deeper engagement and long-term brand loyalty.
The success of Scope has paved the way for new initiatives and expanded possibilities. We recently launched a special new series focused on Social Studies and the presidential election, designed to help teachers navigate this critical topic in an engaging, informative way. This new direction builds on the success of Scope and reflects our ongoing commitment to creating quality, meaningful content that empowers educators.
STEP ONTO OUR SET
