Hannah Jacobs has directed this beautiful and technical spot for AXA Ireland Community Bike Rides scheme. It comes to life animated on the side of a real life bicycle wheel before leaping into full 2D animation.
The film’s unique technique takes inspiration from a zoetrope, a pre-film animation technique using multiple frames viewed inside a spinning cylinder. Transposing this idea onto a bicycle wheel, a “cyclotrope” is created with the animation captured in spinning the wheel. With a stationary camera trained on the wheel and some frame-rate trickery, the effect of animation is achieved.
The film’s unique technique takes inspiration from a zoetrope, a pre-film animation technique using multiple frames viewed inside a spinning cylinder. Transposing this idea onto a bicycle wheel, a “cyclotrope” is created with the animation captured in spinning the wheel. With a stationary camera trained on the wheel and some frame-rate trickery, the effect of animation is achieved.
I was Art Director for the shoot; sourcing brandless bikes, helmets and accessories for 6 adult cyclists; organising printing, cutting, delivery and mounting of cyclotropes onto the hero front bike wheel.
Director: Hannah Jacobs
Live Action Director: Alice Trueman
DoP: Ben Moulden
Art Department: Abdalla Allam & James Daniels
Printing & Cutting: Good Empire
Animation: Harriet Gillian & Thea Glad
Colouring: Natasha Pollack, Katy Wang & Caitlin McCarthy
Comping: Tom Fisher
Sound & Music: Phil Brookes
Production Company: Strange Beast TV
Live Action Director: Alice Trueman
DoP: Ben Moulden
Art Department: Abdalla Allam & James Daniels
Printing & Cutting: Good Empire
Animation: Harriet Gillian & Thea Glad
Colouring: Natasha Pollack, Katy Wang & Caitlin McCarthy
Comping: Tom Fisher
Sound & Music: Phil Brookes
Production Company: Strange Beast TV
IMAGES: Strange Beast TV & Good Empire
