Project Overview
Heading into winter 2021, the California Department of Public Health needed to push out official guidance regarding safe ridesharing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Partnering with Uptown Studios, our Video Team created two versions of the same animated video, one in English and one in Spanish.
BACKGROUND
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) works to protect the public’s health in the Golden State and helps shape positive health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities. The Department’s programs and services, implemented in collaboration with local health departments and state, federal, and private partners, touch the lives of every Californian and visitor to the state 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
DISCOVERY
With only CDPH’s official guidance on COVID-19 Ride Sharing to use a reference for writing a script, our copywriter had little to do as far as discovery goes. Instead of searching for reference or inspiration, the video team met to figure out a simple visual direction. With tight timelines, the concept needed to be robust enough to convey the message but also flexible enough to accommodate interpretation by the animator. A basic concept settled, it was time to hammer out a script.
DESIGN
Since there were many different key messages the video could emphasize, our copywriter went through a few different versions of the script before settling on a very stripped back, entirely silent version. Torn between making the video purely instructional or teetering towards inspirational/motivational, the end result felt more natural with the little spoken word. Letting music and animation drive the tone, the video emphasizes CDPH’s guidance purely through visuals and text on the screen. The final message, “No matter your destination, travel safely,” served as both a strong parting message and the theme of the entire video. Once the script was approved, our animator got to work. Using CDPH’s established color palette as a foundation, our animator created the feeling of a timeless, androgynous city bustling with people and activity. The end result felt applicable for audiences across the state.
RESULTS
- Two 30-second animated videos in both English and Spanish