The challenge was to translate a sensitive and research-based subject into a short animated film that could communicate clearly beyond an academic context.
The project dealt with the experience of Filipino migrant fishers working within the Scottish fishing industry, a subject involving migration, labour conditions, cultural distance and communication barriers.
The animation needed to make these issues understandable and emotionally engaging, while maintaining respect for the people and realities represented.
The film was developed through a visual storytelling approach, using 2D animation to simplify complex social dynamics without reducing their human depth.
Animation made it possible to work symbolically with distance, movement, misunderstanding and connection — key themes within the experience of migrant fishers and the wider research context.
The visual language was designed to support clarity, empathy and accessibility, helping the research project reach audiences beyond specialist academic circles.
Crossed Lines became a social impact animation capable of presenting research findings through a more accessible and human-centred visual format.
The project demonstrates how animation can support academic communication, giving form to stories that involve migration, labour, identity and cultural exchange.
It also strengthens the role of motion design as a bridge between research, public engagement and visual storytelling.