Climate change adaptation is a complex and sensitive topic—especially when the goal is to make it understandable and accessible to a wide audience. That was the purpose of this project created for the Pays de Sainte-Odile in partnership with ADEME: a short explainer video designed to present a long-term collaborative initiative and encourage local residents to take part in it.
The project itself is built around 3 major phases: first, gathering feedback and concerns from residents through citizen consultations; then co-creating an action plan together; and finally implementing these actions over time. Our role was to turn all of this into a short and digestible film that could:
- explain what climate change adaptation actually means
- present the different stages of the project clearly
- highlight the collaborative aspect of the initiative
- represent a wide range of people and professions
- and encourage viewers to get involved
All within less than 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Unlike some of our other projects where we focus only on animation, this time we handled the entire production process. We worked closely with the client to structure the information, define the tone of the video, and find the right balance between educational and approachable. We also collaborated with a voice-over actress and a sound designer for the audio part, while managing the whole production from start to finish.
One of the biggest challenges was making such a serious topic feel engaging without losing credibility. The amount of information was substantial, and everything had to remain clear and easy to follow despite the short runtime.
A large part of the process revolved around character design. Because the project was based on citizen participation, it was important that everyone could feel represented in the film: younger and older people, farmers, entrepreneurs, social workers, residents…
Our first instinct was to go with more abstract characters, something we often prefer for inclusive storytelling. Abstract shapes help avoid overly specific traits linked to age, gender, or ethnicity, allowing viewers to project themselves more easily.
But during the process, we realized this approach felt too playful for the client, who was worried the audience wouldn’t identify with the characters enough. After several explorations and discussions, we shifted toward more human and grounded designs.
It became an interesting example of how collaboration can genuinely shape the creative direction of a project—and how design decisions are often about finding the right balance between intention and perception.
Another important aspect of this project was the collaboration itself.
The client had never really worked on a motion design production before, so part of our role was also to guide them through every stage of the process: scripting, storyboarding, design, feedback cycles, production timelines…
Because the video was tied to a public event with a fixed date, timing was critical from day one. We established a detailed production schedule early on, making sure every step stayed aligned and manageable for everyone involved.
In the end, the project was delivered on time and presented during the event exactly as planned.
Unlike more graphic or interface-driven projects, this film relied heavily on character animation and illustrated scenes. To make everything feel lively and expressive, we built custom rigs for the characters—and even for the hands appearing throughout the video.
We took the opportunity to push the rigging further than usual, creating more advanced setups that allowed for subtle secondary animations and micro movements. It was a fun and very enriching part of the process, especially on a project where human interaction and collaboration were such central themes.
Everything was animated in Adobe After Effects, using tools like Joysticks 'n Sliders and Duik to build and control the rigs more efficiently.
A short explainer film designed to make a complex public initiative feel accessible, collaborative, and human.
Beyond the animation itself, this project was also about creating a tool for discussion—something able to inform people, reassure them, and encourage them to take part in a collective effort happening directly within their own community.
Credits
Client — Communauté de Communes du Pays de Sainte Odile
Production — Complement Studio
Project management — Timothé Nicot
Creative Direction — Emeline Clement & Victor Voltz
Script — Emeline Clement & Victor Voltz
Illustration — Emeline Clement
Animation — Victor Voltz
Character Rigging — Emeline Clement
Sound design — Nicolas Maurin
Portfolio case study — Emeline Clement
Year — 2024
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