2D Animation for UKRI: Technology Missions Fund Explainer

The use of 2D animation in a business or organisation can be extrememel beneficial. Animated visuals are particularly effective at capturing attention, enhancing engagement and reinforcing your message in a compelling way. Put simply, animated videos simplify complex ideas in a way that is easy for your audience to understand. Whether the goal is education, storytelling or brand communication, 2D animation offers a level of clarity and creativity that other formats often struggle to achieve.

If you’re interested in how we apply motion design across other projects, you can also explore our University Video Production case study.

THE PROJECT: 2D ANIMATION FOR UKRI

Our client for this project was UKRI (UK Research and Innovation).

The aim of this 2D animation was to explain the Technology Missions Fund, designed to accelerate technological development across four major sectors:

• Artificial Intelligence
• Engineering Biology
• Future Telecommunications
• Quantum Technologies

Through the animated video, UKRI wanted to illustrate how they support the emergence and development of technologies that have the potential to positively impact society and the economy. This made 2D animation the perfect medium, clear, engaging, informative and accessible.

CONCEPT & PLANNING FOR THE 2D ANIMATION

The primary objecive was to produce an explainer 2D animation that presented the Technology Missions Fund in an engaging, creative and visually clear way. Once the script was finalised, our first step was storyboarding.

Storyboarding allowed us to break down complex technical content into digestible, well-paced visuals. Because the video represented multiple sectors, it was essential that each one had a distinct identity yet felt part of a unified overall narrative. During this phase, we also planned the motion transitions, ensuring the flow from one sequence to the next felt smooth and intuitive. 

To create the storyboard, we used Storyboarder, a free tool by Wonder Unit that has become a core part of our animation workflow. Its seamless integration with Photoshop lets us work within a familiar environment while giving us the speed and flexibilit needed for efficient iteration. With drag-and-drop scene organisation and quick annotation tools, Storyboarder helps us adapt and refine the story as ideas evolve, making it ideal for fast-moving 2D animation projects.

The conceptual phase forms the backbone of any successful animated film. It allows us to establish tone, pacing and visual hierarchy, ensuring the final 2D animation communicates complex ideas with confidence and clarity.

DESIGN & STYLE: CREATING A DISTINCT 2D ANIMATION LOOK

Building on the crisp vector style of a previous UKRI commission, we expanded and refined the visual style for this project.

We added depth by layering scenes, developing more detailed assets and using subtle shading to create visual interest without overcomplicating the design. The clean illustration style and technical colour palette gave the animation a trustworthy, modern aesthetic, perfect for a fund focused on innovation.

For asset creation, we used Adobe Illustrator, allowing us to work entirely in vector format. This ensured that every graphic element remained sharp and scalable, regardles of screen size. Once designed, these assets were brought into Adobe After Effects, where the full 2D animation took shape.

In some scenes, we converted Illustrator layers into shape layers directly in After Effects. This technique unlocked more advanced manipulation, bending paths, adjusting anchor points, adding dynamic line movement, giving us greater creative freedom during the animation phase.

This workflow not only maintains visual fidelity but also improves efficiency, allowing us to produce polished 2D animations with smooth motion and consistent style from beginning to end.

FINAL OUTPUT 

This project demonstrates the power of 2D animation as a communication tool. By combining clear visual storytelling with technical precision, we created a film that helps audiences understand the purpose and impact of UKRI’s Technology Missions Fund.

See the full 2D animation here.