Directed by Solomon Burbridge and Joshua Cox of Design Lab, this hybrid live action/CG commercial titled “Not Too Sweet” for Oreo Thins out of FCB Shanghai shows a stylish girl exploring a lightly surreal town where everything she comes across is sweet but not too sweet. Produced for the Chinese market, the spot focuses on modern art direction, color theory and editorial style. The tone throughout is sophisticated and whimsical, but with an edge.
“The environments and set pieces have a deliberate balance between realistic and graphic. This gives the commercial its unique look,” said Burbridge.
Solomon Burbridge, Co-Director of Design Lab
“Color was also very important to us on this project. The warm pink tones of the first half of the spot are in direct contrast to the blues and greens of the second half which helps guide the story,” added Cox.
CreditsClient Oreo Thins Agency FCB Shanghai Production Tribe/Bent Design Lab Derrick Huang, exec producer; Paul Diener, producer. Production Design Lab Solomon Burbridge, Joshua Cox, directors/design; Stef Kofman, lead TD; Galen Beals, Josh Look, 3D animation; Sarah DeFlaminis, Patrick Coan, Joshua Cox, 3D lighting artists; Stef Kofman, Patrick Coan, VFX; Paul DeSilva, lead composite; Orland Nutt, composite.
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