Project Summary

For Washington University’s Olin Business School, I developed a leadership address video featuring the Dean presenting the school’s new strategic plan for our marketing team. I pitched the creative concept of having the Dean walk along a virtual path, filmed on greenscreen while walking on a treadmill, to symbolize progress and forward momentum. I created all of the illustrated graphic assets for the virtual environment, then brought them to life through motion design and animation in Adobe After Effects. This video combined live-action with dynamic visuals to communicate institutional priorities in a clear, engaging, and visually memorable way.

Goal

The goal was to transform a traditional “talking head” leadership message into a more engaging, symbolic, and visually driven experience. Rather than the Dean simply speaking to camera, the concept aimed to:

• Visualize progress through the walking path metaphor.

• Maintain audience engagement with motion graphics and a dynamic virtual background.

• Reinforce the strategic plan’s themes of innovation, growth, and forward direction.

• Elevate institutional storytelling with a polished, modern production style.

Solution

To achieve this, I:

• Pitched and developed the creative concept of the Dean walking on a treadmill against a greenscreen, matched with a custom-designed illustrated pathway.

• Designed and built all graphic assets for the virtual environment using Adobe Illustrator, ensuring alignment with the school’s brand identity.

• Animated and composited the assets in After Effects, creating a seamless blend between the live-action greenscreen footage and the motion graphics.

• Collaborated closely with the VPS manager, who filmed the Dean and handled greenscreen editing, ensuring technical consistency between live action and motion elements.

• Incorporated feedback quickly and effectively, adapting design and animation changes on a tight timeline while keeping the project on track.

The final video successfully delivered the university’s strategic plan in a fresh, professional, and symbolically meaningful format, elevating leadership communication beyond a static address.