University of Colorado Denver
Digital Design Process Book 24’
Anna Imark
University of Colorado Denver
Digital Design Process Book 24’
How can motion design help bring awareness to the effects of mental health brought on by social media?
Social media and screen time affect everyone’s mental health. How can we bring awareness to this subject and possibly help remedy it?
Static design is used widely, but motion design can make issues more memorable. Is it possible that motion design can create stronger, vivid impressions, and impact than static design?
This thesis will explore and present how excessive use of smart phones, screen-time, and social media can impact us negatively. The advancement of technology affects our lives deeply. The inventions of computers, tablets, laptops, smartphones, etc. revolutionized how we work and interact. There are many positive things that come from them, but they can also have unintended consequences.
My research will delve into different existing motion designers and their work, seeking answers to why they picked video vs. static. Through a combination of experimentation and visually dynamic and captivating assets, this thesis will showcase and highlight the reasoning behind why motion design can help bring awareness and light to topics that we showcase online.
In today’s day and age, the use of social media to promote and showcase artistic strategies, opinions, and creative expression has skyrocketed. From posters, stories, pamphlets to collages, there are many static designs floating around the world and online. Although the use of motion design hasn’t been used as efficiently as these static designs. Reels and stories have helped with the idea of videopromotion, but motion design can make it even better. Videos in general can catch viewers’ attention, but with the right touch of color, fluid animation, transitions, effects, those are what makes the content more engaging. This Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) thesis aims to explore and understand the uniqueness behind the use of motion design, how it is more beneficial than basic static designs, and what makes it effective to the audience watching it. It will also present how the excessive use of our smart phones, social media usage, and screen time can impact our mental health negatively.
With the rise of social media and different platforms, the percentage of teenagers and young adults suffer from a type of mental illness.
of 18-25 year olds
some sort of
of 12-17 year olds report
From center4research.org
Screen time and our mental health go hand-in-hand. Take screen time activity from the use of social media for example. As someone who definitely is an avid user of social media, I can vouch for both the positivity and negativity affects that social media brings onto us humans – but for the purpose of this thesis, I’ll be focusing more on the negative impacts.
Anxiety and depression are two of the biggest leading causes of social media usage. Both girls and boys, teens and adults, can experience harassment online, body dysmorphia, and even encounter images and comments that can sway their emotions and thoughts.
Depression
Depression is a mood disorder that is driven by the feeling of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest. It can be mild or severe. A research conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, trying to find a link between social media and depression, separated 143 students into two groups with one group being allowed only 30 minutes to all types of social media and the other with no restrictions. The group with restrictions reported a lower severity of depression, given they had less time to get affected by whatever it is that floats online and were spared from looking at content that could make them feel worse.
Anxiety is a multifactorial condition, meaning that social media can be part of the issue. For those who use it on a daily, social media may be a potential stressor in their lives, and can cause their anxiety to worsen. Comparison, FoMo, any negative experiences, and procrastination can result in anxiety.
The term “body surveillance” has been dubbed for those who monitor their own body due to body influencers posting unrealistic photos online. The National Library of Medicine conducted an experiment and based off their findings, they discovered that 99% of their participants posted more than 5 photos per week, with 81% of the photos edited before being posted. This is such an enormous issue for growing teens seeing their favorite influencers posting about their perfect skinny, or abs,
or muscular, whatever bodies online, and wanting to look exactly like them. The reality is that these photos are edited prior, or the creator is posing a specific way in certain lighting to make their bodies seem more fit or alluring. When your body is
much less desirable, it can cause an eating disorder, depression, and negative body image. The selfcomparison is so harmful to each individual’s mental health since they believe they will never measure up to that standard.
Social media is known to showcase the best and exciting moments of one’s life. This sometimes can lead one to feel envy and unworthy for missing out on experiences others have. Overthinking is definitely something everyone does, and the need to compulsively constantly go back onto social media to check out people’s lives both stem from the fear of missing out. If it’s missing out on a friends meet-up, or forming an inside joke, or seeing someone on a great trip while you’re stuck at home, all of these are reasons someone would feel lonely and anxious and left out. Social media fosters this idea that your online persona/presence and social standing is everything, and that if you miss out on even the slightest thing such as a notification, then you’re just not as “cool” or “fun” enough.
