Jess Cruickshank and Flutter for Melbourne Racing Club

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When you imagine the races, you probably picture something along the lines of Eliza Doolittle standing among a sea of frills, high fashion, and fancy suits.

Giphy / My Fair Lady (as if you don't already know)

But Melbourne Racing Club wanted to show their audience that racing season can be so, so much more.

To celebrate the upcoming Caulfield Cup, The Royals contacted us to bring Jess Cruickshank and our animation team Flutter onboard for a series of illustrations and animations to be included in an integrated TV and print campaign leading up to Melbourne Racing Club's (MRC) annual event.

To start off, Jess provided The Royals with a number of lockups for the 2016 Caulfield Cup's key message: 'It's Just Not Racing'.

A lockup of the key message for the campaign.

Another lockup option Jess provided.

With that, they kept Jess all to themselves for five whole days, each day having her pen pages upon pages of illustrations referencing the expansive selection of food, culture, style, music and entertainment to be found at a racing event.

A selection of the drawings Jess provided in her days of uninhibited drawing.

We coined this series Jess's 'wallpaper' illustrations since they were designated to adorn MRC's static assets for the campaign.

Not all of this work was used, but Jess created enough for The Royals to form a diverse set of posters combining illustration with photography by Jay Hynes.

The static campaign assets including Jess's typography and illustration.

The static campaign posters featuring Jess's typography and illustration.

The last of her static illustrations was a map of the Caulfield Racecourse to be turned into a map for attendees of the event.

(keep going, the best part is up next!)

The map illustrated by Jess to be numbered and given out at the event.

The main event of this campaign, however, is the 30-second film developed by our talented animation arm Flutter using Jess's illustrations and live-action film.

Flutter partnered with production company //13&Co to shoot the live component of the TVC on location at Caulfield Racecourse in a tunnel leading out to the tracks.

Lighting setup for 'Restaurant Neon Street Signs' Scene.

Down the barrel of the camera with the main talent.

Behind the scenes during the filming with Flutter and 13&Co.

With the live action component filmed, Flutter set Jess to work illustrating elements similar to those she illustrated for the print collateral, but to be used exclusively as animated elements in the TVC.

Jess illustrated neon signs, horses (of course), emojis and miscellaneous shapes and squiggles that Flutter then animated onto the live-action production.

A preview of the illustrations by Jess animated by Flutter.

Jess's illustrated emojis.

The squiggles, lines and splotches provided to Flutter by Jess.

Again, not all of Jess's illustrations were used, but her prolific hand provided Flutter with plenty of options to animate into the footage.

The result from Flutter was a perfect cocktail of live-action and illustration, reflecting the atmosphere of edge and entertainment that the Caulfield Cup offers. Want to get in on Flutter's behind-the-scenes action for the final TVC? Check out our Flutter post.

Or simply watch the final result:

The final animation for MRC's 'It's Just Not The Races' campaign.

Full credit list:

Agency: The Royals, Melbourne
Executive Creative Director: Nick Cummins
Managing Partner: Andrew Siwka
Strategy Director: Michaela Futcher
Account Director: Rosie Dawes
Account Manager: Dominica Chodorowski
Senior Art Director: Tim Holmes
Copywriter: Lee Spencer
Art Director: Andrew Grinter
Designer: Dominic Meehan
Agency Producer: Chelsea Nieper
Music: Electric Dreams
Photographer: Jay Hynes

Motion graphics: Flutter
Animation Director: Dom Bartolo
Artist/Illustration: Jess Cruickshank
Designers: Dom Bartolo, Stephen Elliget
2d Animation: Marta Tesoro, Stephen Elliget
3d Animation: Stephen Elliget
Compositing: Stephen Elliget
Animation Producer: SuMei Chia
Integrated Producer: Samantha Raphael

Production: //13&CO
Director: Pete Moore
Producer: Tracy Proposch
Executive Producer: Roy De Giorgio

Film editing: The Butchery / The Refinery
Editor: Johanna Scott
Grading: Martin Greer
Online/Post: Eugene Richards
Post Producer: Freya Maddock

Client: Melbourne Racing Club
Executive Director, Marketing & Membership: Jason Shugg
Brand Communications Manager: Michelle Lang
Marketing Coordinator: Rachel Kimber