Description:

A Frame Through Nature is a 3D short, animated film that focuses on communicating the benefits of outdoor play.

New Zealand/Aotearoa children are spending less time outside than previous generations. Extensive research already underscores the many benefits of outdoor play and exposure to nature, ranging from enhanced physical and mental well-being to crucial cognitive development in children. Consequently, it is important to find engaging methods that reach both parents and children effectively. This opportunity led me to explore how using 3D animation and narrative techniques in making the message about the significance of outdoor play more accessible and relatable to both parents and children.

The short narrative depicts the child protagonist’s growth through her interaction with nature and the limitless imagination the outdoors has to offer, creating a vibrant and stimulating environment. The narrative focuses on emphasising how children are capable of imaginative play and how these unconstrained child-led discoveries can lead to positive experiences and states such as creativity, artistic expression, confidence, and problem-solving that are important attributes and skills as children grow older.

The narrative structure was guided by the hero’s journey to showcase the child protagonist’s transformation through the role of imaginative play through nature. This included the use as the everyday unassuming objects, like a stick, and the presence of a mentor figure such as the Tui.

While animation typically follows a technical route, the novelty of this animation project lies in its adoption of the Human-Centred Design approach - a framework that places the preferences of its user group at the forefront of the design process to increase the likelihood that the design outcome would be well received by the intended audience. As part of this approach experts in outdoor play were consulted. This informed the creation of the treatment and storyboard to ensure the aspects depicted visually were relevant and would resonate with the target audience (parents and children).