Screen time is known to be one of the biggest problems in disrupting sleep. Our devices produce blue light, which according to Dr, Cooper “is the part of the light spectrum most active in our sleep cycle.” (shutterhelp). It suppresses the production of melatonin, which makes it harder for people to fall asleep since it causes adrenaline rushes instead of calmness. People tend to watch tv or scroll through social media right before going to bed, which can affect the user and their sleep schedule. It’s not just the “I was just going to watch 5 TikToks — it is an impulse that can last for over an hour or more. Turning down your brightness is one way to go about reducing the amount of blue light exposure if you must turn on your phone before bed.
Insomnia we know is something people can experience with the increase usage in screen time before bed. Symptoms of insomnia have been discovered in teens, who are one of the target suspects of this problem. With this sleep deprivation, it can affect their mood, emotions, mental health, and even academic performance. Of course, this also extends to adults who will struggle more in their work setting than in school. Loss of sleep can also lead to a weaker immune system.
Curious to understand and identify the most used social media app and the biggest problems people around me face while using social media, I released a survey to the public. I sent this survey to my coworkers, multiple clubs I’m in, my parent’s friends, and asked my sister to spread it around her high school. I wanted to collect as much information all all sorts of age ranges. In less than 24 hours, I gained over 50 responses and in three days, I gained a total of 273 responses.
The most important things I wanted to see are what social media is the most used, the average screen time per person, and what negative impact most people face while using social media.
Ages
Ages
Ages
The average screen time per person is surprisingly lower than I anticipated, with 102 (or 37.4%) of people claiming their screen time as 3-4 hours per day. 89 people (or 32.6%) are in the 5-6 hour range, and 42 people (or 15.4%) are averaging 7-8 hours.
Half of the people who took the survey have also deleted social media for some time, and from those who did, about 40.7% of them feel eomtionally and or physically better about themselves.
If you have deleted social media, did you feel yourself improve emotionally or physically?
I felt better about myself
I
I
Have you ever deleted or logged off of any social media platform for a period of time (longer than 72 hours)
Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube are the top three apps that people have, but surprisingly Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are the three apps that are used the most.
What negative effects have you experienced?
What social media do you have and use? (select all that apply)
Before releasing the survey, I thought that FoMo, Body Dysmorphia, and Distraction would be the top problems that people faced from the usage of social media. Once the responses were in, Depression, Trouble falling asleep/ Insomnia, and FoMo are the top three.
The survey really helped open my eyes to what people I know personally are dealing with, and also helped solidify the factual information I found during my research.
What is your average screen time for your most used app?
If you have used a time-limit app, did you feel yourself improve emotionally or physically?
Have you ever used a time-limit app to limit your screen time?
Motion design and moving elements have always been an eye-catcher for viewers. But why is it so effective? Motion Graphics is a form of animation that takes static design and transforms it into moving pictures. These animations are typically in two-dimensional or three-dimensional format, with audio sweetening, narration, and occasionally kinetic text to help visually narrate the information.
Different brands use motion graphics to market and demonstrate their products. It’s a way to simplify complex wordy information and put it in a more visual light. Since it’s an attention-grabber, it can easily affect emotions and can be used to empathize with users. Depending on the color palette, the visuals, sound/music, voice-overs, all of these can help create a narrative that will impact the viewer.
Let’s take Dumb Ways to Die by Metro Trains and McCann and dissect it.
Created in 2012, Metro Trains faced an issue of incidents and injuries involved with their metro stations and crossings. Wanting to create awareness around this topic, and wanting to draw attention to the risks of the space surrounding the metro, Dumb Ways to Die was created. This catchy and memorable music video became so popular that it truly did create an impact among it’s audience. According to SBM, “The PSA achieved a pledge from 127 million people to be safer around trains, as well as a 10-20% reduction in train-related accidents..”. The vector characters and lyrics made the whole situation more authentic, and with the release of the game, it brought even more awareness.
