Disney AR lenses and the system behind them.
I designed AR experiences inside Disney’s IP, performance, and approval constraints, then helped codify the reusable camera patterns behind them.
The Pascal Lens
Quality emerged through iteration and approval.
Beat 01
The concept.
Lens opportunities often originate from cultural moments or physical landmarks. In this case, the trigger was the Rapunzel tower in Magic Kingdom.
- Explored iconic moments (glowing hair, flower braiding, lanterns, Pascal)
- Pitched multiple concepts to PM and Creative Director via brief
- Constraints identified (hair effects + braiding not feasible)
- Final direction: focus on Pascal + lantern interaction
Beat 02
Pre-production.
The concept was translated into a defined, feasible experience through iteration, collaboration, and constraint-setting.
- Defined interaction flows (lantern trigger, Pascal behavior, user interaction)
- Explored experience logic (Does Pascal react? Stay on shoulder? Engage with lanterns?)
- Tested technical feasibility with Snap + agency partners (e.g., color-based camouflage)
- Scoped constraints vs. budget (what’s possible vs. too costly)
- Built pitch deck (requirements, assets, timelines)
- Pitched multiple AR agencies and evaluated proposals
- Selected agency based on approach, collaboration, and cost
Beat 03
Legal & IP.
Creative development was continuously aligned with legal and IP constraints through iterative review cycles.
- Phased development with agency
- Iterative internal + Legal/IP reviews
- Continuous feedback loops to agency
- Balancing creative intent with IP constraints
- Character model refinement for brand accuracy (Pascal underbite correction)
Beat 04
Production.
Execution and refinement leading to launch.
- Asset production (icon, info drawer)
- Agency collaboration during build
- Iteration and bug fixing
- QA and launch approval
Beat 05
Fun fact.
In my very first Disney interview, I rewrote the song "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid into "Part of Your Team", then sang it to the hiring manager. A year later, I was shipping Pascal.
AR Lenses Research
Research & data that shaped the lenses.
AR Camera Design System
AR camera patterns built to scale across lenses.
- Scaled across
- Onboarding, controls, overlays, and feedback
- Built for
- Guest clarity, camera safety, and agency handoff
- 01Camera-safe compositionRules for guest framing, character animation, and overlay placement kept the interface readable without fighting the lens moment.
- 02Interaction modelReusable onboarding, hints, and feedback patterns helped each lens teach itself in context instead of relying on bespoke explanations.
- 03Reusable surfacesCarousels, flyouts, modals, cards, and controls gave agencies a practical starting kit instead of a blank canvas.
- 04Handoff systemDisney quality expectations became reusable patterns external teams could build from with far less back-and-forth.
Other AR lenses