Interactive Rive Animation
Turning a Linear Video into an Interactive Experience
How do you transform a pre‑existing animated campaign into something the audience can play? After re‑creating the “Pause to Prevent” video for the University of Toronto, I wanted to push it further. My goal with this personal project was to learn Rive, a platform I believe represents the future of motion design, and to prove that motion can go beyond passive viewing. Instead of a conventional video, I envisioned an interactive mini‑game where users could control the character’s actions while the environment responded dynamically.
The Creative Solution
Future‑Forward Motion Design with Rive
By harnessing Rive’s interactive capabilities, I created a hybrid between animation and game. The project showcases how motion designers can build interactive experiences without writing extensive code. Rive’s lightweight runtime keeps everything smooth on web and mobile, allowing the scene to react in real time to user input. This experiment not only honours the retro aesthetic of the University’s campaign but also positions motion design as a medium that encourages participation rather than passive viewing.
The Execution
Interactive Animation, Game Logic & Parallax Design
While experimenting with Rive, I took on every step of the production process, including:
Interactive Animation: Re-animated the character using Rive’s state machine so walking, jumping and idle states respond smoothly to user input.
Game Logic: Built simple click/tap controls for movement and jumping, with clean state transitions to keep everything intuitive.
Parallax Backgrounds: Re-created the 8-bit environment in layered scenes that move at different speeds for a dynamic side-scrolling effect.
UI & Feedback: Added small interactive touches like prompts and counters to keep the experience engaging and cohesive.
The Outcome
A Playable Demo that Blends Education and Fun
The final piece invites visitors to click, walk and jump through the familiar cityscape from the “Pause to Prevent” campaign. By turning the campaign into a playable demo, the message becomes more memorable and the medium more engaging. More importantly, this project demonstrates my commitment to learning cutting‑edge tools, my ability to translate linear narratives into interactive experiences, and my belief that motion design’s next evolution lies in interactivity.
