In the Beginning

In the summer of 2014, OneNote asked Watts to create a back-to-school video that would excite students about OneNote’s digital handwriting capabilities.

 In brainstorming possible concepts for the video, it occurred to me that digital handwriting technology is the positive result of the ongoing human struggle between individuality and efficiency.  Handwriting satisfies our desire for individuality, but lacks efficiency and security.  Word processors offer efficient search, duplication, collaboration, and backup tools at the expense of the personal touch.  I wrote the following script to demonstrate that OneNote’s digital handwriting capabilities provide the best of both worlds by allowing users to uniquely and efficiently document their thoughts.

Original Script:

In the beginning,
we learnt to write,
to leave our distinct marks and impressions.
But then we felt the limitations--
thoughts gone with the wind, information lost, trapped.
So, we replaced the distinctive with the efficient.
Left it.
And rightfully so.
But the dream was always that technology would transform our how and our why.
That technology would one day free us...
to be ourselves,
Limitless.