The client requested an animated explainer video, which is now proudly featured on their website: https://www.representjustice.org/breaking-barriers

This animated explainer depicts the journey of Underground Scholars through the history of UC Berkeley, from the free speech movement in the 1960s to the advancement in various fields like CRISPR-Cas9, gene editing and much more.

To bring UC Berkeley’s Underground Scholars story to life

I started by carefully going through the script and audio to understand the story and tone. That helped me plan out scenes that felt natural and made the transitions flow smoothly.

I illustrated each scene, focusing on capturing meaningful moments that resonate emotionally and clearly.

Used Adobe Illustrator to craft the characters and backgrounds, then created animations in Moho Pro to explore how the scenes would flow and connect seamlessly.

Lastly, I brought everything together by editing and assembling the final renders into a complete piece using Adobe Premiere Pro.

Sather Gate is part of the historic Sproul Plaza, donated by Jane K. Sather, a university benefactor, in memory of her late husband Peder Sather, a trustee of the College of California, which later became the University of California, a major center for student activity and the scene of many protests during the Free Speech Movement. The gate is a notable subject of one of the most recognizable and iconic photographs of the Movement, a fall 1964 shot of students walking through it, carrying the Free Speech banner

The University of California, Berkeley is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California, United States. Founded in 1868 and named after the Anglo-Irish philosopher George Berkeley, it is the state's first land-grant university and is the founding campus of the University of California system.

From a group of academic pioneers in 1868 to the Free Speech Movement in 1964, Berkeley is a place where the brightest minds from across the globe come together to explore, ask questions and improve the world.

UC Berkeley Underground Scholars creates a pathway for incarcerated, formerly incarcerated and system-impacted individuals into higher education. They are building a prison-to-school pipeline through recruitment, retention, advocacy, wellness, and career services. BUS is an academic support program housed within the Division of Equity and Inclusion at UC Berkeley.

https://undergroundscholars.berkeley.edu/