ICSABB CHARACTER MASCOT (AD CAMPAIGN)
Meet ICSABB --- the new credit card rewards system character mascot for SABB Bank (HSBC Group). I was originally approached by J Walter Thompson (JWT) Worldwide to design what would be one of the first character designs ever for this institution, client and region. It was a very high profile project, and according to JWT Ad Agency, I was selected and sought out based on my toy design and award background, which was very exciting to hear.
After initial concept was signed off by the client/Ad agency, I brought in a modeling partner to handle that creative portion of the project here in the states, before it was sent off to the agency for animation across the globe. Concept design and modeling was accomplished first round... next round was setting up the animation team with a series of production tools that would help launch animation - Expressions, Phenomes and a couple of rough animation walk cycles to establish personality.
Although the character seems simple at first, do not let tht fool you - actually, what you see here only makes up a limited amount of development, design, tests, sketches and more production details that were required by the client and ad agency across a very high amount of conference and Skype meetings and fast deadlines. It was a very intense project by an insanely talented group of creatives. You can see one of the finished commercials here: ICSABB COMMERCIAL
Final 3D model of ICSABB (final 3D model by Shinbone Creative)
CHARACTER DESIGN / C&D / VISUAL DEVELOPMENT & PRODUCTION ART (3D modeling)
Original rough character concepts (thumbnails) pitched to client and ad agency
Final ICSABB design signed off by client
Part of this project had me designing while I was in Japan (for another client) traveling by train from Takayama to Nagoya. I had no actual way to scan any of my production drawings, so I had to take photos (above) with my smart phone with as little distortion as possible for my modeling partner back in the US.
Final production graphic type (vector) to show ease of transition from 3D to 2D (print) for ICSABB
EXPRESSIONS & PHENOMES (RIGGING/ANIMATION)
The ad agency required many specific expressions for ICSABB based on his personality as well as beginning (standard) phenomes: how your mouth is posed depending on pronunciation of letters (used for V.O., voice over)
These are just a small amount of expression detail-sheets (along with phenomes, not shown). You can see from the master sheet above these details, just how many full production turns I had to generate for the ad agency/animation team on the ICSABB project. This part of the project was not typical in my experience with animation studios, and typically riggers or animators will work just fine with a front or 3/4 view. My understanding from the agency was that CG character animation was so new for the agency/client in this region, they wanted to make sure every small detail was called out to be more efficient with time and to streamline production's needs.
*ROUGH WALK CYCLES AND ANIMATION INSPIRATION (RIGGING/ANIMATION)
Below are very rough (inspirational) test animation walk cycles for ICSABB. The animation team requested inspiration, and to get some small idea for timing, and personality on ICSABB. I provided the rough strut (below)and skipping cycles (at bottom). These were actual test clips sent to the agency/client + flattened files to show the main key poses for both
Very rough test animation walk cycle (strut) for ICSABB. The animation team requested inspiration, and to get some small idea for timing and personality on ICSABB. I provided the rough strut and skipping cycles (actual test clips sent to the ad agency + flattened files to show key poses for both)
