Hasta La Motion!

Dwarf Animation Studio has collaborated with Babel and RFF to realise a viral campaign, both original and intergenerational, dedicated to the fight against dangerous behavior at level crossings.

A mini-saga of three short animated films has been created to raise public awareness about the danger caused by risky behavior, the major cause of accidents. It presents the perilous adventures of hedgehogs; sometimes reckless, sometimes distracted, sometimes in a hurry. From this successful collaboration are born endearing characters and an original universe situated in a world of wonder. “Thanks to their vision and the trust they placed in Dwarf Animation Studio, the creative teams of Babel allowed a total visual freedom of expression which was precious for our team”, says Olivier Pinol, director and cinematographer.

Paul Wauters, Creative Partner at Babel on the RFF project, speaking about this first cooperation with Dwarf says: “Babel is an ‘open source’ agency which does not just content itself to put external talents in competition in order to realize our projects, but that picks a partner for what they can really bring. It is a kind of ephemeral fusion. In this sense, the collaboration between the RFF team at Babel; Jean Desportes, Romain Grange and Matthieu Poli, and the one from Dwarf, represented by Olivier Pinol, was a case study. We immediately understood each other from the very first meeting, because we immediately had the same references. We have been so glad to work with a 3D house, putting the story, the character design, the characters’ personality, the dialogues, the acting timing but also the message which has to be spread, right before the technical side. It has been a wonderful experience! I never felt so close to Pixar. Olivier’s lively enthusiasm for every detail, as for example the design of a tree or an almost invisible flower located in the background, and his desire to do everything possible for the project on every level makes us aware of the wonderful job we do.”

This collaboration with Babel is a great example of projects where Dwarf Animation Studio, as a creative studio, can bring a real artistic plus-value to the client. Through these three videos, Olivier – a former artist at DreamWorks (Schrek, Madagascar, etc.) and Weta Digital (Avatar, etc.) – has been able, with his artists, to highlight four years of technological developments and methods, supporting the artistic vision of Babel. This artistic and technological expertise, originally born in cinema, is the driving force behind Dwarf’s success.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Entertainment have just released the first Battle Mode gameplay footage for the upcoming Batman: Arkham Knight videogame. Scarecrow has returned to unite the Rogues Gallery and has enlisted the Arkham Knight and his immense military force to bring all-out War to Gotham City and destroy the Batman once and for all. The Dark Knight must utilise the Batmobile’s newly-revealed Battle Mode, as well as his full arsenal of abilities, to protect his city from complete destruction.

Batman: Arkham Knight is based on DC Comics’ core Batman license and will be available for the PlayStation 4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PC.

Batman: Arkham Knight brings the award-winning Batman: Arkham trilogy from Rocksteady Studios to its epic conclusion. Developed exclusively for New-Gen platforms, Batman: Arkham Knight introduces Rocksteady’s uniquely designed version of the Batmobile. The highly anticipated addition of this legendary vehicle, combined with the acclaimed gameplay of the Batman: Arkham series, offers gamers the ultimate and complete Batman experience as they tear through the streets and soar across the skyline of the entirety of Gotham City. In this explosive finale, Batman faces the ultimate threat against the city that he is sworn to protect, as Scarecrow returns to unite the super criminals of Gotham and destroy the Batman forever.

Nike Football has released part three of its #riskeverything campaign. The film – “The Last Game” – is a five-minute animated feature starring some of the world’s greatest footballers on a mission to save football from the hands of a villainous mastermind, The Scientist. The Scientist, a suave, smooth operating genius, has been analyzing the game for years. He is dismissive of the audacious risks that the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Neymar Jr. take on the pitch. His research, which includes the claim that Ibrahimovic’s overhead kicks have a 76 percent chance of missing, leads him to create The Clones, automatons programmed to remove all risk-taking and focus only on efficiency, decision-making and results.

Following the opening scene, where The Scientist introduces The Clones, we witness the dulling effect of their style of play on the world of football. Brilliant football ceases to exist and the game becomes almost extinct. With the real players now leading “normal” lives, Brasilian legend Ronaldo (O Fenómeno) decides enough is enough and goes on a mission to reignite the game with brilliant football from the re-assembled group of the world’s most brilliant players.

He rescues a dejected Zlatan from a bookstall outside a stadium, leaving copies of I AM ZLATAN behind. Cristiano Ronaldo, now relegated to life as a window mannequin, is snatched by his namesake from the SPORT-U-GAL shop window. Iniesta’s life as a farmer is over before you can say Magista. Neymar and David Luiz’s new careers as hairdressers are cut short as El Fenómeno nabs them, and Wayne Rooney’s stint as a fisherman washes up when he’s bundled into the back of a van.

