"Le Birbe" - an italian nice word to say "Rascals" - are the chicken nuggets by Amadori, the leader in the Italian agri-food sector.
NIMAI agency created a character from it and they developed a huge multichannel campaign, including an online contest.
So, they engaged me as illustrator and animator, to craft a video from their idea of a movie trailer, where the "Birbe" are the main characters.
The Agency gave me a huge creativity control in design and direction.
Crafting a textured, noised style, with many chromatic aberrations was a lot of fun, giving depth to the scenes 
Disclaimer: these illustrations and other more on this site are protected with GLAZE or NIGHTSHADE from the AI crawling. This is the reason of the grain overlay that you could sense watching it.
Disclaimer: the contest online featured in this video is no longer live.
The brief
The concept from the agency: a theatrical trailer for a hypothetical comedy movie.
After discussing the script with the agency's creative director, I received the static character and I worked on crafting an animation test for the video.
Character design by Pierpaolo Marconcini X NIMAI
Starting the design
I made some styleframes to define the global vibes of the illustrations.
After the sketches of the scenes for the storyboard, I developed some layouts in Adobe Illustrator, then I finalized the scenes, the palette and the characters directly in Adobe After Effects.
From the Illustrator layout...
to the Adobe After Effects output
Some sequences from the storyboard to the preproduction illustrations: this is what I showed to the agency, before the animation.
Tools and processes
The storyboard was made in Photoshop + Wacom 10 graphics tablet.
All the production was developed in Adobe Illustrator and Adobe After effects.
I used some plugins like Bendio to give the life to "Birbe" characters, and a lot of other textures and vfxs to donate a not-so-flat cinematic look to the animation.
Some tricks that I used to give depth to the 2D objects and characters in this 3D camera rotation.
9/16 formats
They requested me more video layouts, including the 9/16 format to cover different social platforms and ADVs.
Credits
Client
Amadori
Agency
NIMAI
Creative Director
Pierpaolo Marconcini
Account Manager
Michela Dongi
Direction, design, animation
Mauro Mason
Sound design
Amplitudo Sound Agency
Awards
2024
Video of the day + Video of the Year 2023 in "Game Titles" for Motion Design Awards
2023
Behance featured in MOTION and AFTER EFFECTS galleries
EXTRA
OFFICIAL TRAILER + GAMEPLAY SCENES
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CONCULSION
Crafting unique solutions with precision and passion.
Our Approach
At Leksa, we combine strategic insight with innovative design to deliver tailored solutions that perfectly align with your business objectives. Experience a personalized approach that sets your brand apart.
Harnessing the power of cutting-edge technology and creative excellence to drive tangible results and elevate your brand's market presence.
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PROJECT GOALS
Our journey has been marked by countless successful projects that not only achieved but surpassed our clients' goals, reinforcing their trust in us as a leading innovator in the digital landscape.
At the core of Leksa is our commitment to not just meet, but exceed, client expectations. We believe in building solutions that are not only visually captivating but also strategically sound.
Too saturated!
One of the few requests made by the client was to touch up the skin color of the Caucasian players: the fuchsia was too strong!
02. What makes our branding unique?
Our branding approach centers on creating a cohesive and powerful identity that resonates deeply with your target audience. We delve into your business’s essence to craft a brand strategy that stands out in a crowded market.
03. How do we enhance social media presence?
Our social media strategies are built on a deep understanding of brand voice and audience engagement. We manage your social media platforms with a focus on fostering growth and increasing interaction, leveraging the latest tools and trends.
04. Why choose our photography service?
We offer professional photography that captures the essence of your brand and products. Our skilled photographers use state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to deliver high-quality images that enhance your marketing materials and online presence.
Tools and techniques
I mixed a lot of tools:
Photoshop and Illustrator with a Wacom One tablet, to design and illustrate.
After Effects and Limber plugin for the character animation and compositing.
Animate CC for frame by frame vfx and the "run" cut.
Cinema 4D to model and move the 3D backgrounds.
