BBC Bitesize Modern Studies

All 15 films will be fully animated, made up of illustrations, archival material and text. The same Scottish voiceover artist will be used throughout the suite for cohesion, accompanied by a lively and engaging soundscape. The films will share a short intro, leading to the episode title, and they will all have the same aesthetic, voiceover artist and tone.

The illustrations have an expressive hand-drawn style that feels light, contemporary, and clean. Each of the four subtopics in the Modern Studies curriculum will have its own distinct colour palette. The colours will be soft, cool tones, that make scenes consistent and clear. The colours will be drawn from the topics themselves, for example, the Scottish democracy series is based on the peachy-orange and purple of the voting ballots, and the welfare state episode will use a pastel version of NHS blue as its basis. This approach will visually identify the films as a suite and be engaging on the Bitesize website. All visuals and text will be within WCAG guidelines to ensure accessibility.

Archival material in the form of images and videos will be mixed with illustration in order to explain concepts further and anchor the films in real life, while also making them dynamic and visually interesting. The archival material will be
sourced from the BBC Archive and third party sources and will be chosen carefully to ensure balance across
political parties and longevity when using images of contemporary people or events.

Sound effects will bring audiences further into the life of the film, matching what we see on screen to what we hear (e.g. chatter in the house of lords) and where appropriate music will help drive the narrative along. Using bold text and images and a clear voiceover will mean these films will come across well on all device types and on social media.

We will be thinking of representation throughout the project. Our visuals will include many different types of bodies and people inclusive of race, genders and abilities, so all audiences see their backgrounds and cultures reflected in the material.