Neil Stubbings’ cinematic and character-driven approach to storytelling joins forces with the importance of factual medical information, creating a magical match made on Planet Eye.
Brief
Approached by BBH to craft something totally out of this world, and not just for the world of traditional Pharma advertising, Neil was brought onto the project for VABYSMO eye medication for his masterful skills at creating 3D universes that his weird, funny and visceral characters inhabit.
Designing a surreal and intricate ‘Planet Eye’ filled with unique comedic and informative characters, Neil set out to create a cast that deliver important information in an engaging way and a hero that embodies the product itself.
World-building
Building a vast world that is both beautiful and slightly unsettling, Neil applied his signature craftsmanship to every element of the environment.
From the strange plant life, to the surreal and fleshy landscapes, the environment is built on references to the surface of the eye, including a tour vehicle with mutant cone cells and a certain sliminess. With vibrant kaleidoscopic colours creating a sense of wonder and further adding to the off-kilter and underlying dark tone of the film, great care was taken to ensure it is understood that the film is directed at adults.
Character Design
From the upbeat guide accompanying the tour group on the trip, to the hero Vabysmo itself, Neil’s passion for character design shines through in the detailed and expressive interpretation of the microorganisms.
Frequent fixtures of Neil’s animations, his characters have a vibrancy and humorous sensibility that is unmistakably human and take his films beyond the ordinary.
Approach
This film combined all the elements of animation direction that Neil loves, odd and unusual characters, elaborate world building, and the opportunity to tell a slightly absurd story. Neil also jumped at the chance to embrace a script for an industry that traditionally sticks to ‘safe’ advertising and inject life and colour into it, breaking the mould and crafting something with lasting impact.
Sound by Box of Toys audio.
