The Venus
Fly Trap
A BITE SIZED FIELD GUIDE TO A BUGS WORST NIGHTMARE.
THE CHALLENGE
Botanical science can feel dry and clinical—missing the sheer horror of being eaten alive by a leaf. The goal was to translate the complex 3-step biological process of the Venus Fly Trap (attract, trap, digest) into a snappy 60-second animated story.
RESEARCH & DESIGN
Research started with digging into how these plants actually work; who knew Venus flytraps rely on natural wildfires to survive? Then it quickly shifted into figuring out how the heck to animate one. To bring the story to life, I built a custom vector system in Illustrator and keyframed every movement in After Effects, while tactile audio effects were layered underneath to give flat 2D vector graphics real weight, personality, and bite.
Botanical science can feel dry and clinical—missing the sheer horror of being eaten alive by a leaf. The goal was to translate the complex 3-step biological process of the Venus Fly Trap (attract, trap, digest) into a snappy 60-second animated story.
RESEARCH & DESIGN
Research started with digging into how these plants actually work; who knew Venus flytraps rely on natural wildfires to survive? Then it quickly shifted into figuring out how the heck to animate one. To bring the story to life, I built a custom vector system in Illustrator and keyframed every movement in After Effects, while tactile audio effects were layered underneath to give flat 2D vector graphics real weight, personality, and bite.
THE CONCEPT & AUDIENCE
"Fly’s-Eye View." Have you ever wondered what it feels like to make a fatal insect mistake? This explainer frames the plant as equal parts passive garden flora and active hunter. Designed for biology students and curious viewers who like their science with a side of humor.
THE TAKEAWAY
Working on a strict five-week deadline forced me to master multi-layered asset rigging, learning how to structure Illustrator files cleanly so each component could be isolated, eased, and animated smoothly.
"Fly’s-Eye View." Have you ever wondered what it feels like to make a fatal insect mistake? This explainer frames the plant as equal parts passive garden flora and active hunter. Designed for biology students and curious viewers who like their science with a side of humor.
THE TAKEAWAY
Working on a strict five-week deadline forced me to master multi-layered asset rigging, learning how to structure Illustrator files cleanly so each component could be isolated, eased, and animated smoothly.
PROCESS