Animation has the power to transport us to different worlds.
They tell stories that tug at our heartstrings, and leave us in absolute awe.
In 2022, we were lucky to bring to life a wide range of spectacular research topics that left a lasting impression on us… and, we hope, they’ll do the same for you too! ✨
But which was our favourite science animation from last year? 🤔
That’s the question that prompted this blog!
How could we choose when there were so many stand-out animations? From eye-catching video abstracts to captivating explainer videos, we just couldn’t decide.
So welcome to the AYS Animation Awards! 🏆
This is where we roll out the red carpet and announce our personal favourite animation for each category, awarding each star their very own trophy.
So buckle up and join us as we journey through last year's best video abstracts and custom animations, uncovering the magic and artistry behind each one.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the AYS Animation Awards! 🏆
Sit back, relax and enjoy as we celebrate the best of the best.
Wonderful whiteboard
Our first category up in tonight's awards personifies the saying ‘simple is best’! Using a hand-drawn whiteboard style, a basic colour palette, and a great analogy, you can convey complex research in a simple and engaging way. We love a good whiteboard video!
So, it is my great pleasure to announce the winner of the 'Best Whiteboard Video Abstract' award.
And the award goes to...
*Drumroll* 🥁🥁🥁
Congratulations! Come on up and collect your award.
We collaborated with Prof David Alsteen from UCLouvain to produce a captivating video abstract that focuses on the notorious pirate, COVID-19, who navigates the seas in search of treasure. Treasure that’s locked away in your cells. This animation shows how we can keep our treasures just a little bit safer.
This novel research was published in Nature Communications and provides insight into how to stop COVID-19 from unlocking the door into our cells.
This animation had us on the edge of our seats, as we took a thrilling journey through the microscopic world of cells and viruses. With stunning visuals, an infamous main character, and captivating storytelling, "Protecting our Cellular Treasures" delivers an engaging and informative video. 🎬
It was a close race, with two other video abstracts coming in just behind.
So let’s give a hand to Parental Incarceration and Surveillance in video games: Cyborg Vision. Better luck next time.
Motion Mastery
Next up we have the 2D motion graphic category. This animation style uses movement to enhance visual explanations of a scientific research paper. Combining flat 2D vector images, with motion to capture the audience's attention, this style has a greater level of creative freedom.
Please give a warm round of applause to the winner of the 'Best Motion Graphic Video Abstract’. And the winner is...
*envelope opens* ✉️
With its vibrant animation style and smooth narration, this video abstract showed us that even the most mundane things, like rubbish, can be given a new lease of life with a bit of creativity and scientific ingenuity. ♻️
From trash to treasure, researchers from Covenant University in Nigeria looked into how to recycle various types of non-biodegradable plastics into sustainable, eco-friendly building materials.
This animation showed us how plastic waste, something we thought was just clogging up our oceans and landfills, can actually be transformed into a useful building material. Read more about this incredible research in the full paper.
And to the other nominees, A Tale of Vikings and Biofilms and New polymer made from recycled waste has real magnetic appeal. Don't worry, there's always next year!
Brilliant Bronze
Moving on to our custom animations, we had so many great nominees. But unfortunately only one can win.
Whilst a video abstract communicates the key finding of a research paper, our custom animations can be used to visualise pretty much anything. From a product, to a process, to an idea or raising awareness, the options are endless!
Needless to say picking a winner for each category of our custom animations was difficult indeed. 🙈
For the award 'Best Custom Whiteboard Animation', please put your fins together for… *dramatic pause*
You just blew us out of the water!
This stunning animation took us on a journey through the freshwater ecosystems of the Lower Murray River, featuring a grandfather and his two grandkids fishing on the river bank and a cast of beautiful Murray river cod. 🎣
The power of this animation lies in its simplicity. By using a minimalist approach and a hand-drawn aesthetic, the concepts and ideas were crystal-clear and just flowed.😉 The artistic style was quite unique, showcasing authentic, playful illustrations that were only semi-coloured in.
Throughout this animation we discover the importance of flowing water in sustaining the delicate ecosystem of the river. And how, over the years there has been an alarming decline in the flow of water, which has had a devastating impact on the aquatic life. But with some time and new measures, we can restore the river's flow and rejuvenate its once-thriving ecosystem!
