An interactive storytelling workshop exploring
animation, games & digital media
to inspire awareness, connection and action
on climate, nature, and our collective future.

Impactful animated films, games, and digital experiences exploring nature and sustainability, from Japanese anime and Hollywood features to student work and award-winning environmental films.

Students craft stories rooted in their experiences and values, define characters and purpose, select the best medium, and leave with a clear action plan to bring their idea to life

Two decades of professional experience in animation, digital storytelling, and communications, distilled into one workshop, giving students the knowledge and tools to create impactful stories that reconnect people with nature.

“Animated for Impact led a whole Upper School session at Green School, and they did an amazing job connecting with our young people about why storytelling is a powerful way to move us to respond to climate and biodiversity breakdown. What was particularly powerful was that so many clips were created by artists not much older than our students. The team was easy to work with and keen to connect afterward with our students, guiding them and asking questions. Great job, and thank you!”

— Benjamin Freud
Head of Upper School & Strategic Lead,
Regenerative Education
Green School Bali

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QUICK OVERVIEW

  • Workshop format:

    • Full-day, interactive, in-person workshop

    • Shorter half-day and 120-minute versions are available

    Target age groups:

    • High school students, Grades 9 - 12

    • University Students, Art School students

    Group size:

    • Full-day workshop: up to 50 students

    • Half-day and 120-minute groups can be larger (≤500 students)

    Aligned with local and international curriculums

  • > An understanding of storytelling fundamentals across animation, games, and digital media, and a deeper appreciation for the transformative power of storytelling.

    > Experience exploring sustainability issues aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    > Collaboration, ideation, design, and presentation skills, alongside strengthened creative and critical thinking.

    > Skills and tools to clarify ideas and craft compelling stories that inspire positive real-world action, express personal visions of the future, and reconnect audiences with the natural world.

    > Greater ecological awareness

    > A strong sense of agency, recognising how storytelling can influence personal, community, and global futures, and the confidence to take meaningful action as changemakers and creative thinkers.

  • Participants will come away with*:

    > An original concept for a film, game, app, channel or digital platform;

    > The foundations of a professional pitch deck;

    > A clear action plan for developing and executing their project;

    *applicable to the full-day workshop format only.

  • Combining exploration, imagination, and practice across animation, games, and digital media within a planetary framework, Animated For Impact sits at the intersection of arts, storytelling, digital creative skills, futures thinking, and climate and nature education, bringing these disciplines together to create an experience that is not only unique, but will leave an impression on participants for years to come.

  • > As part of sustainability or environmental programming, including Earth Day, World Environment Day, World Oceans Day, and related global awareness events;

    > Within Media or Arts enrichment courses;

    > As a Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) project.

  • This workshop is designed to be adaptable across local and international curriculum frameworks, supporting schools with diverse academic pathways.

    International Baccalaureate (IB) Alignment
    > MYP & DP: Globalization and Sustainability
    > Subject Areas: Design, Visual Arts
    > Core Components: Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS)
    > IB Learner Profile: Inquirers, Communicators, Thinkers, Reflective

    Cambridge International Alignment
    > Cambridge Global Perspectives
    > Cambridge Learner Attributes: Confident, Responsible, Reflective, Innovative

    21st Century Skills Development
    > Communication
    > Critical Thinking
    > Creativity
    > Collaboration

  • IteParticipants receive post-course activities, reference media, and practical resources to continue their creative journey:

    > Post-Course Activities & Homework
    Structured exercises students can continue at home or in class to reinforce workshop concepts.

    > Reference Media & Resources
    Curated links to films, games, animations, articles, or books that illustrate key storytelling principles.

    > Lesson Plans or Activity Templates
    Ready-to-use frameworks for adapting workshop exercises into classroom lessons.

    > Visualisation Tools
    Guides or templates for developing story ideas, characters, or visual projects.

    > Reflection & Discussion Guides
    Prompts and questions to facilitate class conversations around creativity, ethics, and social impact.

    > Collaboration & Peer Feedback Guidelines
    
Tips for encouraging teamwork, constructive critique, and community-building in storytelling projects.

    > Assessment Checklists

    Simple frameworks to evaluate student progress and engagement with storytelling skills.

  • Everyone. Animation, gaming, and digital media are universal languages of storytelling and Animated For Impact has been delivered at international festivals, high schools, and higher education institutions, engaging diverse audiences around the world.

  • Absolutely. The course is designed to inspire creativity and develop practical storytelling skills for participants at all experience levels.

