Focusing on the positive experiences of ex-service personnel.
The people that interact with Unforgotten Forces are all intrinsically linked by their past experiences. Our vision is to tap into that shared connection and engage the target audience by focusing on the positive aspects of those experiences. The moments that made them feel like they were part of a team, a brotherhood, the moments that were spectacular, breath-taking and utterly unforgettable for the right reasons.
I developed the concept of the films and worked with illustrator Kimberly Carpenter of Thunder & Icecream, to elevate singular moments in time. By injecting subtle movement, the intention is to make each character's set piece feel like a single moment from their past that they are recalling in the present, showing how being in a certain place or situation can bring back powerful memories and feelings.
Part of this projects challenge was creating an animated ocean that perfectly matched the style of Kimberly's visual style. By using appropriate toon shaders and simulating an ocean surface in 3D software, a beautiful rendering of illustrated waves was achieved.
For the second animation, we proposed playing on the idea of the main character being a shadow of their former self. We play on this idea in a literal way where his shadow takes the shape of his former role in the armed forces. A silhouette in uniform. In an abstract way, the shadow also conveys the characters feelings throughout, at first seeming very gloomy, casting far, long and dark before he turns a corner and the darkness of his shadow fades. By the end our character is happy, bright, colourful and back to being like himself.