animation

For the first time in human history, the number of hungry people worldwide will exceed 1 billion this year…

Around the end of the school year, my final project for both my computer and my information illustration class was an infographic-y video about Free Rice, a division of the United Nations World Food Program and an excellent, easy way to earn money to help combat world hunger. I sent them the video, hoping they could use it for something. While that animation has yet to see the light of day, it led to this opportunity – to do another short video, this time for their new Billion for a Billion campaign.

It’s been an interesting time. Very powerful subject matter, so trying to do it justice hasn’t always been easy, and I’m certainly new to work requiring so much revision – others have worked on it at various stages; the version up on the site isn’t entirely my own work – but overall, an amazing opportunity, working with some wonderful people for a fantastic cause.

If you’d like to help promote the campaign, check out the Billion for a Billion website for ways to show your support, or donate here – fill the cup! Even just play Free Rice a little. It doesn’t take much to help.

I’ve got a couple of other (unrelated) things to post over the next couple of days, so stay tuned. Just wanted to let this one stand alone.

I’ve been promising my animation for how long now?

The music is the song F Train by David Usher, and I really wish I could have done the whole thing because it’s such a beautiful song.

(Fun fact: The guy in the video isn’t really supposed to BE David Usher, but I can’t deny the influence.)

While I’m iffy at best on how I feel about the animation as a whole, I’m really proud of a lot of the images I did for it. So since they’re tiny and go by in 0.2 seconds, here they are bigger, for your enjoyment and my own validation. Think of ‘em as bonus features. Some of these were based, loosely or heavily, on people I’ve actually drawn on the subway or the GO train or the like.