Design Challenge
#1: How might we keep our communities in Singapore safe and healthy during the global COVID-19 pandemic?
Project Description
A series of one minute animated videos that debunk myths related to COVID-19, while providing interesting titbits of information from different angles.
Criteria #1: Value
A pandemic is the perfect environment for panic, fear and misinformation to breed. The problem is not that we fall for fake news, but rather refuse to let it go even when we are shown evidence that the news is fake. It gives people a false sense of comfort, to have a feeling of certainty in this time of great uncertainty. We can’t stop people from believing the truth they want to accept, but we hope to at least show them a different perspective.
Criteria #2: Inspiration
Instead of traditional media such as print or radio, many people turn to the Internet and social media for their news. We aim to make use of animation as a medium to present information in an eye-catching and educational form. While the topics are based on a global perspective, the areas of interest are catered more towards local audience [social distancing, myths like garlic as a COVID-19 remedy or 5G networks as a cause of coronavirus]
Criteria #3: Impact
Through the use of infographics, we can digest huge chunks of information into simple to understand, bite-sized graphics/animation for maximum visual impact. Each animated video is also kept at 1 – 1.5min, with subtitles included, so that they can be easily viewed with mobile devices, even with the audio turned off.
Criteria #4: Timeliness
We embarked on this project since the beginning of April, as a self-initiate studio project. There are currently 6 scripts and some animation already in development. The first video is targeted to be completed in two weeks’ time, with subsequent ones to follow.
Criteria #5: Systems Thinking
The COVID-19 pandemic is not just a statistic: Every number represents a person affected who is fighting or has fought the sickness. And with each case comes with concerned and bereaved family members, relatives and friends. Through our videos, we hope that people will learn to be rational when looking at news sources, and think twice before spreading or believing misinformation.