xEnzo’s Monday Motion #167: Explainers

If university taught through explanation videos, I would be a student for life! Watch and learn about subjects from space sex to surfing.

Space Sex

We’re spending billions of dollars to see if there’s life on Mars, but oldskool reproduction is strangely enough not a subject of NASA. Is sex in space even possible?

I love how designer / animator Tom McCarten played around with the zero gravity behaviour on text elements. The collage style suits McCarten as well as the subject, making it all clear and fun to watch at the same time.

How to outsmart Cancer

The Australian Cancer Research Foundation has a piece of very clear and inspiring advice: “Forget fighting cancer. Let’s outsmart it.”

The voiceover smoothly follows the flow of the music (or is it the other way around?). The beautiful visuals from Heckler, together with the voice and music form a perfect symbiosis that turn explaining into action.

Focus, Focus, Focus!

If there is one general feature of mankind it’s the ability to postpone boring and tough stuff. To put it in a fancy word: Procrastination. Is there a cure for better focus?

The video from Stuart Langfield is filled with procrastination like the scene where Dokter Tim Pychyl tries to explain it. Hell, this whole blog is one great example! Don’t be too hard on yourself though: step one is acknowledging, so good for you : )

Respect

Aretha Franklin sang about it in 1967, but until this day people in custody often lack it. Studio Nice and Serious explains the benefits of well treatment.

The visual style is unique and compelling. The dark scenes turn light when the solution is given. A smart treatment by art director and illustrator Guillaume Le Roux. The voiceover though lacks compassion and almost feels sedated like a mistreated prisoner. A miss in an overall top-notch production.

Surfs up!

We all know that surfing requires incredible skill, but there’s also a lot of science involved. The scientist of surfs explains it all.

The informal and simple style of Wonderlust is a great match. The almost childish style of illustrator Miguel Angel Camprubi helps to simplify the scientific explanation. I think I’ve got it figured out! Now the actual surfing part…