For its new “Spark of Science” series–in which scientists share their inspirations behind their career paths–print and online magazine Nautilus turned to Not To Scale NY and director Colin Hesterly to create an animation piece to accompany an interview with France A. Cordova, director of the National Science Foundation of the U.S.

Using a color palette of cosmic purples, pinks and blues, punctuated with bright whites and bold yellow accents, Hesterly encapsulates Cordova’s interview in which she details her memories of the first moon landing; wonder at watching a television program about neutron stars and so on. Innovative compositions and seamless, unexpected transitions add an element of intrigue to the film, reflecting Cordova’s own curiosity, desire to learn and thirst for discovering the unknown.

“After our publisher, John Steele, interviewed France A. Cordova, we wanted to make sure the story would be unique  and exemplary,” said Len Small, Nautilus art director. “We approached Not To Scale and Colin with our ideas. They not only got what we were feeling for the visualization, they gave us much more than we could have imagined! Colin and Not To Scale gave Cordova’s story an amazing narrative and animation that also slipped in a history of US space exploration in-between scenes. It’s the kind of animation you immediately put on repeat.”

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