Case study · 2D animation

Colorado River.

Turning water conservation into a visual story people can follow.

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Government-backed initiative · Water awareness

A clear message, brought to life in 2D.

The client needed more than animation execution — they needed creative direction for the look and feel of a film about water shortages. We explored multiple visual directions, refined the selected route, and built a cohesive animated story around the message.

Brief

Raise awareness of water shortages through a fully 2D film.

Craft

Visual development, animation design, and story-led motion.

Outcome

A distinctive visual approach that led to enquiries for similar work.

The challenge

Finding the right visual language before animating.

A public-awareness message needs to be understood quickly, but the subject also deserved a thoughtful visual treatment. Because the entire film would be 2D, the design system would shape how viewers experienced every part of the story.

The client asked for our creative input on that system. Our first task was therefore not simply to animate — it was to define how the film should look, move, and feel.

Project scopeCreative direction + 2D animation

Design exploration, visual development, scene design, and animation for a 95-second awareness film.

Our approach

Explore first. Then commit.

01

Develop distinct directions

We presented two to three animation design routes, giving the client meaningful choices for the film’s visual character rather than minor variations of one idea.

02

Build from the selected route

Once the client selected a direction, we developed its shapes, environments, movement, and transitions into a consistent visual language.

03

Keep the message central

Landscapes, water systems, and concise on-screen prompts work together to carry the conservation message without losing visual clarity.

The result

A design approach that resonated beyond the original brief.

The finished film gave the initiative a clear, approachable way to communicate a complex environmental issue. Its visual direction also attracted enquiries from other companies interested in similar design-led animation work.

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