Advent Animation 2014 – Dec 9: Rock N’ Rolling Snowman (Francesca Adams)
Say good-bye to Frosty’s magic hat. What brings the snowman to life in Francesca Adams’ holiday music video for musician James Michalos is the singer’s old guitar. Placing it in the snowman’s twiggy arms initiates an all-star Christmas rock concert. Santa is the frontman, Rudolph is antler-banging on the drums, the band is backed by a fully animated holiday ensemble. The simple style focuses on good old fashioned hand-drawn techniques. With all those characters, it’s no surprise the animation took 4 months to complete, which means Francesca was drawing snowmen back in August. Ahhh, the animated life!
Francesca has posted the storyboards on her blog for interested parties, and answers a few questions below:
Rock n’ Rolling Snowman storyboards
Interesting moment, fact or point of inspiration from your production:
It was a lot of fun to get back into the ‘Squash and Stretch’ of animation. One of the first things I did- even before any designs , talks, boards, was animate the snowman having the guitar thrown at him, and him springing to life. It was just an image I really wanted to play with and feel the movement, and it really got me into the project. (for the final version, it was re done though). But Rudolph was by far the most difficult to animate with horns and flailing arms and drums!
What outfit would your snowman wear on Christmas?
He’s a snowman! He’d be naked! Christmas is a nude day for snowmen. (Unless you’re actually made of snow… I’d advise you not to use Christmas as a nude day. Can get awkward with the relatives)
What would you bring to the Global Animator’s Holiday Potluck Party:
I’ve always wanted to make a gingerbread caravan (Instead of house).
What’s one thing you are looking forward to in the new year?
Hmmm… Well lots of things really. First on the list might be a new computer in Jan sales!
#AdventAnimation is a daily showcase of holiday themed animation. If you are working on something with a touch of holiday cheer that will be released sometime between 1 December and Christmas Eve, drop me a note and I will put it into consideration.