Nick Ball of blink productions directed this “Ode To Bad” spot for U.K. mobile network giffgaff via agency Neverland.
The film presents human behavior at its worst during a night out in the city. A voiceover thanks “bad” for all the wrongdoing but a parting act shows the good which we’re still capable of, seguing to giffgaff’s “We’re Up To Good” initiative by which the brand promotes taking responsibility and advancing sustainability.
Untold Studios served as VFX house.
Client giffgaff Agency Neverland Jon Forsyth, co-founder, creative strategy; Simon Massey, co-founder, brand strategy; Noel Hamilton, executive creative director; Lloyd Daniel, associate creative director; Liam Crerar, sr. creative; Amy Coomber, head of production; Claire Pearson, producer; Laura Kinzett, strategy director; Darren Savage, Clem Lepinard, sr. strategists; Rich Kennedy, head of design. Production blink productions Nick Ball, director; Patrick Craig, exec producer/producer; Sebastian Jowers, production manager; Steve Annis, DP; Jim Cole, 1st AD; Olly Williams, production designer; Rebecca Rich, costume designer; Hugo Smith-Bingham, locations manager; Anna Kennedy, casting. Editorial Trim Elise Butt, editor; Polly Kemp, offline edit producer; Lorna Searl, assistant editor. Postprodution/VFX Untold Studios, London David Fleet, executive creative director; Nathan Hoad, VFX producer; Tom Igglesden, exec producer; Alex Grey, VFX supervisor; Carlo Carfora, Cameron Johnson, Tom Moreland, VFX lead artists; Ed Turvey, Jinhui Wang, Matteo Antona, Philipppe Moine, Greta Kossowska, Gez Wright, Clara Parati, Michael Korniltsev, Emma Tyler, VFX artists; Rich Harris, online supervisor. (Toolbox: Maya, Houdini, Nuke, Flame) Color Color Collective Alex Bickel, colorist; Claudia Guevara, exec producer. Audio Post 750mph Sam Ashwell, sound design & mix; Olivia Ray, audio producer; Kirsten Troy, voice casting director. Music Company Stare Crazy London Contemporary Orchestra, choir. Music Studio Rak Studios
Blinkink has unveiled this richly imaginative stop-motion film for Dior titled A Ride of the Moon, directed by Nina Gantz and Renee Zhan, and voiced by 070 Shake. Conceived as a collaborative triumph of human craft, the film stands as a poetic reminder of the value of handmade artistry in an era increasingly shaped by automation and AI.
Inspired by classical cinema--most notably Georges Méliès’ Voyage dans la Lune--the film for Dior’s Lunar New Year campaign is a baroque-infused journey that blends cinematic language with theatrical illusion. Set within an ornate 18th-century French theatre, it unfolds as a modern fairy tale told through flamboyant design, charming stop-motion animation and playful surrealism.
The film builds around a Lunar New Year story, where a brave little horse’s showdown with a powerful, sassy adversary plays out. While cinematic and ambitious in scope, the film never takes itself too seriously, finding humor in exaggerated performances and clever theatrical tricks.
The horse character is modelled after the Dior horse charm, assembled from sewing components and brought to life through meticulous stop-motion craftsmanship. The Moon appears as a Marie Antoinette-esque figure, who brings humor through an over-the-top performance.
The production embraces old-school theatre mechanics to enhance its sense of wonder. Strings holding up clouds are deliberately visible, trapdoors open in the stage floor and sheets of translucent fabric become shimmering fountains. These visible illusions celebrate the joy of theatrical ingenuity and handmade problem-solving.
The sets were entirely hand-painted and constructed, combining flat, painted backdrops with half-2D, half-3D elements. Layered sets,... Read More
