Microsoft "Realizing Potential" ad campaign
2005-2006, Z Animation
Animation Direction, Design, Animation - Claire Armstrong Parod and Joel Parod
Live Action - Anonymous Content
It was a challenging time when I art directed and co-directed the animation for Microsoft’s Corporate Branding Campaign “Realizing Potential”, comprised of 6 spots and 4 print ad illustrations targeted for 32 countries around the world. The commercials are a combination of white line animation layered onto beautiful live-action vignettes shot in Berlin and Tokyo. My wife and I won the job based on 2 animation tests we did using Bauhaus Mirage - now TV Paint, which we used throughout the campaign. We were among the first to embrace this new program and had to train our amazing 2D animation crew how to work digitally with the new software, as well as upgrade equipment to handle the new cutting edge of HD that suddenly impacted our production pipeline. Stressful stuff when you're facing deadlines. However, it was amazing to be able to animate directly on top of the live action video. I also served as art director, designer, illustrator, and designed a majority of the background elements and environments in the animated scenes. Another interesting aspect of this campaign was that the client wanted realistic animation, which led to us filming ourselves and the crew acting out all the scenes. Those were always my favorite days! The best takes were then digitally animated rotoscope style on the live action shots. We obviously couldn't film everything so I designed all the dinosaurs in Mr. Kato and animated 3 or 4 of them myself. That was a fun challenge! I also animated some of the transitioning background animation in the other spots.
2006 Awards:
2D OR NOT 2D Animation Festival: “Imagine”, “Ripple”, “Start Up” Golden Pencil Award for Best Animation in an All-Style Production
Davey Awards: “Imagine” and “Ripple” Silver Award Winner - Use of Animation
Australian International Film Festival: “Start Up” Special Citation: Most Innovative
Dixie Film Festival: Best Animation
Telly Awards: “Ripple”, Silver - Use of Animation “Ripple”, Bronze - Computer/Information Technology
