Finding Focus (Ongoing)

Client: Finding Focus

Duration: 5 Years

Overview: For the past five years, I have been a key contributor to the ongoing development of Finding Focus, an evidence-based, personalized online course designed to help high school students improve their focus and manage their emotions through meditation practices and breathing techniques. My role has involved a wide range of responsibilities, from creative brainstorming to technical implementation.

Responsibilities:

• Creative Collaboration: Participated in regular meetings and brainstorming sessions with a team of psychologists and neuroscientists to develop the most effective combination of motion graphics and cinematic footage. The goal was to create an engaging visual experience that effectively teaches social-emotional health and learning topics.

• Design & Animation: Took creative direction from these sessions to design vectors and characters in Adobe Illustrator, which I then rigged and animated in After Effects. My work involved creating both 2D and 3D animations that align with the course’s educational goals.

• Editing & Music Integration: Edited cinematic stock footage, meticulously timing it to modern, uplifting, and engaging music that resonates with a youthful audience, ensuring the final product is both captivating and educational.

• Review & Iteration: Engaged in ongoing discussions and reviews with the team, incorporating feedback to refine the videos. This process included considering student feedback to make multiple revisions, ensuring the content is both effective and appealing.

• Web Animation Design: Designed and animated web-compatible animations, specifically tailored to be integratable in HTML. My expertise in understanding the technical limitations of web animations allowed me to create engaging content that functions seamlessly online.

• On-Location Filming: Traveled to UCSB and UT Austin campuses to film footage for the course, as well as to school districts using the course to conduct interviews with teachers for testimonial videos.

Over the years, my work with Finding Focus has been driven by a commitment to creating visually engaging, educational content that resonates with students. My ability to blend creative design with technical execution has played a crucial role in the course's ongoing success and its impact on student learning and emotional well-being.