As "The Best Work You May Never See" gallery nears the end of its third year, we can report that it remains gratifying to give exposure to creatively worthwhile spots that otherwise might be relegated to relative obscurity. It’s all the more satisfying to see some of that work go on to eventually gain wider-spread recognition.
That’s exactly what happened when the International Animated Film Society (ASIFA-Hollywood) announced its nominees in the TV commercial category for the 28th annual Annie Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in animation (see separate story, p. 7).
Included in the field of five Annie-nominated spots was "Carpool," a cel animation :30 promoting Village Pantry, an Indiana-based chain of convenience stores. Directed by Darrell Van Citters of Renegade Animation, Burbank, for Ron Foth Advertising, Columbus, Ohio, "Carpool" made "The Best Work You May Never See" gallery last year (SHOOT, 10/ 22/99, p. 13).
The commercial depicts your typical Monday-morning commute—but with atypical commuters. The spot opens on a dog resting in a doghouse. A pickup truck pulls up alongside the house. The dog stands up, carrying a briefcase. He hops into the cab of the truck, joining fellow carpoolers: a hog and a rooster. The dog implores the hog to "slide over" and to "stop hogging the seat." Upon seeing an anthropomorphic fuel gauge that lets out a gasp—its pointer resting dangerously close to "E,"—the rooster (who’s driving the truck) says he had better "fill up."
The dog and hog then confess that they, too, are running on empty. A quick stop at a Village Pantry delivers fuel—in the form of gasoline, food and coffee—for all, including a newspaper-reading horse and two sheep that are revealed to be additional passengers in the bed of the truck. After pulling out of the Village Pantry parking lot, the truck is motoring along, the carpoolers are smiling and the sun is shining a little brighter in the orange-yellow sky.
"Carpool" has a highly stylized look reminiscent of the 1950s. Environments are flat and geometric. Colors are drawn from a palette of soft pastels, with extensive use of line work. Much of the background is rendered only in line, or in line over blocks of color. Both characters and objects are painted unnatural colors (e.g.,—a blue dog, a green sky that later becomes orange-yellow). The spot’s off-center playfulness is advanced by the animal characters, which have the demeanor of middle-management wage slaves. The dog’s eyes sag as he yearns for a cup of coffee. The hog sports a sad-looking toupee. The rooster looks as if he’s been in one too many traffic jams. But a quick pit stop at Village Pantry proves to be a panacea for the commuters and their vehicle.
The agency team included creative directors Ron Foth, Jr., and David Henthorne, art director Gene Roy, copywriter Susan Mersch and producer Ted Gordon.
Ashley Postlewaite and Craig Kellman of Renegade served as executive producer and production designer, respectively. Visual effects, including computerized inking and painting services, were provided by Virtual Magic, North Hollywood, with a crew of exec producer Andrea Romero, technical director Scott Rossman and assistant technical director Steve Kindernay.
Audio mixer was Doug Edwards of Platinum Studios, Columbus. Brian Mann of Mann Made Music, Santa Monica, was composer/arranger.
Next month, SHOOT, for the first time, will pick the best of "The Best Work You May Never See," judging from the field of spots chosen thus far in 2000. That rundown will appear in the 11/3 issue.
