This was a huge project comprising of 51 films, delivered by Maia Films. The target audience was 11-14 year-olds who need a little help with the science they study at school. The science needed to be ‘light touch’ but all of the films needed to be informative.
The total commission was divided into three sections with ‘Think like a scientist’ being the smallest of the three with 3 films in total.
Each of the 3 films offered a question for the audience to analyse and debate with key points from each side of the debate. The objective was to get the audience to think like a scientist and come up with a balanced and evidenced answer.
How did we approach the brief?
The approach was to pit two scientist against each other head to head. Providing the facts that the audience could make their own decisions on, and what better way to do that than with a dramatic boxing ring entrance? Complete with graphics, music and dramatic performances.
The performances were one of the challenges of the film, considering that most of the stars have been dead for a good few decades. But we use motion tracking and animation to create stylized heads on the bodies of actors that brought our scientists to life and allowed them to emote effectively.
The scripts were delivered by a voiceover in the style of a stadium announcer, adding to the overall feel of an argument brewing. Props and graphics were also included to ensure that the audience could put the discoveries and theories into an understandable context.
Delivery
These films expertly combined all of these elements to make content that was as fun and engaging as it was informative.
The original approach really offers something different to most eLearning outlets, that haven’t have offered before. Giving personality and energy to what is essentially a question and a list of facts.
Plus it was great fun to write a script where Charles Darwin and John Dalton square up in a boxing ring.
