How do you make governance research feel alive? That was the challenge with NATURGO, an EU-funded research project exploring how European cities can adapt their water systems to climate change by working with nature instead of against it.

At first glance, the assignment looked straightforward: a short, footage-based promotional video. In reality, it meant turning dense policy language and abstract concepts into something accessible, visual, and motivating. To keep the pace dynamic we worked with twice as many clips as planned, carefully editing rhythm and tone so the story flows. To avoid generic icons, we collaborated with an illustrator whose distinct style added character and texture to the animation, helping abstract ideas feel more tangible.

The result is not flashy advertising: it’s a clear, hopeful piece that helps policymakers, researchers, and city partners explain their work “on the spot,” without needing a long report. Behind the simplicity lies the craft: finding the right balance between technical accuracy and human resonance, and translating complex findings into something people can actually watch, understand, and act on..

Directed by: Gyula Gabor Toth, Illustration/animation: Daniel Szinvai, Post-production: Dénes Fellegi, Script: Gyula Gabor Toth