Medium Explainer
THE CHALLENGE
To create a 60-75 sec explainer video using a medium article as a base. The video should be simple, easy to understand and beautiful!
THE DELIVERABLES
Explainer Video
KEY ART
THE RESEARCH
After researching the types of articles on Medium, we decided to focus on creating an explainer for a scientific article. These articles tend to be among the most complex and challenging to understand, making them an ideal choice for simplification. Our goal is to break down the content into an accessible, engaging format that helps readers grasp the key concepts with ease
APPARENTLY PLANTS CAN TALK…
THE SECRET LANGUAGE OF PLANTS
A explainer video based on the article “THE RISE OF PLANT COMMUNICATION: EXPLORING THE HIDDEN LANGUAGE OF NATURE“ by Ayesha Siddiqa.
CREDITS
DESIGN & ANIMATION : Kendall Gathas, Rin Yokoi
SOUND DESIGN : Kelly Warner
SCRIPT
For a long time, people thought plants were just simple life forms without a nervous system. But recent research has revealed something extraordinary.Plants can communicate in their own unique ways. This happens through a network often called the "wood wide web," as well as through chemical and electrical signals.
For starters, plants can produce electric impulses. This is most noticeable when carnivorous plants snatch a snack, and hints at consciousness in plants.
Through chemical signaling, plants can alarm one another of herbivore attacks. This triggers defenses, like producing toxins, making them less tasty to pests.
The "wood wide web" is a fascinating underground network where roots, fungi, and plants communicate and help each other. It’s all about sharing nutrients and information, creating a community that we once thought was impossible.
As we learn more about this secret language of plants, we’re discovering that the natural world is more connected and intelligent than we ever imagined.
THE IDEA
CONCEPT DIRECTIONS
DESIGN
PRODUCTION
Assets
Originally, this portion of the animation was created using the Alpha crush technique, but because of the pixelation that was happening, it was re-animated using nulls.
The animation initially appeared too exaggerated and aggressive, so it was refined to achieve a more gentle and natural feel.
The half-circle animation was created using a polar coordinate effect applied to a composition with multiple squares moving sideways.
To ensure a successful and cohesive design, we started by creating assets and then built the environment around them. Each asset is designed using combinations of geometric shapes, resulting in a simple yet playful aesthetic that aligns perfectly with the tone of an explainer video.
ANIMATION
Some fun key framing and adjustments I made for the project!
When we observe the world at the macro level, even the most complex things reveal themselves as simple patterns. By focusing closely through the frames framing and visually breaking down information using the audience gains a deeper understanding of the intricate ways plants interact with one another.
01 - LOOKING GLASS (chosen direction)
ANIMATIC
02- ENCYCLOPEDIA
To clearly communicate what is going to happen on screen to the client and also my teammate, I made sure the animatic was as detailed as possible.
After
Before
A combination of typography, flat graphics, and 3D elements modernizes scientific illustrations and livens research off the pages. The visuals guide the audience through navigating a graphic sea of words and information.
RESULTS
Overall, I successfully created an explainer video that simplifies complex scientific information, making it more accessible and easy to understand.