Vote (Don't Leave it to Chance)
PSA
I designed, storyboarded, modeled, and animated this PSA to vote in the 2020 United States elections.
Audio: "Klondike” by Audio Hertz via YouTube Audio Library
Martin Luther King Jr., “I Have a Dream,” 8/28/1963
President Franklin Roosevelt, “Address To Congress On The Yalta Conference,” 3/1/1945
Michelle Obama, “Speech at the University of Colorado,” 10/1/2008
President John F Kennedy, “Inaugural Speech,” 1/20/1961
Original Concept
Goal:
Encourage voters to participate in the 2020 national election
Concept:
“Time for Change:” Evoke patriotism and national pride through the iconography of American currency. Coinage will tie the themes of American history and symbolism to the upcoming election through the double meaning of “change.”
Format:
- Live footage with added motion elements
- Video with square aspect ratio for more effective dissemination through social media
Visual Research
How have similar topics been addressed in the past? What has been successful? What should be avoided?
Visual References (Original Concept)
- Clean, minimal
- Incorporate red/blue through Anaglyph 3D imagery
Storyboards (Original Concept)
- Live footage, medium shots interspersed with lots of macro photography, anaglyph 3D effect applied to shots, simple limited text
Style Frames (Original Concept)
Redesign / Updated Concept
Weaknesses of the Original Design:
Messaging
- Message is not focused enough
- Cheesiness of the “change” pun could take away from the importance of the message
- Confusion around voting being like a coin flip
Visuals
- Visuals are not appealing/engaging enough to hold a social media viewer’s attention
- Pacing is not fast enough to engage a scrolling viewer
- Color should have less to do with the two main political parties and more about the issues
Design Solutions:
Messaging
- Refocus message by embracing coin flip imagery and clearing up ambiguity - "Don't Leave it to Chance"
- Remove pun to make messaging more sincere
Visuals
- Change style to a more engaging visual scheme, more visual interest
- Develop a more distinctive look and tone for the piece, give it attitude
- Condense visuals and make video tighter to keep the attention of a social media viewer
Updated Storyboards
- CG coin for greater control of movement? Ability to control motion and camera shots better
- Liquid motion, frame by frame?
Visual Style Inspiration
Updated Style Frame
Rough Motion Test
Adjustments to Make Following Motion Test
Composition
- The idea of the elements coming out of alternating sides of the coin isn’t translating well visually
- Create stronger compositions by utilizing the whole space rather than trying to fit everything in one section of the screen
- Introduce more overall color when the statistics and assets are on screen
Typography
- The hodgepodge of typographic styles isn’t working; instead of looking like a collage, it looks like an unconsidered mess
- Use a more unified typographic treatment
Motion Inspiration
- Use “paint-on” reveals of images; these add dynamic motion to more static collage elements
- This added layer of motion will make the PSA more eye-catching on social media
Typeface
- Feels like an old print text, works well with collage style
- Has character, but is still clear
- More legible than previous choices, easier to read on a phone
Updated Style Frames
Audio
I originally tried old, nostalgic, very patriotic songs, like military band renditions of the Star Spangled Banner, but this looked almost humorous juxtaposed with the visuals
- It should be more modern to be relevant to the 2020 message
The background music alone was too repetitive/electronic
- To add more drama and human elements, I sampled historic and modern political speeches that addressed the content of the visuals
I Have a Dream, Martin Luther King Jr.
President Franklin Roosevelt's Address To Congress On The Yalta Conference, 03/01/1945
Michelle Obama - Speech at Univeristy of Colorado - 2008-10-01
John F Kennedy Inaugural Speech January 20 1961