DRCOG

Following the concept created by the agency, Little Fluffy Clouds designed the initial layouts and animatic – essentially a previsualization - for this dynamic, colorful and sweet spot.

The story follows two main subjects, the airflow that heats or cools the house and the family that lives in it. To illustrate the airflow we chose to have the camera mimic air moving in from the great Colorado outdoors. Flowing through the heat exchange into the house, it circulates from room to room, adjusting the temperature keeping the family warm in chilly months and cool in summery ones.

Illustrator Brian Miller translated our original sketches into beautiful artwork. These files were created in multiple layers that we then placed in 3D to create depth and a feeling of space that could be traveled through.

Brian also designed the characters. His style is uniquely expansive and very colorful with lots of textures and interesting sharp angles. Even though an illustration style like this isn’t easy to animate we retained this look by utilizing every technique at hand.

However, the real task for an animator is to imbue each character with their own personality so they feel like a real family. This animation is not about big actions but the small movements that build a connection between each member of the family. A lot of humor and story emphasis is added to the spots by using three sidekicks - a ladybug, a cucumber and a rag doll. These three are set apart by having their own style.

It was a fun challenge to create the choreography between the flow of the camera and the animation of the family. Planning out every detail before production starts is essential. Developing a storyboard and an animatic helps to make the story clear for everyone involved in the project. This becomes especially important when working remotely.

This broadcast PSA is part of a much larger campaign that includes a website, print and digital tactics, and outdoor ads. If you live in Colorado, you won't want to miss it!

Credits