New perspectives on science through motion graphics
As part of the course Multiplatform Storytelling, second-year Communication Design students developed explainer videos for the YouTube channel Lidt klogere and the podcast Videnskabeligt Udfordret. Recently, they presented their films to journalist and host Lasse Winther, as well as researchers and hosts Mark Lyng and Flemming Damsgaard, who provided the cases on which the projects are based.
For most students, animation was a new field at the start of the course. Even so, within a few weeks they progressed from an introduction to tools and theory to finished productions with a professional quality.
This is something the collaborators have also noticed:
- It’s incredibly interesting to see how others think about and interpret your content. When I write, I always have images in my head, so handing it over to others also involves a loss of control. But it’s been genuinely exciting to see the solutions the students have come up with – some of them I wouldn’t have considered myself. At the same time, it’s clear how enthusiastically they have approached the task. Motion graphics is difficult in itself – and even more so when it has to be visually strong while communicating clearly. That makes it all the more impressive how they have solved the task. I’ve been challenged along the way, and that’s exactly what makes this kind of collaboration valuable, says Lasse Winther.
The collaboration has not only been about translating existing content into visuals. It has also opened up new ways of understanding and communicating it:
- I don’t know anything about graphics, and that’s not what I focus on. What has surprised me most is how skilled the students have been at distilling our content down to its core and finding exactly the right story. At the same time, they’ve chosen a different angle than we normally would – focusing on humour, whereas we usually start from the science. That’s interesting, because it actually suggests that the audience is looking for something different from what we had assumed. That really surprised me, says Mark Lyng.
For Videnskabeligt Udfordret, the collaboration also points to a clear development potential:
- We’ve long wanted to add a visual layer to our podcast. At the moment, we’re essentially speaking into the void, and that’s a limitation we’re well aware of. This shows how we can reach further – for example through short formats for social media. People consume content in many different ways today, and this opens up new opportunities for us. At the same time, it’s been really interesting to gain insight into creative practice. Mark and I are researchers in our daily work, so this isn’t a world we usually move in, says Flemming Damsgaard.
The motion graphics teaching was led by Ingeborg Munk Toft and combines animation theory with a structured production pipeline. Through workshops, feedback and fixed milestones, students work their way through the entire process – from idea to finished animation.
It is precisely the link to real-world cases that makes the difference, she explains:
- The students have been introduced to both a complex field of communication and an advanced software programme, and I’m honestly blown away by how well they have done. When we work with real-life cases, they gain insight into what awaits them: the demands they will face and what an actual production process looks like. It helps demystify workflow, tools and collaboration. At the same time, many realise that design is not only about big ideas, but also about solving concrete tasks and creating value in smaller ways. That’s an important insight to take forward.
Motion graphics is one of three components in the Multiplatform Storytelling course, where students develop narratives across platforms and formats. Here, animation plays a key role in making complex messages accessible – and in this case, bringing science to life through motion.
