Sallie Mae: Sound Minds
When Sallie Mae reached out to Scholar to create a series of cinemagraphs inspired by Lo-Fi girl, we jumped on the opportunity to let our minds wander. These pieces pair with the Sallie Mae Sound Minds study beats soundtrack on Youtube and Spotify, and follow a student’s brain as they discover worlds anew through both their studies and their imagination. We built a fantastical world that begins within and expands beyond a character’s bedroom, featuring surreal scenes and dreamy wonderlands.
While the character is inspired by the Lo-Fi girl, their appearance was meant to be genderless and identifiable to any Gen-Z student. As with any piece of relevant internet culture, cats and other cute creatures are peppered throughout the design.
Soft shading and a dreamy colorscape added to the chill atmosphere of the final design. We ultimately chose a brain design that utilized soft shading and a cool colorscheme, avoiding a more anatomical look.
Credits.
Design & Animation: Scholar
Role: Art Director
Creative Director: Will Campbell. Managing Director / E.P.: Anne Skopas. Executive Producer: Kate Aspell. Deputy Head of Production: Nakia Cooper. Art Directors: Madison Ellis, Leah Evans. Senior Producer: Andrew Rindlaub. Producer: Mimi Milligan. Designers: Amy Wallace, Leah Evans, Madison Kelly, Karen Han, Nick Nazzaro, Grace Poole. 2D Animators: Alex Bernas, Kiron Robinson, Sam Bachman, Susie Scheer, Dennie Bright. Media Manager: Adrianna McKinley.