The goal of this project was to transform a static Normlab poster into a more engaging animated short for Breaking Fences’ website, making its message more impactful and accessible to a wider audience.
Working as a team, we collaborated across concept development, design, and animation. My role focused on translating the poster’s tone and message into motion—using pacing, subtle character movement, and sound design to reinforce the emotional weight behind the question: “Are you normal enough to receive the right care?”
Using Photoshop for visual assets, After Effects for animation, and Ableton Live for sound design, we created a cohesive piece that stays true to the original visual identity while enhancing it through motion and audio. The final result is a short that draws viewers in, strengthens the narrative, and communicates the message in a more compelling and memorable way.
To effectively translate the poster into animation, we first needed to understand both the message behind the campaign and how it would resonate in a digital format. This involved analyzing the original Normlab visual—its tone, typography, and composition—to identify what elements were essential to preserve and what could be enhanced through motion.
We looked into how similar awareness campaigns use animation to communicate sensitive topics, focusing on pacing, visual storytelling, and emotional impact. This helped guide decisions around how subtle or direct the animation should be.
We also considered the context in which the animation would be viewed—on the Breaking Fences website—ensuring it would quickly capture attention while remaining clear and accessible. By aligning the message, visual style, and user context, we established a strong foundation for creating an animation that felt both intentional and effective.
The goal of this project was to transform a static Normlab poster into a dynamic animated short for BreakingFences.com, enhancing its presence on the website and making the content more engaging and accessible. The challenge was to translate a fixed visual identity into motion while preserving its message, tone, and graphic integrity.
Through analyzing the original poster, we identified key visual elements, hierarchy, and storytelling components that could be expanded through animation and sound. We also considered how motion could improve pacing, clarity, and emotional impact for a web audience, ensuring the final piece aligned with the Breaking Fences identity and Normlab’s visual language.
Due to a very limited timeframe, we explored the use of generative AI to support the creation of visual material, ensuring this approach was aligned with the client’s approval. Building on insights from the research phase, we had a clear understanding of Breaking Fences’ visual language and graphical profile, which guided the prompting process and ensured consistency in style and tone.
This allowed us to quickly iterate on visual ideas and focus on selecting and refining outputs that best supported the narrative direction of the animated short.
This was our first time working in Adobe After Effects, and the project became a hands-on learning experience where we had to quickly understand both the technical and creative aspects of motion design. Throughout the process, we developed new skills in animation, timing, and visual storytelling, while also learning how to translate static design into movement in a meaningful way.
Despite the initial learning curve, we were able to adapt and improve continuously as the project progressed. The result is something we are proud of — a cohesive animated short that effectively extends the original poster into a more engaging digital format. It also gave us valuable insight into motion design workflows and strengthened our confidence in working with animation tools in future projects.