It has been 11 years already since the intial release, and Dumb Ways to Die on YouTube has accumulated over 304 Million views, and over 208,000 comments. The mobile game was released 10 years ago and in 2023, it has passed 100 Million lifetime downloads.
In 2012, Vine was released to the public. It gained popularity quite fast, with users creating silly and creative videos that were only 6 seconds long.
Video marketing is a very effective way to get information out.
Today with TikTok and Reels, many videos created are still relatively short to cater to the viewer’s attention span.
Motion design pieces are typically short. The average attention span of a human is around 7-8 seconds.
Simple, conversational language!
Seamless flow!
Authenticity
Relatable
Use of sound, visuals, transitions.
Keep the typography and color consistent
Technical proficiency: skilled in Adobe AE, Blender, Cinema 4D Cohesive
How do you edit with empathy in mind?
One of the greatest challenges for an editor is to take a moment to step back at some point in the process, and forget everything you know about the project and view it through the eyes of a completely uninformed viewer. We tend to lose all objectivity when we become hyper-immersed in the subjective details and decisions that we are constantly making, and forget how to seperate our feelings and opinions from the blank slate that our audience is bringing to the moment.
What is your opinion about motion PSAs? Do you think they work on getting the message out? How could they be improved?
I believe that any type of PSA must first and foremost focus on the desired response from the viewer. Very often the most effective way to achieve that goal is to simplify the message, and create a powerful visual metaphor that communicates that message. Many times, a message is lost or diluted when the communicator tries to do too much, or accomplish multiple effects, and ultimately accomplishes none of them.
How can editing impact an audience’s perception and/or emotions?
The editorial process is perhaps the most influential part of visual storytelling. The writer establishes the story and the characters. The director forges the performances and overall tone with the actors and artists on the set. The cinematographer shapes the mood and creates the look of the production. But the editor, in virtually every decision made, guides the viewers experience by selecting what they are looking at in any given moment, thereby establishing the emotional and dramatic weight of all of the decisions made throughout the process.
Why do you believe motion design is impactful to advertising?
Motion design is critical to advertising in that the ultimate goal of an ad is to compel the audience to respond on either a conscious or subconscious level. Most viewers will respond negatively when they feel they are being overtly manipulated, so the challenge for the motion designer is to create an emotional response on a subliminal level whenever possible.
Color Palette
Sketches
Coluna Condensed Bold Typography
Helvetica Neue - Thin
Helvetica Neue - Medium
My sketch process spanned over a few months. Occasionally, I’d get an idea and quickly doodle it down in my sketchbook. When I really had to sit down and focus on a possible poster or sticker ideas, it was harder to find inspiration and motivation to draw out them. I looked at relating PSA posters, from vaping to recycling to washing hands, and noticed that a lot of them featured vector designs, and minimal text. I liked the overall layout and feel of them, and wanted my work to give off the same energy and feel.
I decided on my final deliverables. I’d have posters, stickers, and motion pieces to accompany my static designs. My 3 posters will focus on the topics I feel affect me the most personally – such as distraction/limiting screen time, FoMo, and body dysmorphia. The motion pieces are short, eye-catching PSA’s that I can visualize being played as an ad while scrolling on TikTok or Instagram reels. The stickers are fun and are meant to help boost mental health awareness and make people smile.
All my sticker and vector images are created in Adobe Illustrator 23’. I took those vector images and went into Adobe After Effects 23’ to make the motion peices.
The motion peices are on the following posters
Limiting That Screen Time
Don’t Get Distracted
Screen Time - Weekly Report
I want to thank the following people for supporting me along my journey completing my Senior Thesis. Professors
Family & Friends
Michelle Carpenter
Travis Vermilye
Gregg Stouffer
Sophia Imark (Sister)
Robert Imark (Dad)
Nadia Hong
Lily McCann-Klausz
Sofie Maliyevsky
Jacob Guerrero
Jordan Rittgers
And most importantly,
To my Mom who has always stood by my side and who supported and encouraged me through this whole process.
