Task
The Emerging Technologies Research Lab at UF requested an explainer video to accompany the launch of their new research paper. Their study focuses on giving autonomy to neurodivergent communities on how emerging technologies are used when addressing the needs of autistic individuals. The accompanying video aimed to visualize their research by displaying a variety of neurodiverse characters at the center of XR research and technology use.
Over 1 week, I produced a 2-minute video from storyboards to animation. I designed a fresh style for the project using a base of colors from their previously designed logo. The video centers on 2D character animation, supplemented with text and shape animation.
Process
The production for this video began with a script and outline of the visuals provided by an instructional designer. Working off of this, I crafted storyboards to help visualize what the video might look like. Because of the short timeline, these thumbnails were essential to making sure ideas expressed visually matched the clients needs.
After getting approval on the storyboards, I began crafting the complete designs for the video. The green from their logo served as a base for the color palette and helped direct the other accent colors. I mixed a variety of my own designs with stock to expedite the design process, giving maximum time for animating.
After finishing the design, I moved over to After Effects to animate. The first task I got done was rigging the characters using Rubberhose 3. I knew these characters would come back at various stages of the video, so I tried to create seamless looping animations for reusability. I would have loved to add a bit more expression to the faces and body to bring the characters to life more if time permitted.
To lighten the load on the character animation, I included a couple of sequences without characters. I used morphing animations, a technique I’m very comfortable with, to reduce the animation load while providing a clean visual alternative. Static icons and illustrations also helped visualize certain ideas without overloading animations, like illustrating various XR headset types
Final Frames
Credits
Producer: Ian Clontz
Scripting: James Rigney
Design and Animation: Jack Losier