This project was completed for a design elective my senior year titled “Motion Graphics: Data & Storytelling”. The goal of the course was to explore how design thinking can be utilized to organize and effectively communicate data in order to create powerful visual stories of New Orleans.

Using the book, Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas by Rebecca Soling and Rebecca Snedeker, I focused on the chapter St. Claude Avenue, Loss and Recovery on An Inner City Artery. This chapter discusses the drastic development changes of the St. Claude neighborhood as a response to hurricane Katrina in 2005 which in turn caused a surge of gentrification. I created a visual communication project revealing the truth behind the local neighborhood.

I used Adobe Illustrator to create an infographic poster, referred to as NOLA Knowledge, to shed light to the topic. Then, I used Adobe After Effects to create an animated video to further communicate the impactful message, referred to as NOLA Wisdom.

In my research, I found that the most alarming statistics were the rising housing costs and demographic changes due to gentrification. This is why I decided to highlight these data points in the infographic.

The motion graphic served to expand upon the infographic and deepen comprehension through 2 minutes of visuals. I began my process by visiting the neighborhood and taking photographs. At first, I planned to used these are inspiration images. However, I realized they looked beautiful together and decided to tell history in a photojournalism animation style.

I thought about the vibrant art scene in this neighborhood of New Orleans, which made me think of this painting I collaborated with a local artist in the area the year prior. This is an artistic representation of a classic New Orleans shotgun house. The idea then came to me to showcase this style of home and incorporate data into the architectural details.

My colors were chosen based on colors from a map provided in the chapter, which highlighted commercial establishments that existed before and after Katrina. I then chose the typography Veneer as the title to reflect the haphazard construction that occurred.

NOLA Wisdom - Motion Graphic

I included a combination of abrupt and gradual transitions, each chosen to further convey the emotion of the story at that particular frame. I animated old and commercial photographs of the neighborhood to bring them to life in an engaging way. I enjoyed cutting these out in photoshop as it reminded me of cutting photographs out of newspapers.

A major theme of my animation is urban development growth. It is seen through shotgun houses falling, building, stretching, and fading into the screen. This theme captivates the message behind the project of the intensity of the urban development on the neighborhood.