EPSON
'Never run out of ink'
When Epson partnered with the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, to be their new brand ambassador, advertising agency Weber-Shandwick approached us to create a heart-warming tale of Usain’s biggest fan.
The animated film was featured across Epson’s social media channels in more than 15 markets around the globe. It was perfectly timed to add another feel-good layer to the holiday spirit during the 2021’s Christmas season.
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Character Design
During the height of 2021’s travel restrictions, it was impossible to organize a video shoot, so all eyes were turned to animation as a way to tell these compelling stories. We knew that having a celebrity as the main protagonist meant developing a recognizable character design with a delicate balance between reality and stylization. Of course, the first thing we started playing with was Usain Bolt’s iconic winning pose.
Scene Development
Since the product Epson was advertising was one of the best ink-jet printers on the market, we wanted to adopt a rich colour scheme with high contrast and detail. To make it as cinematic as possible, we staged the shots in a way a cinematographer would do on an actual film set. We used digital equivalents of prime camera lenses and made sure we employed realistic shot compositions and camera movements.
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Styleframes
Animation & Compositing
With over 40 shots containing multiple characters, animation was no easy task. We created detailed character studies and captured them from every angle needed, including a list of facial expressions and a body language library. Most shots were animated using a frame by frame posing technique, evoking a feeling of classic cel-animation.
When it comes to compositing, we wanted to achieve a rich cinematic look. We tried to simulate anamorphic film lens effects like depth of field and chromatic aberration, and we applied plenty of textures and atmospheric light effects to capture the story’s warmth.
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Credits
Client: Epson
Agency: Weber Shandwick
Production Studio: We Are Alive
Creative Director: Aleksandar Sandorov
Producer: Joseph Pritchard
Art Director: Lorena Castro Pinto
Illustration: Lorena Castro Pinto, Kristian Duffy, Karna Mukhia, Jelena Vasiljevic
Animation: Aditya Puranik, John Melo, Neil Ingle-Lai, Essam Hawas
Editing & Compositing: Aleksandar Sandorov
Original Music and Sfx: Tom Kavanagh
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