We love telling genuine stories and we love The Doughnut Vault, so we made a short film documenting the sights and sounds of our neighbor’s new shop – just up the street from us on Franklin.
Our team was enlisted to help tell the story, using animation and live-action, of an eight-year-old boy who had been abandoned by his parents and with the help of a CASA volunteer, adopted into a loving family. The spot makes use of an imaginary world of paper cut-outs which place the boy and the volunteer firmly in the center of a whirlwind of court proceedings, lawyers and multiple foster homes.
Mode Project was presented with this opportunity via design studio Thirst/Chicago on behalf of EPIC (Engaging Philanthropy Inspiring Creatives), an organization which helps top-tier creative talent join forces with nonprofit clients. “Mode Project totally made Kelly Butler’s script come to life in this incredible video hybrid that is obviously digital but remarkably analog in spirit. I love this Mode brand of innocence!” said Thirst’s founder and design director, Rick Valicenti.
Credits:
Agency: EPIC
Agency Liaison: Thirst/Chicago, Rick Valicenti
Writer: Kelly Butler
Production Company: Mode Project
CG Modeling and Animation: Mode Project
Director of Photography: Derick Smith
Stylist: Pamela Dawn
Music: The Mayfair Workshop
Sound Design: Vagabond Audio
To promote the *ecko brand watch, Niche, for in-store and web use, our designers take you on a journey of the inner workings of what make the Nitch tick. Production, direction, design, animation and music by Mode project.
After casting Chicago’s own Steven St. John, aka, Stytches, he became the muse for this piece as our 3D designers created an industrial environment complete with over-sized sewing machines, schematic animations, and stylized street-ware. “Stytches” became successful branded integration for in-store and web use for *ecko.
Yes, it was as cold as it looks while shooting this promo for the documentary, “Ballhawks.” We took advantage of the blizzard conditions, strapped on our snow pants, and headed out to Wrigley. We finally thawed out back at Mode Project during the edit. You can stay up to date with the film at ballhawksmovie.com .
“Puppetry is what Mode Project does best.” That’s not a real quote, but we really did have a great time creating the frenetic world of a Japanese Game Show as seen from the perspective of a miniature Kellogg’s Corn Pop. When our friends at Leo Burnett came to us with the assignment to create web content, they gave us free reign to handcraft each element of the set, choreograph the stunts, design the on-screen graphics and shoot away to our heart’s content. It’s unknown whether or not they expected us to come up with such gems as “It’s Splashtime!.” Pure genius, I tell you.
Razorfish needed web content for the AT&T “Digital Lifestyle Center.” Mode Project handled the live action production, editorial, and motion design for this series of AT&T product demos. Fast-forward a few months and the site gets nominated for a SXSW Interactive Festival Web Award in the Motion Graphics category. Boo yah!
Mode Project can throw one hell of a party! If you weren’t there, we’re sorry you missed it. We completely branded and designed the Chicago Table Tennis Classic. It had everything you’d want: free food, free liquor, free swag and hours of sweaty table tennis action. Combine all that with closed-circuit video feeds, motion design and live video mixing and you might consider TIVO-ing “Two and Half Men” the next time we host an event.
Working with Razorfish, Mode Project produced, directed, and edited all video content for the Planter’s “Manstincts” website (which was promoted during Planter’s super bowl ad). No need for a prop shop since Mode Project employees lent items from home to create the typical suburban garage setting for the shoot. A set of clamps and a pair of bolt cutters still remain missing.