Strategic design and advertising agency 72andSunny releases the third of several new artist collaborations to be featured on zune-arts.net. Like all Zune Arts films, "Float," directed and animated by Vitamin and set to the track "Hopelist" by the band What Made Milwaukee Famous, celebrates sharing and friendships, but also explores the theme of reciprocation and the rewards that come with it. "Float" debuts on July 19.
"The mood of Float' is so different from the previous Zune Arts films," said Bryan Rowles, Art Director, 72andSunny. "There's a quiet, endearing beauty to the aesthetic and the story. There's also an evolution in the sharing theme, in which we see a friendship blossoming through repeated sharing, back and forth. The film evolves that old adage: it's more enlightening to give than to receive."
To complement the music of the band What Made Milwaukee Famous, Chicago-based collective Vitamin developed the story in collaboration with 72andSunny, in which two young people see each other at quaint outdoor espresso stand under a starry night sky. As they one-up each other in sharing biscottis, flowers, Polaroid photos they are buoyed by the act of giving and literally float higher with every exchange, until they hover over the sleeping city. Inspired by the work of animator/director Sylvain Chomet, Vitamin created the film using modeling and rendering of characters and environments as opposed to traditional cel animation.
"After the last few high-energy Zune Arts collaborations, it was refreshing to create a quieter, more sentimental story," said Glenn Cole, Creative Director and Co-Founder, 72andSunny. "'Float' is like Garden State, but without Natalie Portman."
As Zune Arts heads into its second year, the program continues its mission to live the Zune brand idea of friendship and sharing by fostering inspiring collaborations between artists in all mediums.
What Made Milwaukee Famous is a Texas-bred band with a fresh and unapologetically honest attitude. They've been picked by The Austin Chronicle to be second behind Spoon as the best live band in Austin.
Vitamin is a Chicago-based animation and visual arts collective headed by directors Ryan Dunn and Vince Haycock. The company's work reflects diverse interests, although Dunn admits a current obsession with writing fairy tales, as evidenced in this latest film for Zune Arts.
Project Credits
Project: Zune Arts "Float"
Client: Microsoft Zune, Redmond, WA
Marketing Manager: Peter Kingsley
Released: July 19, 2007
Concept: 72andSunny / Los Angeles, CA
Creative Director: Glenn Cole
Writers: Jason Norcross, Bryan Rowles
Producer: Rebekah Mateu
Brand Manager: Jessica Lewis
Animation: Vitamin / Chicago, IL
Music: "Hopelist" by What Made Milwaukee Famous