Directing duo Ubik (recently signed to Not to Scale) created MTV 3650, a heartfelt contribution to MTV’s Switch campaign.
Shooting on a 16mm Bolex camera helped keep the tone of the spot quiet, which seems to be the trend for eco-awarness spots these days. While the message itself could be construed as alarmist, the delivery is softened by the schoolroom setting, childlike proportions of the 3D elements and mildly melancholic soundtrack.
I like this anecdotal detail from the press release:
We also had to overcome the slight technical problem of making the globe rotate. Enter the ever-resourceful Graham Staughton, who designed and built us a special rig consisting of a drill, a sewing machine spindle and a length of fishing line. He spent a cramped few hours behind a small desk giving our globe a consistent rotation that we could track.
That moon poster in the background is also a clever touch.
Credits
Director: Ubik
Modelling/Texturing: Ubik & James Kirkham
Animation: Ubik
Lighting/Rendering: Jonathan Vuillemin
Director of Photography: Tim Green
Art Dept./Globe Wrangler: Graham Staughton
Music: Shady Bard ‘Treeology’
Producer: Inga Millers
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather, London
Agency Producer: Russell Benson
Creative: Paul Smith
Thanks to Seth at Little Red Robot for the tip!