Early Intervention

We set out to develop the character design, keeping a number of requirements in mind.

• They should be easy to identify with for all working ages and ethnicities.
  
• We needed variants with specific attributes, to be recognized as employees, employers etc.
  
• The design had to be economical for animation.
  
• Furthermore, we desired an artistic look, not a generic geometric blob such as an icon figure.

We developed a style based on human proportions, but softened. – Almost like a silhouette being eaten by the light behind it. They could be a solid colour, or with slight shades where needed.

Interestingly, we can still tell with certainty in most cases if a silhouette is male or female without seeing detailed features. We tried streamlining the silhouettes down but in the end found it necessary to draw some cuffs and bulges of clothing in order not to make them look like “naked green aliens”!

Now, the Million Dollar question was: How do we visualize disability and recovery?

The NIDMAR logo itself features a person in a wheelchair. – Is that a good starting point? Actually, no. It seems to exclude a lot different kinds of disabilities. How do we show it without being specific?

We explored several concepts:

• A body indicated only by abstract segments.
• A body being only “the shadow of itself”.
• A punched-out hole.

Ultimately, Trevor came up with perfect solution: a rip, a tear in the human figure. This was visceral, deeply symbolic of a sudden disabling event, and could even be used to display the disabling mental state of depression. It was the powerful, unifying visual we needed.

We anchored the palette around NIDMAR’s signature green (006B5B). However, the script demanded a reality shift – a sudden change in the world’s perception; from dreary, melancholy to happy and invigorated. We could have done a simple color-grading trick in post, but since we are dealing with animation and have full control over the image, we created two distinct colour palettes from the start. This provides a clean, impactful, and integrated visual shift that perfectly serves the narrative.

Compare the palettes created at the onset of the project with the still images from the final movie!

After a smooth production period, following the animatic closely, the client had a final, significant concern: The beginning felt too negative. They loved the core story, but wanted the positive influence of NIDMAR’s work presented much sooner.

Instead of cutting valuable story, we proposed and executed an additional prologue segment. This strategically introduced the solution first, bookending the emotional journey and ensuring the client’s message was positive and inspiring from the start.

Even with this essential last-minute addition, the production process was incredibly enjoyable. We are proud to have created an explainer movie that delivers a sensitive subject matter with a striking visual language.

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