Documentary Videographer Captures Neon’s Bold Journey into Augmented Reality with Adobe
As a documentary videographer, I’m always seeking stories where art and technology intersect in unexpected ways.
My latest short promo film for Adobe features Neon, an innovative design studio based in Berwick-upon-Tweed, and gave me the perfect chance to document such a story.
Neon are well known for creating large-scale, architectural sculptures that challenge conventions and spark curiosity. But they’re not content to remain solely in the physical world. As they shared during filming:
“While we predominantly build architectural and sculptural projects, we’ve recently been exploring how we extend our work into augmented reality.”
For a documentary videographer, this shift presented a fascinating narrative about how creative practice evolves with emerging technology.
Finding Inspiration on the Northumberland Coastline
Neon’s base in Berwick-upon-Tweed places them amid some of Britain’s most spectacular scenery. The wild Northumberland coastline feeds their imagination and finds its way into their sculptural designs:
“We’re lucky enough to be based in one of the most beautiful parts of the UK. The spectacular Northland coastline is a fantastic place to spend time, take it all in, and gain inspiration for our new projects.”
As a documentary videographer focusing on filmmaking North East England, I’m always drawn to stories that highlight how environment shapes creativity. Neon’s work beautifully embodies the bond between place and artistic vision.
Capturing the Lantern Festival: A Shared Digital Experience
One of the most moving parts of filming Neon was hearing about the inspiration behind their latest AR project. They were captivated by the idea of The Lantern Festival, where people gather to make wishes for the future. Neon wanted to translate that collective spirit into a digital space:
“The Lantern Festival is an event that brings people together and allows people to make a wish about what they would like to happen in the future. We love that idea of a shared moment.”
Documenting this for my film, I witnessed how Neon is using AR not merely as a technical tool but as a way to create meaningful human connections across the globe—a powerful theme for any documentary videographer.
Documentary Videographer’s View: Bringing Augmented Reality to Life with Adobe Aero
Neon’s venture into augmented reality began with Adobe Aero, which allowed them to swiftly transform their sculptural ideas into immersive digital forms. They spoke passionately about how accessible the tool was:
“We love the Adobe Aero for its simplicity. We were able to move very quickly from no knowledge to creating a fully realized augmented reality project in very little time.”
As a documentary videographer, I found it fascinating to film artists accustomed to physical structures as they learned to shape digital creations that defy the constraints of gravity or material limits:
“One of the really interesting things about augmented reality, especially as a practice focused on architectural space, is that this is a medium that allows you to step into a three-dimensional object. You can walk around it… We can create shapes and forms that are practically impossible to build.”
Documenting this process offered insight into how technology can liberate artistic visions, opening doors for creativity in ways never before imagined
Interactivity and a Global Audience
One of the core messages Neon wanted to share in the film was how AR enables wider public access to their work:
“Access to Neon projects is often limited by where people live. What we love about augmented reality is that we can design something, and people can access it wherever they are in the world.”
As a documentary videographer, it was inspiring to capture how art, once tied to a specific location, now has the potential to reach anyone, anywhere. Neon’s AR project invites audiences to participate interactively:
“Objects can be interactive. So your actions in digital space will have an impact on the things that you watch in front of you.”
This interactivity makes the viewer part of the artwork—a thrilling development for storytelling that I, as a documentary videographer, was excited to film.
An Invitation from Neon—and a Documentary Videographer’s Reflection
Neon’s AR lanterns are not simply art objects—they’re an invitation:
“This project was designed as a collective online experience and we invite you to join us. We would love to see where you launch your lantern. So please tag us in Adobe when you upload your video on Instagram or Twitter. We can’t wait to follow the project as it’s enjoyed all over the world.”
For me as a documentary videographer, working on this film reinforced why I love this craft. Capturing Neon’s journey into AR felt like documenting a pivotal moment where art, technology, and human connection converge.
If you’d like to explore more of my films about artists and creative projects, take a look at my Artist Films