Once together, O Fenómeno manages to convince the skeptical Players with a stirring speech about beating The Clones. To remove any doubts, the Brasilian legend reminds them of some of their own greatest moments as they walk the stairs of his secret location. The world’s attention turns to the showdown between The Players and The Clones to determine the future of football.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy1rumvo9xc

“The idea behind ‘The Last Game’ is to show the world that Nike, like any true lover of football, believes that the game should be brilliant, daring and bold. Having the confidence to take risks is absolutely vital in football. Imagine a world without the brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo, the acrobatics of Zlatan or the wizardry of Neymar,” said Nike’s Chief Marketing Officer Davide Grasso.

“The final 90 seconds of The Last Game prove, beyond any doubt, that brilliant football should be the only kind of football. Brilliant, creative, risk-taking football. That is what #riskeverything is all about,” added Grasso.

Fans can register for the new Nike Football App and get the gear to Risk Everything for USA, Brasil, Latin America and Rest of the World.

Credits

The Last Game campaign was developed at Wieden+Kennedy Portland by executive creative directors Joe Staples and Susan Hoffman, art director Ryan O’Rourke, copywriter Alberto Ponte, senior agency producer Erika Madison, interactive director Dan Viens, global executive producer Matt Hunnicutt, production assistant Julie Gursha, head of production Ben Grylewicz, account team Alyssa Ramsey, Molly Rugg, Karrelle Dixon, business affairs manager Karen Crossley, project manager Jordan Schroeder.

Animation was produced at Passion Pictures by director/writer and CG designer Jon Saunders, CG designer Sam Mason, producer Ryan Goodwin Smith, executive producer Sam Robinson, Andrew Ruhemann, Alex Webster, Sara Matarazzo, producer Eve Strickman, live producer Gerri McCarthy, director of photography/steadicam operator Marek Wesolowski.

Editing at Joint Editorial was by editor Peter Wiedensmith with lead assistant editor Eric Hill, assistant editor Alyssa Coates, post executive producer Patty Brebner, producers Ryan Shanholtzer and Alex Thiesen.

Editing at Whitehouse Post London/New York was by editor Paul La Calandra, assistant editor Joe Petruccio and executive producers Lisa Kenrick, Lauren Hertzberg (NY) and producer Nick Crane.

Sound was produced at 750mph by sound designer/mix engineer Sam Ashwell, audio producer Sam Robinson and engineer Phil Bolland.

Music was composed by Judson Crane and Nicholas Davis at Walker Music with music coordinator Abbey Hickman. Licensed track is “Miss Alissa” by Eagles of Death Metal.

Online finishing work was done at Glassworks by colourist Duncan Russell, smoke artist Aleks Ugarow, executive producer Misha Stanford-Harris.

Titles/Graphics were produced at WK Motion and WK Studio.

3D End Tag and Original 2D Design was by ILOVEDUST

Passion Credits

Editor: Victoria Lesiw
Story Development Writing Team: Jon Saunders, James Russell, Kevin Cecil, Steven Hall, Lucy Guy, story development team Andrew Ruhemann, Pete Candeland, Alex Webster, Brendan Houghton, Ryan Goodwin-Smith,
Additional Story Assistance: Daniel Emmerson, Simon Griffin, Lee Hempstock, Rob Sprackling, John Smith
Development Creative Director: Pete Candeland
Head of Production: Anna Lord
Line Producer: Adriana Piasek-Wanski
Production Coordinators: Anna Cunnington, Kate Goodwin
Production Assistant: Becky Perryman
VO Casting Directors: Claudia Hesse, Hannah Simons
Animation Director: Mark Waring
Football Choreography Consultant: Andy Ansah
Head of CG: Jason Nicholas
VFX Supervisor: Neil Riley
CG Supervisor: Cesar Nunes
CG Coordination: Suzanne Forward, Derek Walsh, Amelie Zilliox, Mark Harper, Dave Powell
Additional Coordination: Carine Buncsi
Art Direction: Painting Practice, Cesar Nunes
Character Design: Jon Saunders, Alex Huguet, Gillian Reid, Leeroy Vanilla, Dan Lambert
Production Designer: Dan May (via Painting Practice)
Concept Art: Painting Practice, Daniel Cacouault, John Park, Thomas Scholes
CG Design Development: Jake Slutsky
Storyboards: Brendan Houghton, Yohann Auroux (clean-up)
Previz Lead: Xavier Zahra, Richard Perry
Previz Mark Brown, Paul Cousins, Emiliano Nanfaro, Stephen Harrison, Daniel Adams
Additional Editing: Anne Monnehay, Tim King
Layout: Daniel Adams, Remi Cauquil, Anthony Martin
Character Modelling Supervisor: Alex Huguet
Character Modelling: Mattias Bjurstrom, Tom Bryant, Dan Fine, Julia Friedl, Craig Maden, Abner Marin, Angel Navarro, Alex Stratulat
Environments Modelling Supervisor: Ian Brown
Environment Modelling: Zahra Al-Naib, Florence Ciuccoli, Guillaume Fuentes, Jacob Gonzalez, Juan Carlos Gracia, Francois Mancone, Paco Rocha, Florent Rousseau, Vladimir Venkov, Sarah Zaher
Texturing Team: Ellie Bond, Amanda Bone, Katreena Bowell, Claudia Carvalho, Eva De Prado, David Domingo Jimenez, Lesley Rooney, Grace Stephens
Rigging Team: Andrew Butler, Chris Dawson, Morgan Evans, Maarten Heinstra, Maickel Pasta, Georg Schneider
Animation Lead: Conor Ryan
Animation Team: Magali Barbe, Antoine Bourruel, Cath Brooks, Wesley Coman, Catherine Elvidge, Rhiannon Evans, Aldo Gagliardi, Alex Grigg, Annie Habermehl, Rimelle Khayat, Boris Kossmehl, Karin Mattsson, Daniel Meitin, Florian Mounie, Nora OSullivan, Garrick Rawlingson, Alvaro Martin Saez de Parayuelo, David Sigrist, Milian Topsy, Rodrigo Torres, Marie Vorhoeven, Chris Welsby, Steven White, (Darren Walsh â Magpie)
FX Supervisor: Jamie Franks
FX Team: Sam Swift-Glasman, Junaid Syed, Dan Warder
Cloth Team: Ariele Podrieder Lenzi â Senior Cloth TD, Antonios Defteraios, Will Fife, Jayson King, Colin Perret, Michael Sofoluke
Hair Team: Chema Del Fresno, Kwai Ip (also cloth)
Crowd animator: Jonny Grew
L&R Lead: Christian Mills, Arnoud Machtou
Lighting & Rendering Team: Howard Bell, Yohan Cohen, Jacob Gonzalez, Patrick Krafft, Sebastian Mayer, Richard Moss, Camille Perrin, Francois Pons, Paco Rocha
Compositing Team: Svilen Aynadzhiev, Pavan Balagam, Andre Bittencourt, David Lea, Manuel Perez, Julien Record, Valeria Romano, Johnny Still, Alex Swann
Graphics Team: Stephane Coedel, Giles Dill

