News UK’s agency, Pulse Creative, approached Framestore Pictures’ BAFTA-winning director William Bartlett to create a TV ad for The Times and The Sunday Times that plays on the idea that the UK’s House of Commons bears a strong resemblance to a noisy zoo.
Drawing on his extensive experience in VFX supervision and technical know-how when it comes to pre-production problem solving (as well as Framestore’s impressive portfolio of CG animals), Bartlett was perfectly placed to work closely with Pulse Creative’s ECD Robin Garton to develop the treatment for and direct the 40 second film that sees the House of Commons populated not by politicians but by a host of wild animals.
“To have the opportunity to direct a piece for such an iconic brand as The Times is a huge honor,” said Bartlett. “Working collaboratively with Pulse Creative to craft and develop their idea and overcome a host of VFX challenges made this just about my dream job. At the forefront of my mind during the creative process were the questions of ‘what animals can we shoot?’ and ‘what CG animals could we bring into play?’”
To better understand the inner workings of the Commons Chamber, Bartlett went on a tour of the Houses of Parliament in the early stages of pre-production. With the commercial’s edit meticulously mapped out and previsualized, Bartlett tasked Framestore to build the wood-panelled Commons Chamber, complete with speaker’s chair, in 3D using photographic reference material from a number of sources. Building the Commons Chamber entirely in 3D allowed for complete freedom of camera moves and easy reframing of background plates.
Most of the main character animals were filmed by Bartlett and his team using a two camera set up (front on and 45 degrees) with symmetrical lighting. This ingenious arrangement meant that pretty much any moment of performance from the animals could be used in any shot generating huge efficiencies on the shoot while also leaving plenty of options in the edit. The film also features a supporting cast of CG characters created by the Framestore team–all carefully crafted to ensure visual consistency across all featured creatures before being composited along with the live action animals into the various shots.
Framestore’s Design team animated The Times and The Sunday Times’ masthead with its illustrated lion and unicorn–a crucial graphic device at the end of the film that reinforces the creative idea that The Times and The Sunday Times gets to the heart of Parliamentary debate, bringing order to what can often seem like chaos.
CreditsClient News UK/The Times, The Sunday Times Agency Pulse Creative Robin Garton, executive creative director; Betsy Kelly, producer. Production Framestore Pictures William Bartlett, director; Polly DuPlessis, producer; Nick Ellis, art director; Thom Hole, DP. VFX/Animation Framestore London Helen Hughes, exec producer; Josh King, sr. VFX producer; Suzanne Jandu, head of 2D; Christian Baker, lead comp; David Watson, lead CG; Adam Smith, lead modeler and head of modeling. (Toolbox: Nuke, Maya, Substance, Houdini, Arnold Render Engine)
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