Client
The Daffodil Centre — a leading research centre focused on cancer prevention, early detection, survivorship, and policy. The Daffodil Centre is a joint venture between Cancer Council NSW and the University of Sydney.
Brief
To create three engaging animations about the role of physical activity, and different ways to implement it, as part of the MERRIER Study. This Study is a clinical trial designed to support children and adolescents to become more active after cancer treatment.
The videos needed to clearly communicate physical activity and benefits to families and healthcare professionals, encouraging participation and awareness.
Target Audience
- Childhood (aged 5 — 18 years) cancer survivors and their families
- Paediatric oncology healthcare professionals
- Community partners supporting families after childhood cancer.
Solution
We maintained a collaborative approach with the Client throughout to ensure that the animations would be clear and sensitive, and would resonate with families and clinicians.
The process began with the Client conducting an in-depth briefing and review of the Study’s goals. With collaborative input from the Study’s researchers and consumer families, the messaging was refined to ensure it was accessible and empowering while maintaining scientific accuracy.
Next, we worked with the Client to develop the scripts. Once finalised and approved, we then provided options for character and background designs that aligned with the Client’s branding, and would be relatable by the target audience. To keep to the budget, we used pre-existing vector assets and modified them as needed.
Once the designs were finalised and approved, we crafted a storyboard for each of the animations, so that the Client could review and suggest any changes before we moved into the animation (production) phase of the project.
After storyboard approval, we animated the characters and backgrounds, and added engaging transitions and an uplifting soundtrack. One of the Study’s researchers recorded their own voice for the narration, for which we provided advice for best audio results. We treated the voice over track to ensure it sounded as good as possible, and we then integrated it into the animations.
All of these elements successfully combined to bring the stories to life, and ensured an engaging set of animations for the target audience. After final refinements, the videos were prepared for use across the Daffodil Centre’s website, social media, and for clinical presentations. We also produced versions with onscreen captions.
Result
The animations have become a key tool for engaging families and healthcare professionals, improving understanding of physical activity and encouraging participation in the MERRIER Study. They have been praised for their warmth, clarity, and ability to turn complex research into an accessible and inspiring message—supporting children to thrive after cancer.