Animation
SVGA Foundation
Client
SVGA Foundation
Work
Concept, scriptwriting, copywriting, design, animation, voice over, music, sound design
Tags
Overview
For the SVGA Foundation, we created an animated film about financial stress. Rather than explaining figures and schemes, it tells a story that shows how money worries can gradually unravel your everyday life. Financial stress can happen to anyone, whatever their background or income.
SVGA is a foundation that helps employees of the City of Amsterdam and other participating organisations with money problems, offering advice, referrals to other support services, or an interest-free loan or grant.
The film is used in conversations with Amsterdam organisations to make employers aware of the impact of financial stress and the role they can play in supporting their staff.
Our inspiration came from the wonderful people at the SVGA Foundation, who witness their clients’ often heartbreaking stories first-hand. A new home, an unexpected dental bill or a family event can be enough to tip someone off balance financially. What starts as a temporary worry can grow into persistent stress that is felt not only at home, but at work too.
What
The animation builds visually from scene to scene, moving from light and carefree to increasingly heavy and oppressive. This way, the mood shifts along with the situations the characters find themselves in.
By keeping the characters faceless, the focus is not on who they are but on what they go through. This leaves room for viewers to recognise their own experiences in the story. Emotions are conveyed not through facial expressions, but through posture and subtle movement.
The digital cut-out animation uses simple shapes to create a clear visual language. Each scene draws its own colour combination from one overarching palette. This gives every scene its own character, while the colours tie the whole film together visually.