SOLSTICE is an EU-funded project that addresses key social and technical challenges within the textile industry. Through active demonstration in four European regions, the project showcases the implementation of climate-neutral practices and the transition towards a circular economy specifically tailored for the textile sector.
In editing and animating this project, my starting point was a voice-over script and a few suggested visuals provided by the client. With a lack of audio-visual material readily available, I opted to use a combination of animation and imagery curated from stock image libraries to help bring the script to life:
A visual identity had already been established for the initiative so I made sure to use the appropriate fonts, colours and visuals to maintain brand consistency.
For me this is not just about an aesthetic understanding - I like to better understand the philosophy behind a company, their tone of voice, their values - so I can create work that aligns with what they stand for.
This was the first time they were putting the brand into motion so I further developed what had already been established by their graphic designer. I brought to life multiple elements, from concepts like the circular economy to statistical data and even their own logo.
With a view to keeping the overall tone light and positive, I avoided their darker colours except for contrast in sections that delivered high-impact statistics that needed to stand apart. I used their brand colours in all the backgrounds to maintain a sense of vibrancy, shifting subtly, alternating colours on a scene-by-scene basis.
We went through several revisions - my initial music choices weren't working for the client so I provided better alternatives, some of my visuals weren't expressing their concepts in quite the right way so I took onboard further guidance from them and came up with solutions that worked to their satisfaction. One section of the script I found to be repetitive and suggested editing this out which led to a leaner narrative.
Across the entire the process I was able to gain a deeper understanding of their goals and build further upon the original creative intent, in turn forging a new relationship with the client based on trust and mutual understanding.
Once the video was signed off I produced the 9x16 version for use on social media, reformatting all the visuals to work in the portrait format and the addition of captions.
The end result increased visibility and engagement for the initiative, informing a global audience of the wider issues at hand along with SOLSTICE's practical solutions to address them. The promo video continues to encourage support and inspiration in it's use online and at sustainability events.
