As part of Capital One’s partnership with the charity National Numeracy, I was tasked with creating an educational animation aimed at Key Stage 4 students (ages 14-16). The objective was to explain the basics of credit and borrowing in a way that was engaging and accessible, contributing to the real-world math curriculum developed by an external teaching company. The project aimed to make a traditionally dry topic appealing to young audiences, aligning with Capital One's commitment to improving financial literacy.

Objective and Approach

The animation’s goal was to educate young students on credit and borrowing while maintaining their engagement. To appeal to the target audience, I collaborated with the research department and learned that students preferred “Netflix-style” documentaries, specifically those similar to Vox Media’s work. With this insight, I adopted a tone and style that mirrored Vox’s approach, using old stock footage, animated collages, and bright visuals to add personality and energy to the content.

Process and Collaboration

As the lead motion designer, I developed all the assets and animations for the project. I worked closely with the teaching company to align the storyboard with the script they provided, ensuring that the visuals complemented the lesson plan effectively.

The process included:

• Storyboarding: Created in Illustrator and regularly reviewed with the teaching company to refine and align visuals with their educational goals.
• Animation Development: Transitioned to After Effects for animation, using techniques like animating in 2s to mimic the handcrafted feel often seen in Vox-style documentaries.
• Post-Production: Finalized the video in Premiere Pro, balancing audio and ensuring the animation maintained high quality throughout.

Results and Impact

The educational video became a staple in the real-world math curriculum. Feedback from the teaching company and teachers confirmed that students were more engaged with the video format than traditional written methods. The animation has become a key resource, helping students understand credit in a more accessible, visual manner.

Reflection and Learning

The most rewarding aspect of this project was creating an educational resource that was accessible to various learning styles, especially visual learners. The traditional education system often prioritizes written communication, so contributing to a more inclusive and engaging way of learning was incredibly fulfilling. This experience reinforced the importance of accessibility and visual storytelling in education, motivating me to continue pursuing projects with a strong educational and social impact.