  • The course is suitable for high school and higher education students, as well as lifelong learners interested in storytelling through digital media.

  • No prior animation or design skills are required. The program is designed for beginners and experienced learners alike.

  • No. The course introduces key concepts and techniques from scratch.

  • No. Animated For Impact is not a technical or career-training programme. Instead, it uses animation, gaming, and digital media as creative frameworks to help students explore, imagine, and articulate alternative future narratives. The workshop focuses on storytelling, imagination, and agency, rather than on industry skills or pathways.

  • No, Animated For Impact explores animation and digital media as vehicles for storytelling, imagination, and future-focused thinking, rather than teaching specific technologies or techniques.

  • The workshop uses accessible tools and software, with options for both digital and analog creative exercises.

  • Both. Participants have opportunities for individual creativity as well as collaboration.

  • Animated For Impact can be delivered as a full-day workshop, or a half-day interactive learning session.  In some cases, high-impact 90–120-minute sessions are also possible. The shorter sessions combine media showcase, professional insights, interactive exercises and guided discussions.  The full-day workshop introduces hands-on project work.

  • No videotaping or recording of this workshop is permitted, even if only intended for future private use of the host organisation. Attendees should be advised not to record the class on their mobile phones.

  • Pricing varies based on format, duration, and class size.  Schedule a call via the Contact page, or email us at hello@rancollectives.com for more information.

    • Animate: to give life, movement or energy

    • Animation: a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images

    • Animism: The belief that life or spirit exists in all things. The attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena

    • Animare (Latin): “to give life”

    • Anima: the vital force that gives something life, its life principle or soul

MORNING (≈180 minutes)

The workshop opens with a dynamic session establishing context, featuring interactive activities, case studies from film, animation, games, and digital media - including examples of successful student projects - and guided discussion.

This session provides an engaging introduction to key concepts, presenting fresh, accessible ideas through media examples that will engage and excite students.

Themes & Topics include:
> Our relationship with nature
> How stories and media shape how we think
> How animation and games can inspire action
> Imagining positive futures

AFTERNOON (≈180 mins):

The second session invites students to get creative, exploring the stories they want to tell for nature, the planet, and people.

Participants will reflect on how their story connects to their own experiences, how they fit into it, and how it can inspire others to believe in a positive future or take action. They will also consider the characters involved: who they are and what defines them, including traits, voice, behaviours and physical characteristics.

Students will then visualise their project, choosing the medium, be it film, game, a social media channel, or another format, and explore visual ideas through moodboards, collages, and other media.

By the end of the workshop, they will leave not only with ideas but also an actionable plan and roadmap for beginning their journey in impactful storytelling, considering the tools, support, and concrete steps needed to start bringing their story to life today.

“Animated For Impact sparked ideas and raised awareness around climate and biodiversity conservation in a variety of ways, and showed how animation and digital media is a powerful tool for raising awareness, especially among young people.  In Thailand, environmental campaigns are mainly on-the-ground, and it can be hard to find animation or creative filmmaking that teaches about these issues. [Animated For Impact] challenges how we currently communicate and explores how we can combine media, to not simply present news, but harness creativity, animation or digital elements to make it even more engaging.”

— Nunnapus “Nan” Pongwitoon
Co-coordinator, Global Youth Biodiversity Network Thailand
Thailand delegation to COP30

“Animated For Impact was a hugely inspiring and important experience that hits you with a double whammy: a beautifully curated programme that land both emotionally and intellectually, and a genuine sense of connection with like-minded people working to make a positive impact in the world. It’s rare to find an experience that brings creativity, and community together so naturally.  Yanyie and Chris have delivered something special. Their focus on making real-world impact truly shines through, and I’m excited to see Animated For Impact go from strength to strength, inspiring and empowering even more people to make a difference.”

— Russell Harvey
Digital Lead (New Supporters & Fundraising)
Greenpeace International

“We must find creative ways to embed difficult conversations into the fabric of our cultures, and this is what animation can help us do. It has to power to make us yearn for a better world as it can show us a new vision. It can confront us with the most heartbreaking tragedies but do so in a gentle way that allows us to deeply think about it, and it can make us laugh even when the situation feels dire. Animated For Impact shows us how to use animation, and storytelling more broadly, to creatively discuss the challenges of today's world. The program is carefully curated and every element delivers, making for both an incredibly entertaining and educational experience! Bring in the hilarious and heartfelt hosts, Chris and Yanyie, and you've got yourself something truly special.”

— Jorik Dozy
Co-founder & Creative Director
Studio Birthplace