Microsoft Build Keynote 2021: Opening Anthem Film
Created for Satya Nadella, Office of the CEO
Microsoft’s Office of the CEO approached Watts Media to create the opening keynote anthem film for Build 2021, the company’s premier global developer conference. The goal: craft a powerful, emotionally resonant film that would set the tone for Satya Nadella’s keynote and honor the developer community that carried the world through the pandemic.
The result was a 90 second “ode to developers” - a cinematic tribute celebrating the ingenuity, resilience, and impact of the world’s digital first responders. The film premiered to an audience of 100,000+ developers during the three‑day digital event.
In addition to the anthem, Watts Media created five immersive ambient backgrounds, each visualizing one of the key technology trends highlighted in Satya’s address. These looping visual environments blended 2D motion graphics and 3D animation, aligning with Build’s event randing while remaining evergreen for future use.
The Challenge
Build 2021 was unlike any previous year. The world was still navigating the effects of COVID‑19, and developers had become essential to keeping businesses, schools, and communities connected. Microsoft needed a film that:
Elevated the voices of developers
Captured the emotional weight of the moment
Reflected global diversity and real‑world impact
Set the tone for Satya Nadella’s keynote
Unified the event’s five major technology themes
The anthem had to feel authentic, global, and inspirational - not promotional.
Our Approach
1. An “Ode to Developers”
We built the narrative around gratitude—highlighting developers as the world’s digital first responders. The script and pacing were designed to honor their contributions while inspiring the community for what comes next.
2. Footage‑Driven Storytelling
The film leaned heavily on:
Curated footage from Microsoft’s global archive
Stock and bespoke footage captured specifically for the project
Real developer moments and real-world impact stories
This grounded the film in authenticity and human connection.
3. Inspirational Voice‑Over + Motion Graphics
A warm, aspirational voice‑over guided the narrative, supported by:
2D motion graphics
Subtle typographic treatments
Light UI‑inspired animation cues
These elements tied the film into the broader Build visual system.
4. Five Ambient Backgrounds for Keynote Segments
Watts Media designed five looping visual environments representing the five trends Satya would speak to. Each background combined:
2D motion graphics
3D animation
Event‑aligned color palettes
Evergreen design principles
These played behind Satya during transitions and thematic sections of the keynote.
Impact
The anthem premiered at the start of Satya Nadella’s Build 2021 keynote, setting the emotional and thematic foundation for the entire event. It was viewed by 100,000+ attendees across the three‑day digital conference and became a defining creative element of the Build experience.
The ambient backgrounds were used throughout the keynote and repurposed across internal and external Microsoft communications.
Services Provided
Executive‑level brand storytelling
Anthem film concepting + scripting
Editorial + motion design
2D motion graphics
3D animation
Footage curation + enhancement
Voice‑over direction
Event‑aligned visual systems
Delivery for digital broadcast and keynote integration
