graphics and live action,” says Ingi Erlingsson,
Golden Wolf ’s founder and executive creative
director. “It’s a trend that we’ve been seeing a
lot in live action recently, so it was cool to get
to apply it to animation.”MULTIPLE PLATFORMS
Every project also tends to have social
media deliverables attached, which can be
challenging but also a rewarding process, as it
makes the work much easier to promote. “We
tend to approach all new projects and pitches
with that component in mind,” says Ingi.
With a lot of the work living online it’s
easier for a brand to opt for something
animated, reveals Sue. “There are definitely
more animation projects coming through
from areas that would have traditionally
been purely static.” Jelly directors Niceshit
recently created a full rebrand campaign for
Ketel One vodka, based on the idea of doodles
on a cocktail napkin that had spontaneously
sprung to life.
Creating a cast of interesting characters and
personalities in a charming hand-drawn style
to send the message that everyone is welcome
in the Ketel One universe, the ad was featured
in print, on TV, online and OOH (out-of-home
advertising). “Niceshit pushed the boundaries
with the characters’ movement style and their
range of expressions, adding playful charm to
the finished ads,” says Sue.
In a commercial context there’s a huge
and ever-increasing market for moving image
content on every platform and website, and
there’s a growing demand for this style ofmore naive, hand-drawn animation. It’s an
exciting time for directors like Anna who says,
“Companies and clients want something that
looks less polished, in which there’s evidence
of the human hand as there is a need for this
warmth in such a digital age.”
Communications are always going to be
closely tied to what’s happening in the world,
so it’s unsurprising that there’s also been a
shift in the mood of content being created.
“The issues happening around the world
from politics, to climate, health and more
have influenced the visual narrative style,”
says Flutter Films executive producer Li Liang
Johnson. “This is manifesting in many ways,
such as tactile/human styles and minimal
looks – all depending on the stance each
storyteller is taking.”
Based in Melbourne, Australia, Flutter
Films is the animation wing of The Jacky
Winter Group, a leading illustration agency,
gallery and artist residency. With over 100
artists who all have a unique voice and style,
combined with the expertise of our animation
team, Flutter provides a unique offering for
the industry with a focus on the quality of the
artwork leading the style of animation, rather
than the particular style of a director, to stand
out from the rest, explains Li.
“Working with Flutter allows clients to
work with any artist in any style, even if the
artist’s animation experience might be limited- brought to life with the full ‘wow’ factor
you’d expect from a full-service production
house. There are many things animation can
do visually and emotionally that stand apart
EMOTIVE ANIMATION
TAPPING INTO A VIEWER’S FEELINGS
THROUGH EXPRESSIVE MOVING VISUALS...
Experimental animation is increasingly
popular, and self-initiated work can
provide fertile ground for illustrators to
explore ideas, push the boundaries and
indulge in more expressive narratives,
seducing the viewer with a momentary
escape from the real world.
London-based illustrator Shan Jiang’s
artwork is one such example. Strongly
influenced by his Chinese roots, his
fantastical and detailed illustrations are
a burst of colour and energy, packed with
bewitching narratives and psychedelic,
dream-like environments.
Represented by Australian agency
Jacky Winter, he was one of 12 artists
enlisted to work on the agency’s self-
initiated project Flutterscopes. It was
inspired by the idea of demystifying the
zodiac, and each artist was assigned
their own sign to interpret in their own
unique way. Shan applied his expressive,
contemporary art style to Pisces.
The short film received a particularly
strong response due to its craft and
tactile nature, says executive producer
Li Liang Johnson. Bringing their complex
personality and their “otherworldly
capacity for emotion” to life by using
a combination of techniques, Shan’s
dream-like, imaginative art work evokes a
sense of spiritual calm, taking the viewer
inside the mind of Pisces.
Cell animation was used to bring the
tactile movement to Shan’s artwork,
as well as help from a model who was
willing to be filmed as reference. “3D
animation was used to bring a dramatic
switch from the surface to the depths
of the water, and 2D animation for other
subtle movements,” explains Li. “I don’t
know if it’s fair to say that showing
emotion is a trend, as I do believe showing
vulnerability and sharing your humanity
can never go out of style.”
REPORT