So, here’s to ‘Flow and Fishes of the Murray River' for a true masterpiece that was both educational and entertaining. 👏🏼
To our runner-up International education event. You also blew us away, but just didn’t quite have the same flow.
Shining Silver
Next up, our silver tier custom animations. 🥈
These animations can be quite diverse, falling under two very distinct styles. Either a hybrid whiteboard style which honours the hand-drawn whiteboard style, while including motion elements to improve clarity of the message. Or a standard 2D motion graphic style, which has a more traditional vector graphic approach.
As you can imagine, picking a winner for this category was immensely difficult, due to the range in style.
So, without further ado, let's give a round of applause to the winner of the "Best Silver Tier Custom Animation" award.
*trophy revealed* 🏆
And the winner is… You Are What You Eat 🥦👏🏼
This cute and creative video stood out from the competition with an elegant story, bright, contrasting colours and a fun and informative approach to explaining the inner workings of the gut.
This animation features beautiful illustrations with simple yet refined backgrounds, and clever animations that simplify complex scientific concepts and delivers a powerful message in an entertaining way.
The Alyce Martin Gut Lab focuses on understanding how the gut responds to the foods we consume, and how this impacts our gut function and metabolism. This video weaves together the story of the food we eat, the importance of a healthy gut, and the impact of gut bacteria on our mental and physical health.
But, the real hero of this animation was the little bacteria! They send signals to the cells lining our gut, to produce hormones that benefit our whole body.
Congratulations to 'You Are What You Eat' for a well-deserved win!
We were beyond impressed by so many of our Silver Tier animations we wish you could all have a trophy! To the Power of us series and Sinking Dead, we secretly love you all. ❤️
Pure Gold
Ah…. Our gold tier custom animations! 🤩
Our gold tier animations offer a touch of elegance with detailed assets, complex backgrounds and smooth animation.
Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed colleagues, it is my great pleasure to present the award for 'Best Gold Tier Custom Animation' to...
Drumroll, please... 🥁🥁🥁
This animation truly captured the essence of the Australian Physiotherapy Council assessment. From the detailed graphics and dynamic animation, it was an informative journey into the Australian physiotherapy profession.
Throughout this animation we follow the journey of a physiotherapist as they navigate the assessment processes and requirements to meet the Australian physiotherapy standards and working environments.
So, let's raise a glass and give one more round of applause to the winner! 🥂
To our close runner-up Urinary Tract Infections: 3 Facts about UTIs you MUST Know, we are so happy to have you here.
Perfectly Platinum
The crème de la crème! 😚✨
Could animation be any more beautiful?! Our platinum tier pushes-the-envelope, with stunning assets, detailed backgrounds, textured effects and dynamic animation. Down to the lighting and shadows our platinum animations are practically flawless.
Unfortunately, we are unable to share our custom platinum tier animations, so no award ceremony here!
But don’t worry, we will leave you with a lasting impression of a stunning platinum level animation, our explainer video. Whilst this video has been around for a few years now, we still absolutely love everything about this video.
And fun fact: The video was modelled after our Director and his now wife. 🤫
A showcase of our best animations from 2022
Animation has become a beloved form of communication, captivating audiences of all ages with its vivid storytelling and stunning scientific illustrations.
At Animate Your Science, we've been blown away by the outstanding research being done throughout many fields across the world. And we are so fortunate to be a part of showcasing this research to the broader community through our animations.
Check out our showreel 👇 or head to our Animate Your Science YouTube to browse more amazing science videos!
Thanks for joining us as we celebrated the best of the best from 2022. It was an event full of excitement, laughter, and maybe even a few tears (I’m looking at you COVID 😢), as we highlight the amazing plethora of animations produced over the past year.
Want to see your research on the big screen too?
Bring your ideas to life with our professional animation and video abstract services.
From captivating explainer videos to eye-catching video abstracts, our team of skilled animators can help you communicate your research in a visually compelling way to make it stand out from the crowd!
Whether you're looking to showcase a new product, explain a complex scientific concept, or add some pizzazz to your lab website, don't let your research go unnoticed!
Contact us today to learn more and take the first step towards creating a dynamic and memorable video.
🗨️ “The way AYS extracted the information needed for our video made the whole process very clear and very easy. Our whole team was rapt with the end result and feedback from the public has been excellent. Highly recommended!
Prof. Gretta Pecl University of Tasmania
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