There’s a special emotional bond between people and animals. Think about that dog or cat you love(d) – they are always there for you. It’s really no different with horses. But, unlike dogs and cats, horses often move on to other homes due to costs or life circumstances, meaning that the kids who grow up with them often have to say goodbye at some point.
In this short film titled April & Dixie–created by The Martin Agency for client Purina Mills–the bond between a girl and her horse is captured, with a reminder that an equine friend from one’s past may still be out there.
This short launches Purina’s FindYourOldFriend.com, a site which offers a potential way to reconnect. Through Purina’s social channels and hundreds of regional Facebook ads, horses and their previous owners could be brought back together to tell true stories of their reunions.
Terry Rayment of production company Eskimo directed April & Dixie, which was complemented by the song "Rest Get Here" sung by Sharon Irving, with sound design from Bob Arno of Rainmaker.
CreditsClient Purina Mills Agency The Martin Agency Karen Costello, chief creative officer; Jerry Hoak, EVP, executive creative director; Steve Sage, VP, creative director; Alex Herwig, sr. art director; Brandon Willingham, sr. copywriter; Pamela Mahan, VP, executive producer; Coleman Sweeney, content producer. Production Eskimo Terry Rayment, director; Rina Yang, DP; Jeff Tannebring, producer; Kristofer Barton, Gianfilippo Pedrotti, exec producers; Scott Hanson, editor. Finishing/VFX The Mill New York Chris Kiser, exec producer; Zach Fortin, producer; Nicholas Metcalf, colorist; Anne Trotman, 2D lead; Dhruv Shankar, Burtis Scott, compositors. Music “Rest Get Here” Sharon Irving, singer; Tracy Stingley, producer. Sound Design & Audio Post Rainmaker Bob Arno, sound designer/engineer.
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