Click here to view the embedded video.

My original creative brief called for:

“A 2 – 3 minute infographic video explaining the basic concept and points of the Maui Smart Grid Project,” and outlined roughly how this would be done,

“Simple graphics and animations using available graphics and photo imagery, along with simple animated typographics. No narration. Quick to produce. Doesn’t answer all questions, but intrigues the viewer to want to learn more on the website (call to action).”

The final product that you see here is actually missing the first third of the video that I created – a section that explains the current situation about energy use on Maui with some basic facts from the U.S Department of Energy. The intent was to show the pain, the need, where we’re currently at. Unfortunately, I was asked to cut that, and I feel that the story of the video suffers as a result. This part of the story established why the viewer should care. Without it, the story isn’t as effective and doesn’t communicate as well as it could have.

So, I have mixed feelings about this video. I’m glad it finally got published and I enjoyed working on it, but I feel that it’s watered down and that the best graphics and editing were actually in the first third that was cut. So, I feel that it doesn’t represent my work as well as it could have and I’m disappointed about having to remove it.

The lesson-learned here is that I should have made sure I had approval from all interested parties (and there are A LOT of interested parties in this particular project) much earlier in the process – at the script and storyboard stage vs near the end of production. It reiterates again the importance of those early stages in the process – the script and storyboard and getting things ironed out and approved at that stage before starting production.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Here’s the full address:

Click here to view the embedded video.