What Makes a Winning Video? A Judge's Review of Visualise Your Thesis 2025

I've been following Visualise Your Thesis for years, but this year I had the privilege of judging it for the first time. I was so impressed by the quality of the contestants' videos and the sheer creativity on show. From hand-drawn stop-motion to playful AI music, each entry brought something genuinely fresh to the table. What struck me most is how great storytelling and smart visual choices can often beat big budgets. Below, I share my notes on what made the 2025 winners click, along with some practical insights you can apply to your own video abstracts.

Who knows? You might be a winner next year!

1. First place winner - Development Of A 3D Bioprinted Oral Mucosal Model

Saraswat Basu, University of Queensland

Why it works

What impressed me most about this entry was how it feels like a one-minute masterclass in pacing and variety. Saraswat blends stop-motion, live action, and 3D so the visuals stay fresh without ever feeling disjointed; each scene earns its cut and advances the story, which is crucial in a 60-second format. Clear, immediately graspable analogies turn an advanced bioprinting model into something a non-specialist brain can picture, while the narration threads the needle between what the problem is, what the PhD contributes, and why anyone should care. No small feat in 60 seconds! The result is a cohesive, engaging explainer that respects attention and rewards it.

If we pushed it even further

• Add subtle on-screen labels or icons so key terms stick for non-specialists.

• Close with a single, explicit impact sentence. Example: “This model could cut animal testing and speed oral drug discovery.”

• Brighten the claymation lighting to lift the darker scenes and make the stop-motion craft feel even more vibrant.

2. Second place - Disbelief, Grief or Relief? Examining the Psychological Impact of a Lipoedema Diagnosis in Australian Women

Sharyn Frantz, Swinburne University

Why it works

In a year with many AI-assisted visuals, I found this entry's hand-drawn, stop-motion style refreshingly human - exactly right for a topic about lived experience and emotion. The opening hook (“Imagine carrying heavy shopping bags everywhere you go…”) creates instant empathy, and the calm, measured voiceover meets the subject with the respect it deserves. Carefully chosen sound effects add emphasis without stealing focus. It all wraps with a tidy, reflective ending that completes the emotional arc and leaves a clear mental model of the research question. The visuals looks simple, but the careful control of pace and emotion makes it stand out.

If we pushed it even further

• Add a one-sentence “research method” moment so viewers know what data will answer the question.

3. Third place - Signs of Change: Designing Hope for Deaf Mental Health

M Tadik Hasan, Monash University

Why it works

What I appreciated most here was the character-first storytelling. By following a person rather than a concept, the video gives viewers an emotional anchor that makes the policy and design points easier to follow. Technically, it’s intentionally simple, but smart choices, like switching from a front-on shot to a silhouette, create visual variety without expensive production. The voiceover is clearly sincere and present, signalling that the researcher cares deeply about the community in focus. The problem statement is set up early and cleanly, which helps audiences understand the stakes before the solution space arrives.

If we pushed it even further

• Reserve a few seconds for “my research contributes by…” with one concrete example or pilot result.

• Use bold, high-contrast captions to support accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences.

  
  

Judge's entertainment pick (honourable mention) - Molecular Dynamics in Gold-Based Nanoglasses: Glass Formation, Synthesis and Properties

Sathiyamoorthy Mathushan, University of Melbourne

Why it's delightful

I have to say, this was the most entertaining video by far. This entry wins on personality: a playful tone delivered with confidence and a cheeky mix of live action with AI-generated elements (like the music) makes it highly watchable. It nails the “edutainment” brief - clever, light, and memorable. The one big limiter is scope clarity: the boundary between the broader field and the specific slice of the PhD isn’t sharply drawn, so the viewer leaves entertained but unsure of the exact research aim. Tightening that one sentence “My PhD tests X to explain Y in Z conditions”- would turn a crowd-pleaser into a podium contender.

7 habits of winning VAs (you can copy today)

1. Open with a concrete hook in the first 3 seconds. A relatable analogy beats a dictionary definition every time.

2. Map the problem to your unique contribution. One sentence for each.

3. Change the shot every 3–5 seconds, but keep transitions purposeful.

4. Use simple, visual metaphors. Sketches, cut paper, or icons are enough.

5. Prioritise audio. A clean, warm voiceover will upgrade even modest visuals.

6. Add captions and on-screen labels. Accessibility helps everyone.

7. Land the plane. Close with impact and next step, not just a logo.

Why competitions like this matter to me

I have a personal connection to video competitions like Visualise Your Thesis. In 2016, I discovered my passion for communicating science through animations by entering a similar competition. My first video won multiple awards, but more importantly, it opened my eyes to something bigger: countless researchers wanted to share their work this way but didn't have the time or know-how to make it happen.

That realisation pushed me to create Animate Your Science. The mission was simple: help researchers tell their stories and have an impact through high-quality animations, either by producing them professionally or by teaching scientists to create their own. Watching this year's VYT entries reminded me why we do what we do: when researchers can share their science visually, the impact reaches far beyond academic circles.

Kudos to the University of Melbourne for running this competition for so many years. Giving researchers a platform to showcase their work visually is invaluable, and competitions like VYT play a crucial role in advancing science communication.

Want to create your own winning video?

If you're inspired to craft your own science video that could compete with this year's standouts, I created the Lights, Camera, Impact online course exactly for that purpose. I condensed all the tricks of the trade I've learned over many years in the business into a comprehensive guide that walks you through every step of video production, from scripting and storyboarding to editing and voiceover, using beginner-friendly tools and proven storytelling techniques.

The Premium package includes a bonus module specifically designed for Visualise Your Thesis entrants, breaking down what judges look for and how to meet all the competition criteria. In fact, the 1st and 2nd place winners of VYT 2024 at James Cook University took this course before entering.

Ready to get started? Explore the course here and see what's possible when you combine your research with solid video craft.