Painting Practice by production designer Dan May, lead concept artist/matte painter Rafael Martin Coronel, 3D matte artist/lead Graeme McDougal, matte painters/concept artists Antoine Birot, Nicolas Loudot, Tristan Menard, Carlos Nieto, junior matte painter Noemie Cauvin, concept artists Justin C Hutchinson-Chatburn, Mike Shorten, Alex Fort, Xavier Ren, 3D artist Matt Hotchkiss, coordinator Dora Sarkozi, graphic designers Gemma Kingsley, Erica McEwan, junior artist Rodolphe Parfait.

Mocap Shoot: producer Lottie Hope, producer Phil Stilgoe, supervisor Stuart Haskayne, post supervisor Joe Ells, production coordinator Iain Silvester, senior technician Matt Parker, technicians Ross Richards, David Bushen, production assistant Mimi Dulake, tracking manager Goran Dimitrijevic, senior tracker Igor Kovacevic, trackers Jelena Mitrovic, Zoran Muncan, Miloš Knežević, Nenad Milosavljević, TX team Mike Bovill, Gerda Aleksandraviciute, Jeff Smith.

Voice Actors

Scientist – Jonathan Oliver
Neymar – Bruno Garcez
Iniesta – Andres Williams
Zlatan – Adam Shaw
Rooney – Neil Fitzmaurice
David Luiz – Mauricio Brandes
Tim Howard – Tom Clarke Hill (also plays LeBron TVC VO and Football Commentator)
Cristiano Ronaldo – Hugo Nicolau
TV News Anchor – Victoria Lesiw (also plays TV Interviewer)
Fenomeno – Rhasaan Orange
Commentator 1 – Jonathan Clays
Commentator 2 – Tony Lockwood
Commentator 3 – John Roder
Commentator 4 – Bill Leslie
Hindi Newscaster VO – Sanghamitra Mandal
Mandarin Newscaster VO – Sun Ye
Spanish Newscaster VO – Alberto de Matteis

Football Performers

Sports On Screen performers
Mat Mitchel-King, Louie Theophanous, Anthony Cock, Chris Piper, Joseph Holland, Aaron Clarke, Isa Hussain, Joel Ledgister

Watch the #BigGame commercial the NFL would never air. Get involved by contacting the Washington Professional Football Team, the NFL and the Washington Post:

DC Team

@redskins
Facebook.com/redskins
http://www.redskins.com/footer/contact-us.html

Roger Goodell & NFL

@NFL
@NFLcommish
https://www.facebook.com/NFL

Washington Post

DC’s hometown paper is still using the R-word in its coverage of the team.

@WashingtonPost
@PostSports
https://www.facebook.com/washingtonpost

Thank you to all of the filmmakers who donated their footage.
Musical Artist: Doppio, song – “The Battle” – Can be found at – https://www.facebook.com/doppiomusic