Name: Insights: All The Work That Goes Into Making Google Doodles
Uploaded: 2020-02-18
Duration: 3 min 31 s
Description: A lot of research goes into one doodle. (May 2019)

[MUSIC PLAYING] JESSICA YU: We launch about 500 thumb doodles a year. But every market gets different doodles, according to what's appropriate. We have a group of staff artists at Google that come from various countries. Sometimes, we'll use them to make doodles, especially the more complicated ones that will involve engineers and multiple rounds of iteration. But then, other times, we find it's much more valuable to engage a local artist. And they occasionally have a great connection to the actual subject that we're honoring. NATE SWINEHART: It's a huge responsibility representing these topics. You want to do these amazing people justice. Research is a huge part of the job that's very important. The number of people that are going to see the work is unfathomably high. And so just keeping in mind being respectful of the topics is definitely the biggest challenge. JESSICA YU: The doodles have changed a lot, not surprisingly because of advances in technology. So initially, when the doodles were on the home page, they were just a static image. And that was all the bandwidth that people could afford. And then, eventually, you have things that you could watch-- so an animated GIF-- which is great, because if you're honoring a dancer or a choreographer, what better way to do that than to be able to watch the moves? NATE SWINEHART: I did a doodle for Frankie Manning, who is the creator of the Lindy Hop. For that project in particular, I learned to do the Lindy Hop, which I didn't know how to do at all. It was pretty interesting. And I don't know if I'm the best Lindy hopper, but it was a great experience. And you do things on this team that you would never expect. [LAUGHS] JESSICA YU: AI is relatively new technology. Obviously, Bach is somebody who we had on our radar and somebody we would want to honor at some point. And how do we do him justice? We use 306 different pieces of music to train the magical musical box to be able to make your one-note melody into a four-part harmony. And then it comes out, and you can play it. But if you don't like it, you can press the button again. And it will try again and give you something, hopefully, that you like better. NATE SWINEHART: Last year, I was able to work on our Halloween doodle. It was the first ever multiplayer doodle we've done. Making a multiplayer game for the front page of the internet is an insane thing to try and do. [LAUGHS] We had to really craft an experience that was not going to exclude anyone, and it was going to be enjoyable, no matter the level of comfort with games, really celebrating and connecting people. It was a lofty goal, and I learned so much about game design in doing that. And it was great. JESSICA YU: For Mother's Day, we wanted to do something really special this year and capture a lot of those moments that parenthood means-- eating, and protecting, and just the comical moments that happen when you're a parent. Traditionally, with animated GIFs, they're several megabytes. And you might find in your experience using animated GIFs that they're slow to load, especially if you're in a low bandwidth situation. And so we wanted to use technology to solve that problem and be able to deliver it to people worldwide in a much smaller and compact format. There is limitless possibilities out there-- especially in a company like Google where there's so many teams working on all sorts of things across so many different products-- of what we could do next. 

Insights: All The Work That Goes Into Making Google Doodles

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All The Work That Goes Into Making Google Doodles

A lot of research goes into one doodle. (May 2019)

way. Launch about 500 some dude over a year, but every market gets different doodles according to what appropriate. We have a group of artists at Google that come from various countries. Sometimes we'll use them to make doodles, especially the more complicated ones that will involve engineers on multiple rounds of federation. But then, other times we find it much more valuable. Thio engage a local artists, and they occasionally have a great connection to the actual subject that we're honoring. It's a huge responsibility, representing the topics you want to do these amazing people. Justice research is a huge part of the job. That's very important. The number of people that are going to see the work is unfathomably high. And so you just keeping in mind. Being respectful of the topic is definitely the biggest challenge. The deal has changed a lot, uh, not surprisingly, because of advances in technology. So initially, when the doodles were on the home page, they were just a static image on, and that was all the bandwidth that people could afford. And then eventually you have things that you could watch. So an animated GIF, which is great, because if you're honoring a dancing A choreographer? What better way to do that than to be able to watch the movie? I did a doodle for Frankie Manning, who is the creator of the Lindy Hop for that project in particular, I learned to do the Lindy Hop, which I didn't know how to do at all. Uh, it was pretty interesting. And I don't know if I'm the best windy offer, but it was a great experience. You do things on this team that you would never expect has a relatively new technology, obviously, Bacchus. Somebody who we had on our radar, somebody wanna honor at some point on, How do we do him justice? We use 306 different pieces of music to train the magical musical box to be able to make your one note melody into a four part harmony, and then it comes out and you can play it. If you don't like it, you can press the button again, and it will try again and give you something. Hopefully that you like better last year is able to work on our Halloween doodle. It was the first ever multi player doodle we've done making a multiplayer game for the front page of the Internet is an insane thing to try. And do We have the really Crafton experience that was not going to exclude anyone, and it was going to be enjoyable, No matter the level of comfort with games really celebrating, connecting people was a lofty goal, and I learned so much about Game designed in doing that. And it was great for Mother's Day. We wanted to do something really special this year and capture a lot of those moments. But parenthood means, you know, leading and protecting and just comical moments that happen when you're a parent traditionally with animated GIFs, they're several megabytes, and you might find in your experience using animated GIF that they're a load a load, Um, especially if you're in a low band with situation. And so we wanted to use technology, resolve that problem and be able to deliver it to people worldwide in a much smaller and compact women. There is limitless possibilities out there, especially at a company like Google, where there's so many teams working on all sorts of things across so many different products of what we could do next