Commercial Stuff (Pt:01)

Hi guys! It's just dawned on my how much I've yet to post up on here. Mostly due to either being too busy + a little forgetful. So over the next week or two, I'll be making a huge attempt to play catch up with it all... I promise! In fact, here's something to kick things off...

SPIRIVA 'HANDIHALER' VIDEO 03 "Diaphragmatic Breathing" from Max on Vimeo.


Back in the middle of 2011, I directed (at my then representative studio, th1ng) a series of 8 instructional videos designed for those suffering from COPD (a respiratory disease), which explained how to use a new medicinal product called the handihaler... In short, the brief was to design a character which would be the mascot/ narrator of the videos... a sort of coach/ drill sergeant.

The next three images are initial designs I knocked up as a first round... I wanted to capture a lot of

Fig 01: My fave here was the guy up top pointing & blowing a whistle...

charm & personality in the character... I'm a huge appreciator of Zagreb Film & UPA's works (who isn't?), so any opportunity I get to experiment with that style, look & technique of animation, I jump right on it! Since this spot was for an instructional video, it was a perfect opportunity... Here's one of my favourites from Zagreb, & another from UPA.

Fig: 02

This particular version here, the clients asked for a look similar to a previous commercial I had co-directed... (Thankfully they didn't go with them)

Fig: 03

At this stage, the clients had now suggested if somehow I could create a character out of the actual product itself... I hated the idea, as I felt it'd be too cheesy & could easily see what should have been a "charming" character, turn into one of those stereotypically, over-excited product mascots you just wanna punch repeatedly in the face!


Again, thankfully they didn't go with it, but I did like the one on the right... The visual of his entire head rapidly opening & closing (hinged on one side) as he'd speak had me cracking up inside.

Fig 04: Colour variations

Fig: 05

Here's the one they went with in the end, which thankfully was the one I was rooting for... He was now named, "Coach Chester" :)










They liked this version with the grey top & blue track-pants, so did a very quick page of poses to give the clients an idea of funny actions he could do.

Fig: 06

Clients now asked for him to lose a bit of weight, as they felt he was a little too on the plumpy-side to be a coach... (should've see the gym teacher I had back in school)... They selected #1.

Fig: 07

Based on their brand colours, I then generated a few variations for Chester's outfit.

Fig: 08

... And finally, here's the character turn-around I knocked up from the client's chosen colours... Most animated TV show characters in the 1950's had a thick-stoke outline; this gave more weight to the characters, & really helped 'pop' them from the backgrounds.



-M-