Parachute Showcases Colorful Food Fare and NYC Denizens in Animated Film for City Harvest
NYC-based boutique VFX company Parachute highlights a host of nutritious culinary goods for a good cause in a vivid, new animated spot that promotes hometown food rescue and distribution nonprofit, City Harvest.
Working in partnership with NYC innovation company Makeable, the campaign, which launched November 17th, bucks the serious, distressed tone of most philanthropic and hunger-related campaigns with an optimistic, inspirational look at helping to feed the residents of NYC. The uplifting and iconic imagery represents hope in City Harvest’s mission to nourish the city and its people; it’s a big departure from typical work in this category – one that’s about the solution and not about the problem.
Parachute helped bring Makeable’s design-driven idea and campaign to life through a colorful, iconic animated film, which aims to rally and encourage all New Yorkers to support the city and its people by becoming involved with City Harvest. “This animated approach and its message focus on the hope, positivity and optimism of City Harvest ” Parachute VFX Producer Nicole Melius explains, “and the daily impact the organization and its supporters have on our fellow New Yorkers in need.”
The City Harvest effort came together in rather quick succession. In just a month’s time, Parachute – led by Founder/VFX Supervisor Sam O’Hare and Lead Animator/Designer Anthony Ferrara – fine-tuned and finalized timing, animatics and animation for this pro bono project, which emphasizes the organization’s campaign message, “Let’s Gather Together to Feed NYC.”
The City Harvest project continues Parachute’s commitment to green initiatives and giving back to the community. Melius expands on the project and describes how rewarding and collaborative the experience was. “City Harvest is so friendly and helpful – it’s one thing to donate time and money to a good cause, it’s another to work with people who are so appreciative and positive of that donated time/work. We really found it incredible to see how many people were willing to donate their time, lower their rates and jump in on something fun and creative like this video.”
Makeable’s campaign coincides with City Harvest’s 35th year in operation, and will launch across OOH,
digital/social, radio and TV. The strategy and creative approach developed by the company is just the first step in this initiative; using the approach more broadly across programs, social media, activations and experiences is planned down the line in 2018.
Downloads:
Credits:
Client: City Harvest
Agency: Makeable
Creative Team: Michael Kantrow
Creative Team: Sam Kantrow
Creative Team: Ryan Fleming
Creative Team: Brian Flatow
VFX Company: Parachute
Executive Producer: Sara Eolin
VFX Supervisor: Sam O’Hare
VFX Producer: Nicole Melius
Lead Animation Artist: Anthony Ferrara
Post Production Assistant: Alana Casto
About Parachute:
Parachute is a NYC-based boutique visual effects company founded by artist, Sam O’Hare. Sam comes from a background in architecture and design in England, which helped propel him into the world of photo-realistic CGI production here in the US. We’re here for it all, and everything in between. We’re smart, nimble, detailed, and can make a pretty exceptional cocktail (both through actuality or through extensive knowledge in fluid sims).