Global Food Security Report: Is the UK ready for plant-based diets?

Plant-based diets are on the rise in the UK, but is the UK food system ready to adapt to changing consumer demands in a way that promotes public health, environmental sustainability, economic growth, and social justice? This video is a summary of a report by researchers for the Global Food Security Programme which addresses these questions.

The researchers who produced this report (Michael Norman, University College London; Rebecca Martin, University of Cambridge; Sajeev Mohankumar, Rothamsted Research; Christopher Waite, Imperial College London) commissioned this animated video to summarise the report and encourage people to read their research findings.

The project had a tight production timeline of 5 weeks so we used a motion graphics, infographic style for the video. The video opens with questions that are often seen in debates over plant-based diets. This is to try and capture viewers' attention and encourage them to read the report to see how these questions are answered.

animation Type

Research and Science Communication

Clients

Global Food Security

Credits & Associates

Script written by Mair Perkins & research team
Direction by research team
Style and storyboard design by Mair Perkins
Illustration by Mair Perkins
Animation by Mair Perkins
Voiceover sourced and edited by Ben Haynes
Music from YouTube audio library

Read the Global Food Security Report Is the UK ready for plant-based diets.

The Animation Production Process

Sketched Storyboards and Animatic Video

A storyboard was sketched out based on the script. The storyboard images were then put into a video sequence with a draft voiceover recording so we could test the timings and ensure the script and images made sense when played together.

At this point we made some script and image revisions before moving to the next stage.

Illustration of Animation Assets

Once the sketched storyboards were signed off, the storyboards were illustrated in the style design.

The illustrations were created using Adobe Illustrator with some content created in Adobe After Effects.

Some revisions were made based on the client's feedback before moving onto the next production phase.

Animation

The animation phase started by preparing all the illustrations for animation. This involved separating artwork out onto layers and naming them.

The Adobe Illustrator files were imported into Adobe After Effects then animated!

A professional voice over artist recorded the script then the audio track was mixed and edited so it could be animated in time to.

Results

The researchers who produced this report (Michael Norman, University College London; Rebecca Martin, University of Cambridge; Sajeev Mohankumar, Rothamsted Research; Christopher Waite, Imperial College London) are using their animated video to successfully explain and engage people in their research.

The animation was published on Twitter and LinkedIn with a link to the report where it received positive feedback and engagement.

What the client said