Learning & Development Animation Videos for British Red Cross

Founded in 1870, the British Red Cross are a phenomenal charity organisation who strives to protect life, health and well-being of individuals and communities when crisis strikes. They specialise in responding to health emergencies, natural disasters and other conflicts by providing support and care to those affected.

First aid is at the forefront of everything they do. Naturally, this means that they require learning and development videos for a variety of purposes, including first aid courses, presentations, website use, as well as social media. We were fortunate enough to be trusted with the task of creating videos for such a worthwhile cause!

• This specific project was centred around first aid in the workplace, therefore, it was directed at being informative content for businesses.
• Demographic: business owners, HR managers and those with health and safety responsibilities within a business.

Red Cross Training were investing in a restructuring of its website. As part of this huge project, they were seeking development and improvements to their current first-aid video content. To achieve this, they were looking for a Manchester creative agency to update existing videos, specifically focusing on workplace first aid skills.

For this project, we collaborated with the team and combined our animation and creative video services to produce 10 high-quality learning and development videos. These videos were designed to support workplace first aid presentations, act as course companions, as well as feature in email marketing.

As an educational organisation, it was crucial that the content was carefully crafted to engage the audience and effectively convey accurate yet essential first-aid practice. It was vital to Red Cross Training that the audience felt a culture of preparedness in the event of an emergency in the workplace, contributing to a safer environment.

Learning and development animation and creative videos: 10 individual videos with animated backgrounds to allow future updates and refreshes.

Managing a large cast: The Red Cross Training team approached this project with caution after having a disappointing experience previously, particularly regarding actors and repetition. To address this, our experienced team at Bearded Fellows made a conscious decision to avoid duplicating actors. However, this meant managing a huge pool of talent – 22 actors to be precise. Working simultaneously with so many individuals posed its own logistical challenges. Nonetheless, we prioritised transparency and maintained open communication with all parties involved, enabling us to navigate the inevitable complexities seamlessly.

Coordination with actors: Engaging 22 actors from different locations across the country presented its fair share of challenges. Despite careful planning, factors such as oversleeping, missed trains, and train cancellations resulted in some actors missing their call times — an undesirable situation. However, due to our comprehensive planning stage, we were prepared for such contingencies. This allowed us to adapt on the spot, manage our time effectively, and ensure the project stayed within schedule, avoiding any need for overtime.

Adhering to brand guidelines: Another challenge was aligning our illustrations with the understandably-strict brand guidelines of Red Cross Training. While they had not previously ventured into a project like this, maintaining brand consistency was crucial. Balancing the need for something new while respecting their guidelines required iterative collaboration with their branding team. Through back-and-forth discussions, we were able to create illustrations that enhanced their guidelines in a way that felt authentic to their brand identity.

In our collaboration with Red Cross Training, we actively engaged in the creative process, providing input and guidance on the script. However, once the script was finalised, we took creative responsibility for all other creative aspects, including casting, illustration, animation, and more. This allowed us to bring our expertise to the table and ensure a cohesive and compelling end result.

One of the important factors in this project was Red Cross Training‘s desire to refresh their platform and create visuals with a lasting impact. They sought a solution that would not only be visually engaging but also have an evergreen or longer-lasting shelf life. Considering the sensitive subject matter of workplace first aid, it was crucial to maintain clinical accuracy and approach the content with care.

To bring the vision to life, we incorporated several key elements into the project. We utilised green screen video technology to seamlessly integrate actors and scenarios into various settings. Textured backgrounds were employed to add depth and visual interest, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the videos. We also employed a 1-point perspective illustration technique, providing a unique and engaging visual style.

One of the main challenges was blending the workflow and composition of video footage with illustrated scenarios and backgrounds. Through careful coordination, we achieved a harmonious integration of live-action elements and animated content. This allowed us to create visually captivating and informative videos that effectively conveyed the required first-aid skills and resonated with the target audience.

Throughout the process, we adhered to Red Cross Training’s brand guidelines, ensuring consistency in the use of logos, fonts, and other branding elements. Coupled with iterative feedback and collaboration, we delivered a final product that not only met their expectations but also enhanced their brand identity.

The result was a creative output that combined the strengths of live-action and animation, resulting in engaging and memorable videos. By leveraging unique visual techniques and seamless coordination, we successfully produced educational content that stood out, resonated with viewers, and effectively communicated essential workplace first-aid skills.