New York-based conceptual design, animation and vfx studio SUSPECT recently completed a collaboration with Nicktoons Network on a fully integrated design campaign.
Nicktoons Network, Nickelodeon's 24-hour animation channel, approached SUSPECT to execute the creative for this year's fifth annual Nicktoons Network Animation Festival -- the first and only multiplatform animation festival of its kind, and the largest animation festival in North America.
SUSPECT accepted the challenge of taking responsibility for creating the look, feel, and flavor for a sprawling festival that took place simultaneously on air, online, and on location at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, California. To compound SUSPECT's challenge, the festival was split into two separate days that catered to two distinct audiences: the first day for the professional animation community, "Creator Night," and a second day dedicated to kids and their families on "Kid's Day."
In order to accommodate the diverse and widespread audience, SUSPECT created a dynamic campaign using an L.A./Hollywood theme, complete with five characters that each fit a Southern California prototype: celebrity, director, movie agent, paparazzi and surfer. The end product was a world of fun, tongue-in-cheek humor, and quirky characters.
"The great challenge was to create compelling and appropriate characters that would satisfy the industry folks while also appealing to children," said Hoon Chong, SUSPECT's Creative Director. "Luckily we have an incredible team that is able to create subtle, entertaining design and animation that appeals to a broad demographic."
SUSPECT launched a highly integrated effort to maintain a consistent message across the various mediums of print, Internet, TV, and on-site at the festival. SUSPECT created nearly every visual effect and design animation, a style guide and all accompanying collaterals, and several short, entertaining spots that played during the festival and on Nicktoons Network afterward.
Evidence of SUSPECT's creativity was on display throughout the festival, including ID badges, brochures, letterhead, T-shirts and bags. SUSPECT also created an event package that featured a two-minute looping animated short, unique logo animations, and animated title cards and intros to accompany the presentation of individual awards. This event package played on the main stage for the event's duration.
Watch two spots here and here.
Credits:
Branding/Animation/VFX Company: SUSPECTCreative Director: Hoon ChongLead Designer/Animator: Jean Marco RuestaDesigner/Animator: Frank LeeAnimators: Keng-Ming Liu, Paul Villacis, Nazaria Zahir, Henry Pena, Rex Kim, Joe Perno, Bora LeeExecutive Producer: Robert AppelblattProducer: Stefanie Bassett
Nicktoons NetworkExecutive in Charge of Production: Christina VannDirector of Production, on-air: Laura LundgrenProducer, on-air: Jon McNallyDirector Event Production: Danielle Mannino
