Courtesy of Gentleman Scholar: "Imaginary Friend Society holds a very special place in our hearts because it uses comforting narration and lovable characters to guide kids and families through the challenging world of pediatric cancer treatment. We endeavored to craft a captivating, all-encompassing world that would act as the nexus for a series of animated explanatory videos created by other studios. We designed dozens of characters to embody the distinctive characteristics of their mixed media execution. These characters, who live together in the world of the Imaginary Friend Society, lead viewers through an unfolding narrative that takes them from one expansive stylized environment to another. The characters and mediums blend together seamlessly to create a mesmerizing synthesis of styles. We hope that this world becomes an informative, comforting and interactive tool that will provide some comfort to kids and families dealing with this life-threatening condition."
Spot Name: "Welcome to the Imaginary Friend Society"
Running Time: 2:46
Main Tools: Autodesk Maya for modeling; The Foundry's Nuke software for compositing; Adobes After Effects for finishing; Redshift for rendering.
Debut Date: Sep. 24, 2017
Client: The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
Agency: RPA
Design and Animation Company: Gentleman Scholar
Directors: William Campbell & Will Johnson
Executive Producer: Jo Arghiris
Head of Production: Rachel Kaminek
Associate Creative Director: Michael Tavarez
CG Supervisor: Tim Hayward
Senior Producer: Tyler Locke
Lead Designer: Hana Eunjin Yean
Designers: Cristina Barna, Ana Chang, Leah Evans, Trish Janovic, Jina Kwon, Christina Liang, John Patrick Rooney
Cel Animator: Danni Fisher-Shin
Model/Texture Artists: Allan Bernardo, Michael Dupree, Jamie Ohara, Yas Koyama, Travis Mangaoang, Chris Russo
Lead Animator: James Lane
3D Animators: Eric Molina, Sarah Wolfe
Lighters: Paul Hargrave, Robin Kim
Hair/Fur: Adnan Hussain
Compositor: Kevin Njoo
Storyboards: Bryan Deloach
Sound Design and Music: Jeremy Turner
Special Thanks for Donations:
Bryan Deloach
Michael Dupree
Blue Pencil Concept
Redshift Rendering Technologies
The Undeniable Voice of Art
Creative Growth, the first organization dedicated to supporting artists with developmental disabilities, has teamed up with creative marketing company, John McNeil Studio to unveil its new brand. Representing 50 years of elevating the work of artists with disabilities within the arts community, Creative Growth’s new brand campaign includes a new identity and logo, new positioning, brand film and a redefined strategy centering on the ‘undeniable voice of art.’ Creative Growth’s evolved brand is at the forefront of a shift towards art that stands for the inherent reveal — the power of artistic expression to bring understanding and connection to us all. The brand’s new expression includes unobtrusive color and design choices that purposely don’t compete with the voice of the artist and instead, serve as a container for the art to have a voice of its own. Executive Creative Director, Gerald Lewis of John McNeil Studio explains “We needed to create a powerful, distinctive voice for the brand. But, it couldn’t compete with the voice of the artists because in the end, the art has to speak. It had to be simple, honest and genuine, in line with the mission of Creative Growth. Artists will spend 30 years making work, honing their craft and following their voice inside this space. We wanted to celebrate that. So, while the mark, the brand, is simple and honest, it’s also expansive and energetic.” Kicking off the new brand campaign is a short film capturing the voice of artist William Scott as he walks through downtown Oakland and enters... Read More