Animation for UN Sustainable Goals
ANIMATION DIRECTOR / DESIGNER • VIDEO
Responsible Consumption
& Production
CONTRIBUTION
Animation Director
Animation Designer
SKILLS
Script Writing
Storyboard
Audio Editing
Animation Making
TOOLS
Procreate
AfterEffect
TIMELINE
10/2023 - 11/2023
1 month
OVERVIEW
In response to the low public awareness of UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production, I created an engaging animation to demystify and promote the goal. Starting with self-crafted storyboards and audio, I learned Procreate and Adobe After Effects from scratch, producing an animation that makes the complex goal accessible and intriguing. This project aimed to enhance understanding and awareness of sustainable practices, utilizing animation as a compelling medium to reach a wider audience.
DESIGN OUTCOME
Animation for Responsible Consumption & Production
This animation delves into the flawed belief that increased consumption leads to happiness, exploring how this pursuit often results in environmental damage and personal dissatisfaction. It challenges the profit-driven narrative that more is always better, highlighting the transient nature of satisfaction from material possessions. Embracing a shift in perspective, the animation advocates for sustainable living, suggesting that choosing less and abandoning mindless consumption aligns with the UN Sustainable Goal and can lead to a more fulfilling life. This message is a call to reevaluate our consumption habits for the betterment of both ourselves and the planet.
PROBLEM
Insufficient Visibility
The UN Sustainable Goals currently suffer from a lack of widespread visibility, failing to penetrate the global collective awareness necessary to inspire action.
Complex Accessibility
The goals are often presented in mediums that are not universally digestible, creating a barrier to understanding and engagement among the general populace.
CONTEXT
Materialism Prevalence
Our society's relentless pursuit of "more is better" has fostered a materialistic culture where the accumulation of goods is often equated with success, overshadowing the value of sustainable practices.
Disposable Mindset
The prevailing 'throw-away' society prioritizes convenience over environmental impact, leading to excessive waste and a disregard for the conservation of resources.
Consumerism Dominance
Consumerism drives the economy, but it also perpetuates a cycle of constant consumption that is unsustainable, with the creation of goods often outpacing the planet's ability to recover.
GOALS
Raise Awareness
The animation aims to elevate the public consciousness about sustainable living by highlighting the pitfalls of a consumer-driven lifestyle, encouraging viewers to question and modify their consumption habits.
Promote Action
It seeks to motivate rational consumption and meaningful time spent on bonding and living, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goal 12, and urging viewers to adopt more sustainable practices in their daily lives.
STORYBOARDS
The process of creating my animation on UN Sustainable Goal 12 involved crafting storyboards that visually convey the story of excessive consumerism and its repercussions. Key scenes illustrated include the allure of shopping and new gadgets, the hollow fulfillment from material possessions, and the environmental toll of such lifestyles.
MOODBOARD
For my animation's moodboard, I gathered various illustration styles that resonated with me and fit the narrative's tone. I initially explored a black-and-white theme, followed by a more vibrant one filled with saturated colors and vector styles. However, after evaluating both, I opted for the initially created black-and-white moodboard. Its stark contrast and somber aesthetic resonated more deeply with the serious subject matter of my animation, effectively conveying the gravity of responsible consumption and production.
Mood Board A - Plain
The first moodboard features black-and-white imagery, chosen for its ability to convey the serious and reflective nature of the animation's message on sustainable living. Its monochromatic scheme emphasizes the stark reality of the issues addressed.
Mood Board B - Colors
The second moodboard is characterized by its vibrant vectors and saturated colors, creating a lively and engaging visual experience. This moodboard radiates energy and is designed to capture attention with its bold use of color.
AUDIO
EDITING
In the audio editing for my animation, my goal was to enhance the narrative's emotional depth by carefully selecting a complementary background track and meticulously refining my voiceover for clear, impactful storytelling.
Background Music Selection
Selected from free, open-source websites, the background track blends calm and dramatic tones to match the animation's emotional shifts.
Voiceover and Script
recorded and refined my voiceover, adjusting tones and script for effective synchronization with the background music, enhancing the narrative.
ANIMATION
& ITERATION
After 3 weeks of animation making using Procreate, I fine-tuned the audio by adjusting the background music's volume and adding effects like a dripping sound for enhanced realism. Following guidance from my professor, Brett Yasko, I meticulously edited the animation to remove glitches and introduced playful elements, enriching the visual storytelling. These refinements ensured a polished, engaging final product that effectively communicated the intended message.
KEY
TAKEAWAYS
Pickup Procreate and Animation Skillsets
This project was a journey in learning and mastering Procreate, which led to a newfound passion for animation, expanding my creative toolkit and expression. And the best part is - I found my love and passion making animation!
Effective Storytelling
The animation successfully communicated the importance of responsible consumption, based on the audience feedback, demonstrating how visual storytelling can effectively convey complex sustainability messages to a broad audience.
Iterative Improvement
Continuous refinement, guided by feedback from my professor and the usability testing process, was key. It taught me the value of attention to detail and the impact of small changes on the overall quality of animation. Special thanks to our professor Brett Yasko and wonderful TA Jessica Lai!