TBWALondon has teamed with A+C Studios to create a film launching the 2014 Christmas campaign for luxury department store Harrods. Titled “The Land of Make Believe,” the film is running on Harrods website, social media platforms and in-store; it will also run in cinemas throughout the U.K.
Created by TBWALondon, “The Land of Make Believe” tells the story of Peter Pumpernickel, a tiny mouse who wants to help Father Christmas. Created using stop-motion animation, the fairy-tale film captures the magic of Harrods during the festive season and tells the charming story behind the world-famous Harrods Christmas lights.
Peter Souter, chairman of TBWALondon, added, “Winning Harrods has been a fairy tale for TBWA. So it’s kind of appropriate that our first campaign for them is also a fairy tale…well, mouse tale. The animation is a beautiful, nostalgic take on the store’s traditions. The Harrods Christmas displays are a London icon, and this year’s will be more thrilling than ever.”
The spot combines handcrafted and original stop-motion techniques with experimental ideas and design. The sets were made from illustrated artwork, which was then constructed in 3D in the studio. The 2D backgrounds gave the animation a real storybook feel, as if the illustrations had come straight off the pages of the Christmas story. The stop-motion animation process took 28 days to complete before going on to the in-house digital team, who created the visual effects as well as removing rigs and blue screens.
CreditsClient Harrods Agency TBWALondon Jason Fletcher, Marcus Iles, creative directors; Peter Souter, chairman/chief creative officer; Malika Patel, TV producer. Production A+C Studios Dan Richards, director; Liu Batchelor, producer; James Harvey, stop motion; Stuart Clark, head of production, Dayle Sanders, storyboard and animatic; Jim Parkyn, Tiffany Monk, Anne-Sofie Raundahl, Rebecca Smith, Roos Mattaar, model makers. Post A+C Studios, The Mill, Unit Post, London. Audio Post GCRS Miles Kempton Music Platinum Rye Marcus Brooke-Smith, music supervisor. Music Publisher Deep East Music Ltd. Voice Jane Horrocks
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More