Hi guys! It's just dawned on my how much I've yet to post up on here. Mostly due to either being too busy + a little forgetful. So over the next week or two, I'll be making a huge attempt to play catch up with it all... I promise! In fact, here's something to kick things off...
SPIRIVA 'HANDIHALER' VIDEO 03 "Diaphragmatic Breathing" from
Max on
Vimeo.
Back in the middle of 2011, I directed (at my then representative studio,
th1ng) a series of 8 instructional videos designed for those suffering from COPD (a respiratory disease), which explained how to use a new medicinal product called the handihaler... In short, the brief was to design a character which would be the mascot/ narrator of the videos... a sort of coach/ drill sergeant.
The next three images are initial designs I knocked up as a first round... I wanted to capture a lot of
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| Fig 01: My fave here was the guy up top pointing & blowing a whistle... |
charm & personality in the character... I'm a
huge appreciator of
Zagreb Film &
UPA's works (who isn't?), so any opportunity I get to experiment with that style, look & technique of animation, I jump right on it! Since this spot was for an instructional video, it was a perfect opportunity... Here's one of my favourites from
Zagreb, & another from
UPA.
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| Fig: 02 |
This particular version here, the clients asked for a look similar to a previous
commercial I had co-directed... (Thankfully they didn't go with them)
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| Fig: 03 |
At this stage, the clients had now suggested if somehow I could create a character out of
the actual product itself... I hated the idea, as I felt it'd be too cheesy & could easily see what should have been a "charming" character, turn into one of those stereotypically, over-excited product mascots you just wanna punch repeatedly in the face!
Again, thankfully they didn't go with it, but I did like the one on the right... The visual of his entire head rapidly opening & closing (hinged on one side) as he'd speak had me cracking up inside.
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| Fig 04: Colour variations |
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| Fig: 05 |
Here's the one they went with in the end, which thankfully was the one I was rooting for... He was now named, "Coach Chester" :)
They liked this version with the grey top & blue track-pants, so did a very quick page of poses to give the clients an idea of funny actions he could do.
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| Fig: 06 |
Clients now asked for him to lose a bit of weight, as they felt he was a little too on the plumpy-side to be a coach... (should've see the gym teacher I had back in school)... They selected #1.
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| Fig: 07 |
Based on their brand colours, I then generated a few variations for Chester's outfit.
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| Fig: 08 |
... And finally, here's the character turn-around I knocked up from the client's chosen colours... Most animated TV show characters in the 1950's had a thick-stoke outline; this gave more weight to the characters, & really helped 'pop' them from the backgrounds.
-M-
Those who know me well will know I'm an Original Series man, so naturally, that's where I went.
I was recently invited by 'Animation Insider' to do an interview. Just wrapped it up lastnight, so should be up on the site next couple of days! Will let you all know once it is, but in the meantime, do go check out some of the other great artist interviews ;)
Here's a bit of artwork I did last year which contributed towards a pitch for something for HBO... I don't think it was used though, so hopefully no one will come after me. Can't say too much about it, but if I had time, & it was part of the brief, I'd have loved to have added some typographic treatment to this.
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I have very few left now, so if you're interested in grabbing one or two, head over to this link to see high quality pics of the actual prints, & drop me a private message there with your order ;)
