In this Ident, we wanted to mix live-action with cel animation and a 2D animated sequence.
The goal was to be quirky and bizarre while talking about something that matters to the planet. In this case, it is about cleaning the oceans.
In a quirky and humoristic way, Oh Ducky Boy delivers a conversation about human complexity when it comes to responsibility and denial. Using live action and animation in a funky, ironic and self-absorbed music video style, it takes the audience on a journey through our waste and plastic contamination of the oceans and how we contribute to the pollution, are aware of the damage and still reject and deny responsibility. Oh Ducky Boy…Are we ever gonna learn?
The time zone difference between us and the US production teams was one of the main difficulties that we faced, since it affected all parts of the production. Due to time differences, communication was problematic because we were working when the US team was asleep, and vice versa. This also had an impact on deadlines and timeframes.
Furthermore, the documentary was still being filmed while we were working on post-production.We also faced some challenges in regards to receiving the right cuts, as a result, we frequently had to redo work and wait for the completion of some assets. Due to these changes throughout the post-production it also affected how we created the design and added to the time constraints.
We had to wait for permission to access some documents, information, and reports because they dealt with a sensitive topic, and those materials were still being used in actual, ongoing legal cases.
Early on, we decided on team and client working hours that corresponded to each of our time zones, and in order to monitor progress, we decided to hold weekly meetings. We used a number of platforms for communication with the production companies involved, and Frame.io was extremely useful to upload tests and assets and allow each party to have access to the information.
We ensured a high level of flexibility and adaptability throughout the project, as we had to predict when we would receive new cuts to work on. This is why we built templates from scratch, allowing us to use previous cuts and documents and establishing a baseline for the animation and graphic design as well as the title sequences. This enabled us to then swap the source when new information or assets became available.
An animatic is a pre-production tool used in the animation and filmmaking industry to visualize and plan the sequence of shots in a project. It is a rough, storyboard-like representation of the final animation or film, created by combining storyboard panels or sketches with timing and audio elements.
In an animatic, the storyboard panels are arranged in a sequence and often accompanied by simple motion or camera movements, rough character animations, and temporary sound effects or dialogue. This helps the creators and the production team get a sense of the pacing, timing, and overall flow of the project before investing time and resources into creating the final animation or film.
Animatics are particularly useful for assessing the storytelling, composition, and timing of a project. They allow the creators to make adjustments and refine the visuals or audio elements before proceeding to the more time-consuming and detailed stages of production. Animatics can also be shared with stakeholders, such as directors, producers, or clients, to provide a clear vision of the final project and gather feedback for further revisions.
Below you can check the animatic of OH DUCKY BOY
TECHNIQUE: Live action. 2D animation. Cel Animation
SOFTWARE: Red Camera. AE. PS. PR
THEMES: Ocean contamination
Still awaiting the big release! The client was extremely happy with the final assets and the documentary’s opening scene. We feel that this is some of our best work, and we really enjoyed working on this project. We were pleased to help create something that supported the style and message of the documentary.
Actors
Milton Rodriguez
Rosita Calvi
María Eugenia Lafalla
Crew
Executive Producer: Alixe Lobato
Producer: Josephine Amalie von Bülow
Director: Vanvelvet
AD: Fausto Nutkiewicz Bosch
Cinematographer: Federico Pérez Maro
Assistants: Sofia Victoria Rodrigo and David Picón
DoP: Natalia Lucía
Gaffer: Héctor Félix
Electrician: Helio
Filmmaker BTS: Sean Sebastian Sborlino
Assistant to Mr Duck: Carolina Durian
Sound Design and mix: Francisco Magin
Illustration & Animation
Juan R Mon & Vanvelvet
Thanks to Sara Mutande, Nicolas Guénot, Rafael, Akasha Hub Barcelona.
