THROUGH MY FREELANCE COMPANY, RENDERLAND, I WAS PRODUCING STORE CONCEPT ANIMATIONS FOR A FROZEN YOGURT COMPANY CALLED NITROLABS. I DESIGNED THE STORE LOOK AND ALL THE 2D ARTWORK THAT SUPPORTED IT. AFTER THE FIRST TWO STORES OPENED TO GREAT SUCCESS MY CLIENT ASKED IF I COULD PRODUCE AN ANIMATION THAT COULD GRAB PEOPLES ATTENTION.
MY CLIENTS WISH WAS FOR A DOG TO BE CHASING ONE OF THE CUPS LIKE A DOG WOULD CHASE ITS TAIL. I LIKED THIS IDEA SO STARTED SKETCHING DOGS TO GET A FEEL FOR THEIR MOVEMENTS.
I ALSO ANALYSED VIDEOS OF DOGS PLAYFULLY CHASING EACH OTHER TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THEIR INDIVIDUAL CHARMS.
IN A RATHER DRASTIC CHANGE IT WAS DECIDED TO CHANGE THE ANIMAL DOING THE CHASING FOR ONE MORE ASSOCIATED WITH HOT WEATHER- A LIZARD IN THIS CASE. INITIALLY I PUSHED BACK QUESTIONING THE IDEA. BUT THE MORE I WORKED ON IT, THE MORE IT STARTED TO MAKE SENSE.
I WAS ABLE TO USE THE INITIAL STORY BOARD I PRODUCED AS FUNNILY DOGS AND LIZARDS ARE PRETTY SIMILAR ANATOMICALLY. I KEPT THE PLAYFUL DOG MOVEMENTS TO PREVENT THE CHARACTER COMING ACROSS TOO CREEPY.
THERE IS IT, ON DISPLAY IN SWEDEN. THE ANIMATION PLAYS THROUGH ONCE, THEN FADES TO THE VARIOUS FLAVORS, HOLDS THERE FOR 30 SECONDS, THEN PLAYS A LOOP OF THE ANIMATION AGAIN. MMM TASTY!
