How far can Keynote on iPad be pushed? What can be achieved by relying on a single tool?

Keynote Theatre started with a need to create something visually, and continues to be driven by a need to answer these two questions. That, and it’s fun!

The animations on this page were created with Keynote—Apple’s presentation app—on an iPad Pro. They are explorations of the elements of design and the techniques for creating the illusion of three dimensions. They are intentionally stylised and focussed. All with a healthy dose of pop culture references.

There's more that could be said, but for now...

... let's dim the lights and get on with the show ...

Parallax Animations

A Rebel and Her Droid

Luke, Dinner is Ready

Sentry Duty

Adventurous Spirit

Officer K

Side Scrolling Animations

Like Father, Like Son

Isometric Animations

The Vigilant Detective

Who you gonna call?

Stories

A Diabolical Plan

Simplicity captures our attention.

Consider the terror built by John Williams’ use of just two intimidating notes in the Jaws soundtrack, and the disconcerting tension created by the amelodic cello noise in Hans Zimmer’s Joker theme from The Dark Knight. Consider how our appreciation of the beauty of everyday objects is heightened by Pop artists’ use of a limited colour palette and simplified shapes. Despite being apparently simple, these creations communicate a great deal.

Constraint can focus and promote creativity.

We have a plethora of powerful tools at our finger tips. We can do so much. But what if, like John Williams, Hans Zimmer and the Pop artists, we focussed on one tool, and used that constraint to foster creativity? What would that mean for visual storytelling?

Keynote Theatre is an exploration of creativity through simplicity and constraint.

Chris Blundell

CREATOR

Visit the Keynote Theatre YouTube channel to view higher resolution versions and subscribe.

Keynote Theatre for Learning

#EveryoneCanCreate

The teacher and teacher educator in me asks: what could students learn from making their own Keynote Theatre animations?

As I see it, producing a Keynote Theatre animation based on story (be it from books or films) would be an interesting way for students to interpret texts and to represent themes. It would involve analysis, experimentation, problem-solving and creativity as well as application of visual and media arts principles.

It might also be a way to engage reluctant readers.

Keynote Theatre animations are, in my view, ideal #EveryoneCanCreate projects. They authentically integrate multiple learning areas. For instance, here’s how they map to the F-10 Australian Curriculum.

Learning Area	Element	Links to Australian Curriciulum by Year Level
English	Identifying key elements and themes in scenes from written and media ‘texts’; responding to and creating literature.	F - ACAVAM127, ACELT1578, ACELT1580; 1 - ACELT1586; 2 - ACELT1590 3 - ACELT1601; 4 - ACELT1794 5 - ACELT1794; 6 - ACELT1618 7 - ACELT1621; 8 - ACELT1629 9 - ACELT1773, ACELT1638; 10 - ACELT1641, ACELT1814, ACELT1815, ACELT1644
Visual Arts	Representing ideas using the elements of design and perspective; representing in new ways.	F-2 - ACAVAM106, ACAVAM108 2-4 - ACAVAM111, ACAVAM112 5-6 - ACAVAM115 7-8 - ACAVAM119, ACAVAM121 9-10 - ACAVAM125, ACAVAM126, ACAVAM127
Media Arts	Communicating stories through animation and sound.	F-2 - ACAMAM055, ACAMAM056 3-4 - ACAMAM059 5-6 - ACAMAM064 7-8 - ACAMAM066, ACAMAM068, ACAMAM069, ACAMAR071 9-10 - ACAMAM073, ACAMAM075, ACAMAM076, ACAMAR078
Digital Technologies	Understanding software and hardware.	F-2 - ACTDIK001, ACTDIP006 2-4 - ACTDIK007, ACTDIK008, ACTDIP009, ACTDIP013 5-6 - ACTDIP022 7-8 - ACTDIP032 9-10 - ACTDIP044

Creative Commons License

Keynote Theatre by Chris Blundell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.plutonicdesign.com/keynote_theatre.html.