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Saturday, 8 April 2006 | Levent OZLER
Convert Goes Underground in Stop-Motion Promo for BBC America
Directorial collective Convert has created a :30 promo and show open for "The Underground", a new programming block on BBC America. The spot uses quirky stop-motion animation to tell the surreal story of a rabbit and its rival - a mushroom - as they compete to see who can burrow underground the fastest. Both "The Underground" programming block, which features classic British soaps and popular new series like "Footballers' Wives" and the Convert-directed promo, broke on BBC America March 23rd.
The promo opens on a seemingly innocent mushroom in a tranquil field. The vibrant colors and pseudo-realistic environment create a retro, seventies-era feel. A bunny-type puppet, which looks as if it was made out of a white knitted glove (with two "fingers" for its long ears, two "fingers" for arms, and a set for feet), hops into view, and takes out a stopwatch from within a zipper pocket in its chest. Suddenly, the race is on, and the rabbit digs furiously away. The unassuming mushroom has a few tricks up its sleeve however, and drills into the earth, jack-hammer-style. Along the way, they burrow past bizarre objects, including a child's doll and a pair of snapping dentures, until the rabbit hits a brick wall - literally - giving the mushroom valuable lead-time as it wins the race.
"We saw an opportunity to create a subversive world - one that leaves the viewer with a deep-seated feeling that they're in unfamiliar territory" said Convert Creative Director Adam Bluming.
Continues Art Director/Designer Freda Lau, "This was a fun project for us, since in traditional computer animation you tend to focus on the continuous action, while in stop motion, we had to take special note of constant necessary pauses to make sure the personality of our characters came through."
Convert created "The Underground" piece using a combination of digital stills, Adobe After Effects, Maxon Cinema 4D, and Apple Final Cut Pro.
http://www.theebelinggroup.com/press/conve...ground_h264.mov
Project Credits
Client: BBC America Network
Title: "The Underground" Open
Airdate: March 23, 2006
Production company: The Ebeling Group / Playa Del Rey, CA
Executive producer: Mick Ebeling
Producer: Dan Bryant
Live-Action and Design Company: Convert / Los Angeles, CA
Creative Director: Adam Bluming
Art Director: Freda Lau
Editor: Adam Bluming
Designer: Freda Lau
Animators: John Robson, Cory Shaw, Freda Lau
DP: Orland Hernandez
About Convert
Directorial collective Convert is a creative force with experience in film, commercials, music videos, network branding and promotion. Convert's unique approach to projects--mixing the humorous with the bizarre--has created a tone that is playful and intriguing through both their design and live-action work. Based in Los Angeles, their recent projects include modifying famous European landmarks, laughing incessantly, folding Hollywood into scripted origami, uncommonly shooting Common, and digging underground tunnels. Their clients include, Geffen Records, Nissan, Discovery Channel, BBC America, AMC, Lifetime, TBS, and TNT.
About The Ebeling Group
The Ebeling Group (TEG) is an international production company with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Sao Paulo and Tokyo. The TEG roster includes world-renowned designers and directors MK12, Nakd, Lobo, LBA, Caviar, Convert and Caskey. These companies have been awarded with distinctions from The Art Director's Club, BDA, The Clios and The One Show among others. TEG projects - and directors - are anything but ordinary. Internationally recognized short films, commercials, promos and music videos for clients including Adidas, Coca-Cola, Diesel, Levi's, TNT, MTV, Nike and Ford have garnered accolades from the global design, production and advertising industry. TEG directors' work has been showcased at Resfest, OFFF, FITC, onedotzero, Sundance Film Festival and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
The Ebeling Group: http://www.dexigner.com/directory/detail/7264/
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