Problem:
Performance and Registration Information Systems Management (or PRISM) is a multi-tiered safety program that supplies Federal data to States on unsafe motor carriers to remove them from our nation’s roadways. However, enrollment numbers were down from the goals set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation, notably in the higher tiers of the program, Enhanced PRISM and Expanded PRISM.
Solution
As part of the Level Up Initiative, FMCSA wanted a video aimed at State Legislatures and the public to raise awareness and encourage States to enroll in Enhanced and Expanded PRISM. A longer version was created first, then FMCSA asked me to make 60-second versions for social media, such as this one for Expanded PRISM.
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The longer version can be viewed on the FMCSA website.
Production Process
Motion graphics animations made using After Effects played a large role in explaining the PRISM tiers. A graphic designer sent vector icons in Adobe Illustrator which I imported into After Effects. ​ Complex animations with many moving parts - such as the USA map with all the states changing colors - can easily get messy and disorganized. To cut down on keyframes, I used expressions to chain keyframes together. 50 States changing color… done in 2 keyframes. See below.
Results
The video became a prominent part of the PRISM Level Up Campaign - the larger video was shown at conferences around the United States throughout 2023 and 2024, while this version released on Facebook and LinkedIn for the public. Since the larger video’s release in August 2023, six States have upgraded to higher tiers - two in Enhanced, and two in Expanded - helping further reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities with large trucks and buses across the nation.
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