circular economy - consultancy
Drawing the line.
Closing the loop.
The Waste Not Spot connects businesses, communities and resources to reduce waste and create positive environmental impact. Their challenge: explaining the shift from a linear to a circular way of working — clearly, in 30 seconds, to an audience unfamiliar with circular economy principles.
30s
Linear to circular economy — explained completely
1
Creative metaphor that carries the entire narrative — pencil lines forming a circle
20
Storyboard frames developed. Narrative approved before full production
the brief
Explaining circularity to people who've only ever known linear.
The Waste Not Spot helps organisations navigate the shift from a linear economy — take, make, dispose — to a circular one, where resources are kept in use, waste is designed out, and natural systems are regenerated. It's a genuinely important transition. It's also a genuinely difficult concept to communicate.
As a growing organisation operating in the circular economy sector, they needed a simple and engaging way to explain a complex offering to new audiences — businesses and communities unfamiliar with the vocabulary, but open to the idea. The animation had to capture both the purpose and the energy of the brand in 30 seconds.
"I had approached Studio Till with a rough idea for a 30-second explainer animation and Chris took it on board straight away and just 'got it.'"
Caitlyn Socwell — Founder, The Waste Not Spot
the creative
The metaphor that made everything else possible.
The core creative challenge was finding a visual metaphor that could carry the linear-to-circular idea without needing to explain it. The solution was in the storyboard from the start: a pencil draws a straight line. More lines appear. They intersect, they cross, they build — and then, together, they form a circle. The TWNS logo appears at the centre, on a Post-it note, as if it had always been there.
The animation doesn't describe the concept. It performs it. The audience watches a linear process transform into a circular one in real time — and they understand circularity not because they've been told about it, but because they've seen it happen.
our approach
01
Discovery workshop
We began with a discovery call to understand TWNS's goals, audience, and key communication challenges — defining the animation's purpose from the outset.
02
Script development
Working closely with the client, we developed a concise script that simplified complex circular economy concepts into an accessible narrative — every second delivering value.
03
Storyboard & animatic
A detailed storyboard and animatic tested narrative, timing and flow — allowing TWNS to review, refine, and approve the creative direction before full production began.
04
Animation & delivery
A vibrant 30-second explainer that captures the spirit of TWNS — a versatile communication tool ready to engage new audiences and explain their services immediately.
pre production
Every frame mapped before a single one was rendered.
The storyboard established pacing, transitions, and key storytelling moments before production began. With the linear-to-circular metaphor agreed at storyboard stage, every subsequent decision had a clear creative anchor to reference.
00:01
VO: Moving from a linear...
Action: Top down on desk, we see a pencil begin to draw
00:05
VO: But you don't have to figure it out alone.
Action: camera wide, the lines form a circle, brand logo in centre
00:11
VO: and regenerate nature
Action: Plants begin to grow, bee and butterfly fly into frame
00:16
VO: for future generations
Action: The earth, framed by clouds
00:18
VO: so your impact continues to grow
Action: the plant grows upwards
00:28
VO: Ready to start your circular transition?
Action: Logo& Call to action appears on screen with underline and circle.
The animation exceeded my expectations and really captures the spirit of TWNS perfectly.
Caitlyn Socwell
Founder, The Waste Not Spot