Your Voice, Our Future

This project was created during the Summer Semester 2024 as part of the course "THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN. Animated Infographics in Political Communication," taught by Prof. Klaus Dufke and Prof. Lisa Bucher at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam. As part of the Brandenburg state elections, we created animated videos to inform viewers about elections through engaging infographics. My video, titled "Deine Stimme, unsere Zukunft - Warum sie einen Unterschied macht (Your Voice, Our Future – Why It Makes a Difference)" emphasizes the importance of voter participation and was showcased at the Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Brandenburg (Brandenburg State Center for Civic Education).

Video

Landeszentrale für politische Bildung Brandenburg

Key Achievements

  • Created an animated video titled "Your Voice, Our Future – Why It Makes a Difference," illustrating the importance of voter turnout.
  • Used animated infographics to highlight the impact of non-voters on election results.
  • Developed a clear, minimalist visual style using Adobe Illustrator and After Effects.
  • Presented the work at the Brandenburg State Center for Civic Education during the 2024 state election.

Technologies Used

  • Adobe Illustrator: Design of characters and visual elements.
  • Adobe After Effects: Animation of graphics and infographics.
  • Adobe Premiere Pro: Integration of animations and creation of the final video.
  • Figma: Visual planning and structuring of the project.

Challenges and Learnings

A major challenge was working with After Effects for the first time. The complex functionalities of the program offered many possibilities but also required a lot of time to execute the animations. It was particularly challenging to animate the infographics in a way that was both informative and visually appealing.

Through this project, I learned a lot about animation techniques, project planning, and the importance of a clear script. It was enjoyable to combine technical execution with design decisions, and I am proud that my work was exhibited.

Outcome and Reflections

My animated video was presented at the Brandenburg State Center for Civic Education and received positive feedback. This experience motivated me to further explore animations and infographics.

Overall, the project taught me the importance of setting clear goals early and developing a thoughtful script. For future projects, I want to further enhance my animation skills and incorporate more interactivity.