How to stop overthinking
This animated explainer addresses the common challenge of overthinking, providing practical strategies for navigating life's situations with greater mental clarity and less self-doubt.
The video aims to unpack what overthinking feels like, illustrate its impact on daily life, and then offer actionable techniques for breaking cycles of rumination and excessive analysis. The objective was to empower viewers to regain control over their thoughts and find more peace in their decision-making processes.
I designed expressive 3D characters to act as the central figures, placing them in highly relatable environments such as bedrooms, offices, and even abstract spaces that symbolise the internal world of thought.
The animation vividly portrays the feeling of being trapped in one's own mind, contrasting it with moments of clarity and peaceful resolution. These detailed 3D renders were created in Daz Studio and then expertly brought into After Effects for dynamic animation, scene transitions, and compositing, creating a compelling visual narrative.
Credits
An explainer animation about how sleep can impact our mental health
Challenges & Creative Decisions
One of the primary creative challenges was to visually represent the abstract concept of "overthinking" itself. How do you show thoughts spiralling or a mind feeling overwhelmed?
To address this, I used symbolic visual metaphors such as characters on a treadmill of thoughts, or subtle environmental shifts that conveyed feeling trapped or boxed in.
The 3D characters were crucial for expressing the internal frustration and eventual relief through nuanced facial expressions and body language.
Another key decision involved transitioning between realistic everyday scenarios and more abstract visualisations of mental states. For example, a character might be seen in their bedroom, then seamlessly transition to a stylised visual of their mind in turmoil, and finally find calm in a more open, serene setting.
This dynamic visual storytelling, facilitated by carefully planned 3D scene set-ups and After Effects compositing, allowed for a deeper exploration of the topic while maintaining viewer engagement and providing clear, actionable solutions.
