When Blue Moon Brewing approached the UK’s Blinkink animators for a series of idents for their Belgian beers known for that refreshing twist of orange, craft materials were forefront in the craft brewing company’s mind. We reached out to  Clapham Road Studios where the series was shot to get the low-down on these crafty shoots and they went straight to the source, connecting us with Art Director, Emma-Rose Dade.

“Blue Moon’s job involved different films,” Dade told us, “each focusing on a specific craft material or process. The goal was to explore and showcase the unique qualities and challenges associated with each material.”

Given the brand tagline, Artfully Crafted, this exploration of materials and craft makes perfect visual sense.

“For instance,” she continued, “with ceramics, we molded and shaped clay, capturing its transformation from a soft, pliable state to a hardened final product after firing. Similarly, we explored wool, using techniques like felting and knitting to create textured forms, though maintaining the wool’s integrity during animation was a delicate process.”

The resulting pieces come off as cool and smooth as the beer itself, but we had to guess the making-of wasn’t always so even, which Dade confirmed: “One significant challenge was working with wood, particularly in a scene where (Co-Art Director) Luke had to carve replacements for a wood logo being blown away. Carving against the grain made this especially tricky, as precision was crucial to prevent splitting or chipping.

“Another challenge was making a foam ball resemble the moon, which required extensive experimentation with lighting and surface treatment to achieve the right cratered appearance. Each material presented unique challenges, but the process was incredibly rewarding.”

To learn more about the craftspeople behind these film–and their craft, check out the making-of vid below:

CREDITS
Director: Dan Ojari 
Production Company: Blink Ink 
Art Direction: Emma Rose Dade and Luke George 
Set Builder & Model Maker: Kat Simpson 
Director of Photography: Max Halstead 
Animator: Tony Farquhar-Smith 
Rigger: Chris Gough