Lens Studio This social lens gave fans a creepy, interactive way to celebrate Halloween Horror Nights. When users smiled, the effect triggered a nightmarish transformation: the scene darkened, fog rolled in, and their grin stretched unnaturally into jagged teeth, with “33” carved into their head. Their eyes became especially unsettling as natural pupils were replaced by glowing, orange “double pupils”. Animated ghouls and a hellish gate emerged in the background, while layered sound design reinforced the chilling atmosphere. The lens encouraged fans to share their transformations across social platforms, extending the event’s reach. This lens was launched for Universal Orlando, while alternative version of the lens was launched for Universal Hollywood.
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My Contributions
I was the primary developer on this social lens.
- Developed state logic for triggering and sequencing effects.
- Built background and transition effects to match the horror aesthetic.
- Implemented pupil replacement for added creep factor.
- Integrated custom audio to heighten atmosphere.
Technical Highlights & Challenges
A big focus for my contributions was on creating smooth, believable effect sequencing. The transition from the user’s normal appearance into their ghoul form had to feel timed and cohesive—darkening the scene, adding fog, then layering in pupils, teeth, and background animations in a way that felt cinematic rather than abrupt. The pupil replacement was also a unique challenge, requiring extra work convincingly overlay the irregularly shaped pupil textures without breaking immersion.
Results
The lens was a hit with fans, achieving 12.3 million impressions, 234,000 earned impressions, and a total reach of 4 million. The client was thrilled with the outcome, and the experience successfully generated buzz and user-generated content tied to the Halloween Horror Nights experience.
Reflection
This project highlighted how layered transitions and small technical details—like pupils and audio—can make a simple lens feel like a full story moment, amplifying the horror factor and encouraging repeat shares.
Related Projects
Lens Studio This social lens gave fans a creepy, interactive way to celebrate Halloween Horror Nights. When users smiled, the effect triggered a nightmarish transformation: the scene darkened, fog rolled in, and their grin stretched unnaturally into jagged teeth, with “33” carved into their head. Their eyes became especially unsettling as natural pupils were replaced by glowing, orange “double pupils”. Animated ghouls and a hellish gate emerged in the background, while layered sound design reinforced the chilling atmosphere. The lens encouraged fans to share their transformations across social platforms, extending the event’s reach. This lens was launched for Universal Orlando, while alternative version of the lens was launched for Universal Hollywood.
Tap to try! Try it out!
My Contributions
I was the primary developer on this social lens.
- Developed state logic for triggering and sequencing effects.
- Built background and transition effects to match the horror aesthetic.
- Implemented pupil replacement for added creep factor.
- Integrated custom audio to heighten atmosphere.
Technical Highlights & Challenges
A big focus for my contributions was on creating smooth, believable effect sequencing. The transition from the user’s normal appearance into their ghoul form had to feel timed and cohesive—darkening the scene, adding fog, then layering in pupils, teeth, and background animations in a way that felt cinematic rather than abrupt. The pupil replacement was also a unique challenge, requiring extra work convincingly overlay the irregularly shaped pupil textures without breaking immersion.
Results
The lens was a hit with fans, achieving 12.3 million impressions, 234,000 earned impressions, and a total reach of 4 million. The client was thrilled with the outcome, and the experience successfully generated buzz and user-generated content tied to the Halloween Horror Nights experience.
Reflection
This project highlighted how layered transitions and small technical details—like pupils and audio—can make a simple lens feel like a full story moment, amplifying the horror factor and encouraging repeat shares.