Coke and the revamp of classical animation: Is 2D the new cool factor?

If we take a look at the most inspiring, powerful and popular animated ads of the last years, there are none as strong as the 2D animated ones: the 2014 Christmas Campaign for John Lewis (The Bear and the Hare), some outstanding ads by McBess, the Airbnb rebranding campaign etc. demonstrate that some “wow” moments are never as strong in the top-notch CGI ads, at least when speaking about popular B2C products. Not to mention tremendously successful YouTube videos like Bravest Warriors on Frederator, the hilarious videos of Harry Partridge or the stellar success of crowd-funding campaigns for 2D films like Hulabaloo or Urbance.

Outstanding CGI is still the one-stop-shop for hardcore gaming fans and geeks all over the world but it’s interesting to note why, when a new top-level ad in 2D animation goes out, the reactions about them are stronger than the CGI ones.There are exceptions of course: most Pixar movies and nice experimental bits like Paperman and Feast -both came out as shorts before the screening of Disney features- keep that “wow” sense alive.

The Coke is -both in the story and in style- a glorification of that sense of wonder that the Coke brand associates itself with. One wonders why such an immediate connection comes to mind: the sheer joy of the dog, that he manages to pass on his owner, is represented by a colorful layer of 2D effects that surround reality, filling the air with excitement and joy. What best way to depict that sense of wonder than 2D animation? The answer, I believe, resides in the concept of craft and self-expression.

Comparing Processes...

When working in 2D, rendering is embedded in the work itself. Sketching and animating are not actions much further apart in terms of tools required, although the skillset of the animator and the character designer can be really different. The line is expressive per se and every line choice done while drawing implies a decision about which bits of reality need to be integrated and which to leave out of the drawing. If done well, it’s exactly the right amount of elements to tell that story. In this sense a strong art direction in 2D animation is essential.

Let’s take a look at the pipeline of 3D production: rendering is the thing that comes last and it’s often perceived as the more “technical” part of the job. The renderer is seen more as a technician than a creative and there is rarely an exchange between animators and render experts, sometimes these two steps are done in completely different geographical locations. In rendering, there are useful presets for a lot of elements: fur, smoke, tree leaves, etc. The way in which the light bounces can be regulated but the rendering engine per se is made to achieve the ultimate goal of photorealism. It takes a conscious and strong point of view to avoid the use of a specific render option to stylise the visual depiction of certain elements (hair, textures, reflections, etc.)

It takes an art director with an holistic knowledge of the process to say “let’s don’t just use the leave algorithm for vegetation, let’s try to find a unique way to portray it that is consistent with the overall visual style of this project!”. Pixar succeeds in it (most of the times at least) by incredible and deep visual research. But when it comes to commercial studios, the scenario is slightly more grim.It take awesome studios like Buck to experiment on the verge of 2D and 3D (and to an extend Nucco Brain, albeit not so awesome yet). It takes a new kind of a Renaissance men, not vertical experts but people with a vision, to make sure that the final delivery respects the artistic direction that was present at the conception of the film -unless clients manage to mess things up by pulling in the legal department of course!-

Is this war?

This post is not here to defend 2D against 3D, but as a warning of being aware of the technical limitations and the design intentions of who has developed the tools we use.

The more complex the tool, the more design intention is relevant.

That’s why it takes a lot more conscious and deep thought to question a 3D software than a pencil.

Just start thinking about it next time you approach an animation project, whether as a client or as a creative.

Stefano Marrone, Visual Storyteller, MD of NuccoBrain