2D Animation: Bringing Stories to Life
Throughout history, animated movies have always had the power to capture our imaginations. The 2D stop-frame animation process uses a sequence of illustrated objects and backgrounds to create the illusion of movement—turning simple drawings into magical moments.
Telling Your Story in 2023
Promoting your business visually offers a wide array of creative options in 2023. From stop motion and animation to time-lapses and illustrations, there are countless ways to grab your audience’s attention. At Meld, we thrive on exploring new and imaginative ways to tell our clients’ stories.
Our latest cinema ad for national food chain Sushi Hub is a perfect example of effective and engaging storytelling through animation. But what goes into making a compelling ad like this? Our process involved seven crucial stages:
The Process:
- Gathering Information
- Concept & Script
- Voiceover Recording
- Storyboard
- Visual Style
- Animation
- Music
Behind the Scenes: The Team
- Illustrator
- Photographer
- Animator
- Sound Engineer
- Video Editor
The Concept:
A young boy and his pet dog fall asleep and dream about sushi. The next day, even at school, they can’t stop thinking about sushi. After school, they discover a magic mobile phone that transports them into a sushi wonderland. In this whimsical place, they meet a Sushi Hub mascot who treats them to their favourite sushi delights.
Storyboard Development:
Our storyboard was designed to capture the cute, colourful, and fun atmosphere of the animation. This vital step ensured that the story was well-structured and that the key messages were communicated effectively.
Initial Character Concepts:
The character designs began with traditional pencil sketches. By shape-testing the characters, we refined their appearance to fit the animation’s overall aesthetic. This was a critical part of the process, as we needed to nail the visual style of the characters from the start.
Mood Board & Character Refinement:
Collaborating closely with Sushi Hub, we fine-tuned the character designs. After refining initial concepts, our illustrators created more polished, human-like characters. This process led us to our final designs: a boy with curly orange hair and his blue-haired dog—the stars of the animation.
Background Design:
We used a mix of initial style references and Sushi Hub’s brand colours to design the backgrounds. By incorporating the brand’s familiar colour palette, we ensured a cohesive look that stayed true to Sushi Hub’s identity.
Animating the Story:
Animating was a meticulous, frame-by-frame process that required immense patience and precision. Each scene was crafted with care, ensuring smooth movement and seamless transitions in the final timeline.
Sound Design:
Sound design involved two major components: the backing music and sound effects (including character sounds). The catchy Sushi Hub jingle was stripped down for the background music, while the character and ambient sounds were added to match movements, bringing the animation to life.
Motion Graphics:
The finishing touch was adding motion graphics to enhance the lyrics of the Sushi Hub jingle. This attention to detail helped the ad stand out, creating a memorable experience for viewers.
Need help with Animation?
Read more about the Animation Services offered by the team at Meld Design here.