TWINS is the latest ant-based spot that Framestore CFC has animated for the Publicis Post Office campaign. The 40-second spot was directed by Simon and Jon for Blink Prods. and debuted on U.K. TV on Sept. 1, 2004. This is the fifth spot in this ongoing series of humorous animations.
The twin ant brothers of the title are racing their trucks around a sunny suburban garden. The inevitable collision is quickly followed by the inevitable recriminations, as the two boys carry out a parody of the sort of exchanges that adults indulge in after a fender-bender. As the situation degenerates to blows and taunts, the twins' father calls them in for tea. They race across the lawn, all differences forgotten.
Lead animator David Hulin and Inferno artist Jonathan Hairman supervised the shoot, which took place in Palma, Majorca in July 2004. Lighting information was gathered using HDR tools. For completion, the spot took three weeks of animation and two weeks of 2D work. Tricky areas for the Framestore CFC team included getting a believable interaction between the ants and their environment, ensuring that the shadows and reflections of the ants on the cars' bonnets and windows were convincing, and the careful composition of the last shot with the ants running through the grass, shot from low down and with a very wide lens.
The 3D team worked in Maya, with proprietary plug-ins, and the compositing was achieved in Inferno. Telecine was created by Steffan Perry.
Credits include: Agency: PublicisArt director: Jackie SteersCopywriter: Ira JosephAgency producer: Sharon Joyce
Production Company: Blink Prods.Director Simon Willows & Jon RicheProducer: Bart Yates
Framestore CFC credits include:Inferno artist: Jonathan Hairman3D animators: Dave Hulin, Kate Hood, Robert Holder, Don Mahmood, Gwilym MorrisLighting and rendering: Laura Dias, Simon StoneyColorist: Steffan PerryPost-producer: Abby Orchard
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
