Animation in News
Examples of Motion Graphics and Kinetic Typography
Example: The Science of Food Addiction
The example below was done as part of the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism 2012 News21 project. The video talks about the science of food addiction and include interviews from subjects of an Overeaters Anonymous recovery group, who agreed to only be voice recorded. Wanting to create a more visually compelling narrative, generic silhouettes were used and their voices punctuated by text on the screen.
Example: Powering a Nation
This example below was done by students at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a News21 project.
Example: Power of Habit
This example is from the NYTimes that summarizes the book by Charles Duhigg.
What Does Gun Violence in America Really Cost?
A motion graphics explainer by Mother Jones.
Example: The Hidden Cost of Hamburgers
A motion graphics explainer by Center for Investigative Reporting (Reveal).
Examples of Illustration and Animation
Example: In Jennifer’s Room
This example was produced by alumna Carrie Ching for the Center for Investigative Reporting. It deals with sexual abuse of a developmentally disabled patient at the Sonoma Developmental Center, which was ignored by authorities. This is a powerful example of how a visual narrative can be created on a delicate subject matter, especially one where you want the main subject to remain anonymous.
Example: 60 Days in Solitary Confinement at a Women’s Prison
An AJ+ video using animation. “Deborah spent two months in solitary confinement at a women’s prison in New York. A day after she got out, she intentionally broke a rule in order to get back into solitary. Sound surprising? Let her tell you her story.”
Example: High on the Job
An example by Center for Investigative Reporting (Reveal) that uses illustration as a visual technique for telling a personal story from the reporter.
Example: Haiti’s Scapegoats
The example below was done by UC Berkeley J-School alum Caroline Dijckmeester-Bins as part of her master’s project on the violence against the LGBT community shortly after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. She partnered with an animator via Cartoon Movement and was later featured in the Washington Post.
Example: Why Can’t We Walk Straight?
An example from NPR member stations WNYC’s Radio Lab. A podcast/radio piece that talks about science topics. This one was illustrated after the fact.
Live Action Combination
These are examples where motion graphics are place over live action to help illustrate concepts from interviews or traditional footage.
Vox: Obama Interviews
Vox illustrated a series of videos from an interview with President Obama using motion graphics. There was some discussion about how this influenced the objectivity of the message.
This is Water: Speech by David Foster Wallace
A graduation speech by David Foster Wallace was later illustrated by live action and motion graphics.
The Man Behind Your Chocolate
This video was shot documentary style, but later illustrated with motion graphics.