Studio AKA’s Olympic Torch Relay campaign

Doug Kennedy had the pleasure to work alongside the talented team at Studio AKA on their broadcast spot for the BBC’s coverage of the Olympic torch relay.

Commissioned by RKCR/Y&R & Red Bee Media, Studio AKA were tasked with creating an animated film that referenced the graphic signature of the 2012 Olympic torch design – created by Barber Osgberby – as it is carried by the numerous relay participants to the location where the 2012 Games begin.

Studio AKA Director Kristian Andrews looked to the 8,000 perforations in the torch – each representing the 8,000 people who will carry it on its journey around the UK – to create an impressionistic world rendered in shimmering golden dots of light & traversed by Olympic torchbearers. The film reflects the mood of excitement & elation befitting the commencement of the games – all set to a rousing score composed by Elbow

The spot opens on the DNA of the Olympic Flame and then pulls out to reveal the beautiful golden Olympic Torch, created in graphical dots. These dots begin to make up forms and characters. We see animated runners holding the torch and people coming together in celebration. As it reaches the end of the spot it pulls out to reveal celebrations taking place across the United Kingdom.

Doug Kennedy was called upon as a Softimage ICE Specialist and contributed his expertise to several shots in the sequence, crafting the animation of specific particle flows as the dots travelled through the air and controlling the way the dots grouped and formed patterns when settling on ground surfaces. Doug also crafted the fireworks finale at the end of the spot.

Credits

Agency : RKCR/Y&R
Creative Director : Damon Collins
Creatives : Jules Chalkley, Nick Simons
Agency : Red Bee Media
Production Company : Studio AKA
Producer : Sarah Caddy
Production Manager : Jane Hunt
Director : Kristian Andrews
Animation Producer : Sharon Titmarsh
Previs Artist : Anna Kubik and Sander Jones
Animators : Sander Jones, Boris Kossmehl and Marie Verhoeven
3D Modelling : Adam Avery, Cristobal Infante, Ali Matar
ICE Particle FX Team : Fabrice Altman, Rob Chapman, Cristobal Infante, Olly Nash, Doug Kennedy
Compositing : Daniel Garnerone, James Gaillard
Artist : Daniel Garnerone
Editor : Nic Gill
Olympic Torch Design : Barber Osgerby
Music Composed and Performed : Elbow

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