Clarity Under Pressure

Designing visual systems for broadcast news.

Before founding WhaleMilk Studio, I designed visual systems for live broadcast news - an environment where clarity, speed and precision are non-negotiable.
Working at Sky News Australia taught me how to communicate complex information instantly to mass audiences.
These principles now form the backbone of my explainer and product-motion work.


Power Hour

Visual Systems That Scale With the Story

When Sky launched Power Hour, the team needed a modular motion system that could adapt to fast-changing news while staying clear and consistent.
I created a full broadcast package - from opener to studio design and branding.

My Role

  • Title animation

  • Motion identity

  • Studio design

  • Branding

  • Promotional materials

Results

A fast, assertive identity system that delivers clarity at a glance. Bold typography and controlled motion language help position the program as sharp, decisive, and trustworthy - exactly what the format needed.

Thumbnails System

Visual Language for Maximum Click-Through

Between May 2024 and May 2025 I developed a thumbnail aesthetic for Sky News Australia that contributed to a measurable improvement in CTR, clarity, and viewer acquisition for long-form and clipped content on YouTube.

This was strategic visual communication built on contrast theory and attention—priority hierarchy.

My Role

  • Concept and visual language design

  • Template system for scalable production

  • Selection cues for anchor images

  • Typography and colour heuristics for high contrast

Results

The new system delivered clearer subject focus, stronger legibility at mobile scale, and consistent brand presence across the channel.
It became a repeatable framework that the team could apply multiple times daily.

News Maps

Clear Visuals for Complex Stories

I designed a streamlined mapping workflow used across Sky’s live coverage to explain elections, global events, and breaking news - fast.

The system improved accuracy, readability, and producer workflows during high-pressure broadcasts.

My Role

  • End-to-end design of the cartographic visual language

  • Map generation, styling, and optimisation for broadcast

  • Camera paths, transitions, and pacing for live explainers

  • Modular template system for rapid producer turnaround

  • Delivery across multiple formats (studio screens, packages, touchscreen for election coverage)

Results

The final system provided:

  • faster producer turnaround during breaking news

  • higher accuracy from standardised layers and controlled geography

  • clear visual pacing suited to both live reads and pre-produced packages

  • strong brand continuity across Sky’s news formats

It became part of the editorial toolkit whenever a story required geographic clarity under time pressure.

Why does it matter?

Every brand - not just broadcasters - benefits from clear information design.

The same principles used in fast-turnaround newsroom graphics apply directly to:

  • explainer videos

  • investor decks

  • product walkthroughs

  • internal communications

  • complex data storytelling

Clarity builds trust. Simplicity keeps attention. Good visuals reduce cognitive load.

If your product or message requires explanation, this workflow translates seamlessly into high-impact, conversion-friendly visuals.