TEDx Teaser
year
2025
type
Teaser Animation
software
After Effect
project details
The brief was to create a teaser animation to spark the curiosity with eye-catching animation that resonates with viewers and compels them to watch the full TEDx talk on their own.
about the talk
This TEDx talk was given by Robert Waldinger, most known for being the director of one of the longest running studies on adult human development. The key points to his talk are:
• Money + Fame ≠ Happiness; Good relationships = Happiness
• Social connections are good for us, loneliness kills
• Good relationships protect our bodies and brains
“People who are more socially connected to family, to friends, to community, are happier, they’re physically healthier, and they live longer.”
So…which pitch was chosen?
(hover to see the verdict)
The first concept, Pieces of Happy was chosen!
The first concept, Pieces of Happy was chosen!
Pitched Concept Directions
01 Pieces of Happy
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It’s the quality of our seemingly little connections that fuel our happiness and uncover new meaning in the big picture. This direction uses a visual metaphor of a heart and puzzle to show that our connections help our happiness and health.
01 Happiness Within Us
Happiness is a part of who we are. It is built into our biology, beating through the heart, and sparked by the connections we foster. This direction shows the literal connection of our biology inside of us as a metaphor to the social connections around us.
Process
Concept & Rationale
Rationale is the backbone of intentional storytelling. When every creative decision is guided by a clear “why,” the narrative gains depth, intention, and impact. This graph is part of my process as it helps me determine which creative choices truly serve the story.
Design
I chose felt as the material reference to convey warmth and a human touch, . For efficiency, I captured photos of real felt and then reconstructed the texture in After Effects, layering multiple effects to simulate the felt look digitally. The images below show a step-by-step the process of making the felt look as real as possible.
Animation
10 fps makes the animation have a handmade, stop motion feel to it. Here's a comparison of one of the shots in the usual 24 fps vs 10 fps!
Styleframes
