Press release from CRASH+SUES:

When the Imagination Movers were ready to release Rock-o-Matic, their latest DVD of music videos targeted to children and parents alike, they came to CRASH+SUES (C+S) for an innovate approach to creating music video vignettes that would bring their songs to life. The full-service post production company’s multi-disciplined team took a fresh, collaborative approach to the project, providing a full pallet of editorial, visual effects, stop motion animation, color correction and finishing – as well as some production services – for six of the seven videos featured on the DVD, in addition to cutting all of the interstitials and authoring the disk. 

Imagination Movers is Disney’s Emmy Award-winning eclectic rock band that has been captivating kids of all ages with its fresh approach to pop music. The quartet of singers/performers have sold more than 250,000 CDs and DVDs, and star in their own hit music and comedy series on the Disney Junior network.  This most recent high-energy DVD features music videos linked to fun interstitials that range from live-action comedy bits to “Great Moments in Creativity,” activities and the Catnip and Catnap puppets – taking the general to the next level.

C+S executive producer Sven Shelgren, who helmed the project, recounts, Scott Durbin, one of the four Imagination Movers, called C+S owner Heidi Habben last summer with a question about doing a stop motion animation music video for one of their songs.  He was impressed by the work he had seen on our website, and loved the idea of stop motion as a way to reach and connect with kids in a visually exciting way.”

Initially C+S was tasked with creating a single music video as a promotional piece heralding the launch of The Movers new CD of original songs and their upcoming nationwide tour. However the job ultimately grew into a full 30-minute DVD, that made use of the company’s streamlined pipeline of visual effects, animation, editing, color correction and finishing services for 6 more music videos, along with a series of comedy skits created by and starring the Movers that were interlaced into the DVD, and all of the interstitial skits, graphic design, as well as authoring the DVD. The project also took advantage of CRASH+SUES’ production capabilities, tapping into the veteran executive producer Sven Shelgren’s considerable experience in the live-action production arena.

C+S provided postproduction services for the music videos featured on the DVD, including: “Little Red Wagon,” helmed by animation director Cari Merryman, who incorporated stop-motion animation into a cut-paper environment with traditional cel-style video to create a captivating visual story; “Everybody Sing,” edited by Matthew Kroese; “Remember When,” edited by Eric Riggs; the animated video “Blast Off,” created by animation director Kinsey Engelmann. 

In the video entitled “Thank You,” the Imagination Movers pay tribute to their fans with a compilation of still photos and video footage of the band and their audience, beginning with images from the days when the group was performing at backyard parties, through more recent scenes of the now nationally known band’s US concert, playing to thousands of fans.