Citations
“Exploring the Impact of Social Media on Anxiety Among University Students in the United Kingdom: Qualitative Study”. PMC PubMed Central. June 16, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC10337317/
“How Too Much Screen Time Affects Kid’s Eyes: Tips to Prevent Eye Strain”. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. December 21, 2021. https://www.chop.edu/news/health-tip/how-too-much-screentime-affects-kids-eyes#:~:text=Studies%20show%20that%20people%20of,that’s%20positioned%20 for%20adult%20use
“Is Your Screen Time Just as Harmful as Theirs? How Parents’ Screen Use Affects Their Children”. Bay Street Pediatrics. https://baystreetpediatrics.com/is-your-screen-time-just-as-harmful-as-theirshow-parents-screen-use-affects-their-children/#:~:text=Experts%20found%20that%20increased%20 adult,fragile%20relationships%20in%20the%20future
Jamie Friedlander Serrano. “Experts Can’t Agree on How Much Screen Time is Too Much for Adults”. TIME. May 9, 2022. https://time.com/6174510/how-much-screen-time-is-too-much/
Joanna A. Cooper. “Screens and Your Sleep: The Impact of Nighttime Use”. Sutter Health. Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation. https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/sleep/screens-and-your-sleepthe-impact-of-nighttime-use#:~:text=Stimulation%20of%20this%20part%20of,Cooper%20says
Josh Howarth. “Alarming Average Screen Time Statistics (2023).” Exploding Topics. January 13, 2023. https://explodingtopics.com/blog/screen-time-stats
Kecia Ray. “Here’s What the Research Says About Screen Time and School-aged Kids”. EdTech - Focus on K-12. Janurary 3, 2023. https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2023/01/hereswhat-research-says-about-screen-time-and-school-aged-kids#:~:text=Excessive%20Screen%20 Time%20Might%20Limit%20School%20Success&text=The%20study%20found%20excessive%20 screen,literacy%20in%20school%2Dage%20students
Marc Potenza, PhD, MD. “Study Probes Connection Between Excessive Screen Media Activity and Mental Health Problems in Youth”. Yale School of Medicine. March 21, 2023. https://medicine. yale.edu/news-article/yale-study-probes-connection-between-excessive-screen-media-activityand-mental-health-problems-in-youth/
Michael Cray. “Case Study: Dumb Ways to Die”. SBM The Smarter Way. January 24, 2002. https:// smithbrothersmedia.com.au/get-smarter/case-study-dumb-ways-to-die/#:~:text=With%20a%20 specific%20focus%20on,authentic%20and%20worthy%20of%20notice
Selene Grandi. “How motion graphic can increase awareness in Marketing”. Medium. June 21, 2020. https://medium.com/digital-brainstorming/how-motion-graphics-can-increase-awareness-inmarketing-155e371304a3
“Screen Time Effects on Mental Health”. La Amistad Behavioral Health Services. February 15, 2023. https://lamistad.com/blog/screen-time-effects-on-mental-health/#:~:text=Even%20 FOMO%2C%20or%20a%20Fear,%2F%20harassment%20and%20self%2Disolation
“Social Media and Youth Mental Health”. S. Surgeon General’s Advisory. 2023. https://www.hhs. gov/sites/default/files/sg-youth-mental-health-social-media-advisory.pdf.2023.
“Social Media Usage Statistics By Age”. MixBloom. September 7, 2023. https://www.mixbloom. com/resources/social-media-usage-statistics-by-age#:~:text=The%20age%20group%20who%20 spends,onto%20their%20social%20media%20apps.
Stef McDonald. “Tips on Managing Your Screen Time for Good Mental Health”. National Alliance on Mental Illness. https://namica.org/blog/tips-on-managing-your-screen-time-for-good-mental-health/
Tamika Carlton. “5 Reasons Why Motion Graphics is Important”. Bottle Rocket Media. https://bottlerocketmedia.net/why-motion-graphics-are-effective-for-contentmarketing/#:~:text=Motion%20graphics%20can%20simplify%20complex,to%20reach%20a%20 global%20audience
Tim Walker. “All That Scrolling’: How Screen Time Impacts Students”. neaToday. September 30, 2021. https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/all-scrolling-how-screen-time-impactsstudents