LOCALS ONLY: BUCK’S FREDRIK FRIZELL
By thelaegotist / /
The Egotist recently chatted with Fredrik Frizell, chief innovation officer at talent-driven creative company BUCK, where his role is to drive innovation throughout the global organization. He joined the company in March, a time when all businesses learned the lesson that innovation was key to survival.
BUCK has made a series of strategic steps and ramped up capabilities within interactive and immersive work that falls under the “Creative Technology” category. These initiatives have culminated in a tremendously talented team that will pave the way for BUCK to inspire creative across a spectrum of innovative formats and products for some of the most reputable brands.
BUCK’s clients include Apple, Google, IBM, Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, Pepsi and Sonos.
Why the move to BUCK?
The opportunity to collaborate with hundreds of leading creatives, technologists and designers was obviously very compelling. And I love their reputation for being a collaborative environment. BUCK’s commitment to collaboration is the key to their cutting-edge innovative work. Every department has a seat at the table, and that creative and technical ownership is a recipe for making great work. We’re on the cusp of several major technological shifts—this is an inflection point—and I’m very excited to be in a place where I can seize on these creative tech leaps. For the first time in my career, I get to focus on what I’m really passionate about.
What do you bring to BUCK that is unique?
I’ve been fortunate enough to work on a multitude of story-driven, tech-forward projects in my career, with some of the most talented and respected creators working today. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been drawn to the possibilities and promise of new technology, and it’s that passion I hope to bring to BUCK.
My innovative spirit is not limited to technology. I believe the same holds true when it comes to team building. A great team revolves around versatility, trust and curiosity. But, the secret sauce is in bringing something unique and innovative to every project that goes out the door. I want to push boundaries and strive for that next level in everything we do. I hope to inspire BUCK to always maintain their innovative edge.
What are you working on?
Currently, I oversee the creative technology and innovation-driven work across all of our offices (Los Angeles, New York and Sydney). My job often involves new workflows, tools or experiences. I believe, in the not-to-distant future, we are moving away from screens and entering a world where spatial interfaces are dominant. I like to think about ways to make that a reality for everyone. My days are filled with machine-learning applications, real-time development, generative design, virtual production and dynamic content explorations. The more interesting constructs seem to be a mix of all of the above.
Has Covid made immersive technology more popular?
We are now undergoing behavioral changes due to Covid that will likely remain after “normal” life resumes. I’m confident these changes will further accelerate transformations and new technological advancements for the better. Designing for distance without disconnection, touchless interfaces and companies thriving in work-from-home models will all become part of our daily fabric. We already work, play, shop and entertain online in greater numbers than ever before. As a result, new, innovative, virtual tools will be created to enable our changing lifestyle. The Fortnite generation will come of age in a world dominated by this shift to virtual behaviors.
What is the biggest trend in digital and interactive right now?
People appreciate brands having an opinion and a voice more than ever. Digital experiences that invite dialogue and create engaging, personalized conversations is where it’s at. The ways in which content can be served dynamically segmented on a user’s preference is getting more traction now.
What are people (creators/designers) talking about?
Today, there are so many interesting areas to explore. But, one of the discussions I’m most excited about is how we can create a more empathetic relationship between humans and machines. How we can automate tedious workflows and enable people with new tools powered by artificial intelligence (AI). We’re moving toward the reality where machines will take care of a majority of our to-do lists, so we can focus on the big picture. This sea change will affect every industry and will fundamentally alter creativity, design and production methods.
What are you most excited about immersive tech and marketing?
We are moving toward a world controlled by our voice. To get there, we need systems that are able to process and categorize incredible amounts of information. Personified AI powered characters that are able to develop an emotional connection is the next frontier. I think these AI personas will play a big role in the next generation of operating systems.
BUCK’s recent work for Snap Partner Summit 2020 – Virtual Keynote
BUCK’s recent work for Facebook Avatars – Character & Design System Development
Comments