Digital Localisation Explainer Film

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How do you explain a concept most people have never heard of? That was the challenge behind this project, where we were asked to demonstrate the idea of digital localisation. Unlike simple translation, localisation involves adapting a product so it fits culturally with its target audience – accounting for sensitivities, habits, and language in ways that go far beyond just swapping words.

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Our creative solution was to tell the story entirely through digital screens. As viewers travelled from one screen to the next – phones, laptops, tablets – they were transported into different cultural settings, with the people and environments shifting alongside the products being used. Each time, the on-screen app was adapted to reflect the culture, demonstrating localisation in action.

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To make the concept easy to grasp, we created two fictional digital products: a women’s ecommerce store and a mobile banking app. These were familiar enough that viewers could instantly understand them, but flexible enough to show how localisation plays out differently in each context.

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Stylistically, we wanted the film to feel connected and dynamic, like a digital heartbeat running through it. We achieved this with static sound effects, glitchy transitions, and design overlays of rotating dots and connecting lines. These elements tied the film together visually and reinforced the idea of digital networks spanning cultures.

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Authenticity was key. To ensure the localisation shown was accurate, we collaborated with academics from each target country to translate and adapt the fictional products. This not only gave us credible examples but also let us capture the process of localisation happening in real time.

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For our Lincoln videographers, the challenge was both technical and creative – blending screen-based storytelling with cultural backdrops, and keeping the pace snappy enough to hold attention. The final edit struck the balance: an explainer film that made an abstract idea tangible, while keeping it engaging and visually striking.

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The finished video has been used as both a training tool and a marketing asset, helping audiences understand a niche but important concept. It showed how film production in Lincoln can take even the most complex brief and turn it into a clear, compelling story. If you’re looking for a Lincoln video production company that can handle creative problem-solving and technical precision, or need a Lincoln videographer to bring a tricky concept to life, Simply Thrilled can help turn your message into something audiences will actually remember.