"2030" - 2020
As I started my graduate career in 2017, I wanted to focus on how animation could be used to disseminate disturbing, yet important, information to the masses in a more palatable manner. At the same time, the protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline were garnering, in my opinion, minimal media coverage compared to other events. Yet I felt that the concerns of the protesters were something that more people should be aware of as the construction of the pipeline had the potential to impact millions of Americans across several states. At the same time it had felt like it was just yesterday when the devastating Deepwater Horizon explosion destroyed countless marine life as well as local businesses along the gulf. I theorized that if more young people understood what the devastating consequences of climate change and an economy anchored by oil were, they would be more inclined to reach out to their local representatives and demand their voice be heard. With the completion date in 2020, coinciding with the general election, I felt that this was the perfect time to explore these topics through animation.