files/pictures/picture-35.jpgPress Release from Aardman Animations
Aardman Animations have broken a Guinness World Record for Smallest stop-motion animation character in a film, with their new short film: "Dot." Shot entirely on the new Nokia N8, the "Dot" film showcases the smartphone's 12-megapixel photography capabilities and also celebrates the CellScope, an invention created by Professor Daniel Fletcher. The CellScope is a microscopic device attached to a Nokia handset, which the Professor used to produce life-saving technology: with his invention he has helped diagnose fatal diseases in remote areas of third world countries.
As part of the upcoming campaign to bring these types of amazing, authentic uses of technology to life, Nokia¹s agency W+K briefed Aardman to create a microscopic animation. The brief immediately inspired one of Aardman¹s youngest creative teams Sumo Science directors Will Studd and Ed Patterson. Heather Wright, Executive Producer on the project and Head of Aardman¹s Commercials and Branded Content department was delighted with the challenge!
"The Nokia job is totally unique, one of those rare instances when the idea and execution are totally inter-dependent. It¹s very cool, challenging and very exciting for the studio," says Wright.
The film features Dot, a tiny 9mm girl who wakes up in a magical, magnified world to discover her surroundings are caving in around her. She escapes the encroaching wave of destruction as her world unravels via a path made up of tiny, familiar objects such as coins, pins, pencil shavings, nuts and bolts, until she finds peace by knitting herself a blanket from the very matter that pursues her. The tiny film has set a new world record for the smallest stop-motion animated character in a film.
W+K Creatives Mark McCall and Richard Dorey said, "Achieving our goal of setting a world record with a Nokia N8 is the perfect celebration of the campaign¹s core message its not technology, its what you do with it."
To create "Dot," Aardman¹s in-house production technology engineer, Lew Gardiner worked alongside the Physics Department at the University of Bristol to create their own CellScope production camera. Aardman used innovative Rapid Prototyping 3D printing technology that uses a computer-generated model of an object or character and then prints it in full 3D using a plastic resin material. The entire set was no more than a metre and a half long, all elements of which were used to help sell the scale of the project to the viewer.
The film was painted under a microscope by expert modelmakers and animated using tweezers; "It became a real test of working at such a small scale, and in having the patience to push on through until the end," said Aardman director Ed Patterson. "The final film has come out better than we could have hoped for. It was great collaborating with Wieden + Kennedy and to gel so well creatively. The Nokia N8 stood up to the challenge and produced some outstanding images."
Watch a making of doc at
http://vimeo.com/15032225 .
About Aardman
Aardman, based in Bristol (UK) co-founded and run by Peter Lord and David Sproxton, is a world leader in animation. It produces feature films, television series and television commercials for both the domestic and international market. The studio has won over 400 international awards including 4 Oscars.
Aardman's multi-award winning productions are novel, entertaining, brilliantly characterised and full of charm that reflects the unique talent, energy and personal commitment of the very special people who make up the Aardman team. The studio's work is often imitated and yet the company continues to lead the field producing a rare brand of visually stunning and amusing independent and commercial productions.
www.aardman.com
www.youtube.com/aardmancommercials
www.twitter.com/aardmanads
About Wieden + Kennedy London
Wieden + Kennedy London is part of the independent Wieden + Kennedy
worldwide network. International clients include Nike, Coca-Cola, Levi¹s and
Delta. UK clients include Honda, Arla Foods, The Guardian and Visit Wales.
www.wklondon.com
Client: Nokia
Client Name & Job Title:
Russell Anderson, Senior Marketing Manager, Creative Marketing
Daniel Goodall, Senior Marketing Manager, Creative Marketing
Product:
Nokia N8
Title:
"Dot"
Length:
97 seconds
Agency:
Creative Directors:
Tony Davidson
Kim Papworth
Scott Dungate
Creatives:
Mark McCall
Richard Dorey
Producer:
Lucy Russell & Lucie Georgeson
Account Director:
Natasha Markley
Production:
Production Company:
Aardman Animations Ltd
Director:
Sumo Science
Producer:
Laura Pepper & Jason Bartholomew
Executive Producer
Heather Wright
Production Assistants:
Scott Metcalf, Nick Miller & Louise Johnson
Director Of Photography:
Mark Chamberlain
Post Production:
Post production facility:
Aardman Animations Ltd
Lead Flame Artist
Will Studd
Assist Flame:
Fincher Trist
Edit Facility:
Aardman Animations Ltd
Editor:
Nikk Fielden
Sound:
Sound Facility:
Wave Studios London
Sound Designer:
Aaron Reynolds
Music Composer:
Michael Sims
Music Publisher:
Boosey & Hawkes
Music:
"Loves Young Dream"
