The interactive animations have combined conservation, storytelling and outdoor play to help local communities discover the remarkable wildlife living in their nearby rivers and streams. The QR codes have been scanned over 1,000 times and, as well as featuring on the trails, the films are being used across the Trust’s social media channels which have received over 2,000 views.
Wildlife trail animations
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust is one of 46 wildlife trusts, all standing up for the natural world. They're the nation’s most active and influential nature conservation partnership, protecting wildlife in the UK, Isle of Man and Alderney.
The Trust wanted to create a series of twelve animated films to bring the wildlife of England’s rare chalk streams to life through interactive walking trails. Along the routes, visitors can scan QR codes on trail markers to open informative animations on their phones, creating an engaging educational experience that connects audiences with the landscape around them.
How we helped
Our role was to develop a distinctive visual identity for the films that balanced scientific accuracy with rich, engaging animation. Using bold yet natural colour palettes, tactile environmental textures, and styling inspired by the client’s brand guidelines, we created a look that feels both playful and authentic. We liaised with our clients throughout the initial design stages to ensure that each animal’s look was scientifically accurate, then went on to produce fully artworked storyboards to the approved visual style.
We then animated and soundtracked each film, paying special attention to each animal’s unique movements and characters, helping the films not only capture attention aesthetically, but also deepen understanding, appreciation, and support for chalk stream ecosystems and the conservation work surrounding them.
We also designed a printed A4 board to be displayed at the start of the trail, welcoming walkers and explaining how to scan the QR codes.
Stand out visuals that are both bold and natural
One of the defining elements of the project was the development of a bold but natural visual style that could engage audiences while remaining authentic to the chalk stream environment.
The colours we used, while still natural, are bold and vibrant. We mixed these bold colours with natural, real-life photographic textures, resulting in a bright, collage-style look that feels both exciting and real. We mixed this with a cleaner, vector-style look for the animals themselves, helping them stand out against the backgrounds and remain the centre of each film, achieving a balance between a modern, playful aesthetic and an authentic natural setting.
The impact
1,000+
Number of times QR codes have been scanned.
It has been a pleasure working with Millstream Productions. The animations are even better than I expected and I'm so pleased with them!
Kira Fuller
Communications Officer
