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Yukai Du Keeps the Social Sciences Engaging for UCLA

Posted on Thursday, February 26, 2026

Applying her unmistakable combination of vibrancy and texture, London-based illustrator/animation director Yukai Du elevates what could have been a dry and academic branding film for the UCLA College of Social Sciences.

Yukai Du: “This film highlights the incredible range of work UCLA Social Sciences do across climate research, public opinion, AI and disinformation, migration, criminal justice reform, cultural preservation, and more. The biggest challenge was bringing all of these big, complex topics together into a 1.5-minute short film.

“Using animated transitions and continuous movement to flow seamlessly from one subject to the next, the goal was to make it feel like one evolving world rather than fragments of edited clips.”

“We used UCLA’s yellow and blue brand palette to unify the piece. Using animated transitions and continuous movement to flow seamlessly from one subject to the next, the goal was to make it feel like one evolving world rather than fragments of edited clips.

“A particularly special part of the project was the voice over, performed by Dean Abel Valenzuela himself. Having his voice guide the film added a real sense of authenticity and weight to the message.”