🏅 Olympics 101
In “Olympics 101,” I set out to create a visually engaging and informative motion graphic focused on educating audiences about the Olympics. This personal project was born from my passion for sports and design and aimed to provide a concise yet impactful overview of the history and significance of this international event.
01. Creative Goals
“How can I distill over a century of Olympic history into a compelling animation that’s both informative and emotionally resonant?”
This project aimed to:
- Translate historical complexity into a visually clear, engaging narrative
- Appeal to a broad audience—from casual viewers to sports enthusiasts
- Showcase a refined, dynamic visual style that mirrors the energy of competition
- Push my creative and technical motion design capabilities
02. Process
Research & Scripting
The project began with deep research into the Olympics’ history, structure, and notable figures. I organized insights into a concise, story-driven script that guided the visual flow and voiceover pacing.
Data Collected from IOC
Data Analysis
Storyboarding
With the script locked, I created a series of storyboards to map out key scenes, transitions, and visual metaphors. This helped me:
- Visualize pacing and flow
- Plan scene compositions and motion direction
- Identify where animated infographics or characters would appear
Visual Development
I explored a bold, geometric visual language inspired by the Olympic rings. My goal was to reflect the event’s diversity, structure, and energy while maintaining clarity for quick storytelling.
Design elements were kept clean and symbolic, with a focus on iconography, flags, and athletic figures.
Storyboard
Refined for Final Product
Animation
Animation brought everything to life. I used a mix of techniques including:
- Kinetic typography to emphasize statistics and dates
- Morphing transitions to guide viewers through time and geography
- Rigged characters, which I explored for the first time, to simulate athletic movements like sprinting and torch-passing. This became a major focus—I challenged myself to incorporate character rigging wherever possible to elevate realism and gesture.
Voiceover & Sound Design
Once the script was locked, I collaborated with a professional voiceover artist. I requested multiple takes at different speeds and tones to give editing flexibility and ensure sync with animation pacing.
- Rhythmic music for pacing
- Ambient elements (crowds, fire, stadiums) for realism
- Sound effects to enhance transitions, reinforce actions, and build atmosphere
Sound Editing
Add sounds effects
03. Results
Olympics 101 is a vibrant, animated explainer that pays tribute to one of the world’s most iconic global events. It combines storytelling, design, animation, and sound into a short format piece that educates and inspires. This project challenged me to think holistically—from research to writing, design to sound. Some key takeaways:
- Pacing is everything in motion work—voice, visuals, and sound must be finely tuned
- Sound design is often underrated but is essential to immersion and emotion
- Collaboration with voiceover talent can dramatically enhance storytelling impact