Vertex is a global biotechnology company dedicated to pioneering scientific innovation and creating transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. Pain research remains a bleak and challenging landscape—one that demands new approaches and bold breakthroughs. The client aims to bring light to this darkness, offering hope and solutions where they are needed most. The black background of these films symbolises the emptiness of the current pain research landscape, while the architectural elements within it suggest the structure and possibility of what lies ahead. As beams of light cut through the darkness, they illuminate the potential of new discoveries on the horizon. The visual narrative captures this journey. Through dramatic portrait photography, we highlight the contours of determination, the resilience of those affected by pain, and the forward-looking vision of the research. Each image reflects the power of light and the power of progress.

Our animation begins in darkness, where a beam of light emerges and splits into three, swirling with purpose. It moves through space, illuminating patients at their points of pain, and revealing their resilience. As the light spreads, the darkness fades, symbolising the promise of new treatments and a brighter future for pain research.