Studio AKA, Director Manddy Wyckens Team On "Taming Giants" For On Sportswear

A romantic couple, as well as trail running partners, Katie Schide and Germain Grangier spend an extreme 42 hours in the Alps to finish an epic journey. Their sheer determination shines through as they travel over 188 kilometers and accumulate approximately 14,000 meters of elevation over two summits of more than 4,000m in height. This real-life adventure is captured in a mix of film and animation with additional footage shot by the couple themselves during their heroic expedition.

Swiss sportswear company On teamed with Studio AKA, London, and freelance creative director Simon Brotherson on the four-minute film, which is titled Taming Giants. The mountains are depicted as giants watching with challenging eyes over those who dare to enter their kingdom. However, as the couple proves their determination, expertise and reverence for nature, the mountain giants drop their guard and start to befriend the adventurers.

Director Manddy Wyckens of London’s Studio AKA created the animation, drawing inspiration from the graphic style of 1920s’ travel posters.

“We took a live-action mountaineering challenge and reinterpreted it by adding magical elements to translate the danger, hardships, and the immense forces of nature at play.” said animation director Wyckens. “To do so, we created a very minimal design, a palette in shades of blue and an immense landscape to immerse the viewer within the mountain’s atmosphere.”

Feliciano Robayna, head of sports marketing for On, noted, “This has become the ultimate adventure, resulting in a mammoth achievement by two of the most determined ultra athletes in the world. Katie and Germain have a deep respect and understanding of mountain landscapes, having both studied geology, and the nature that surrounds them. The time devoted to preparing and planning their journey shows the enduring commitment they have towards accomplishing each project with extreme efficiency. We have commissioned a creative adaptation of their story into our own version of events through imaginative animation—our first production of its kind.  Taming Giants is also a film about two talented and competitive athletes, doing what they do best, challenging themselves and pushing their ability to the absolute limits.”