“It’s about making something better,” says director Yves Geleyn. “McDonald’s wanted to communicate how they’re always working to...
“It’s about making something better,” says director Yves Geleyn. “McDonald’s wanted to communicate how they’re always working to make a Happy Meal better, which can be told quite functionally, but we wanted to tell the story with some charm.”nnThe 60-second spot – created alongside Leo Burnett London – follows a group of miniature men and women on a journey through the idyllic British countryside as they improve the Happy Meal’s contents. “We played with scale and proportion,” says Yves. “I liked the idea of these little characters working to make the box, which remains true to size, better.”nnIt took Yves and his team of fifty people 12 weeks to bring the spot to life, building six sets, as well as 3D-printing and hand-painting hundreds of characters. “It’s filmed almost entirely using stop motion, which I love,” says Yves. “A lot of miniature work is now done with CGI. Stop motion possesses an authenticity, a human touch, that adds so much to a story. It allows you to create something whimsical that is grounded in something authentic.”nnThe spot, which will launch in the UK on March 18th, was produced at Hornet’s stage in Brooklyn. It represents an ongoing partnership between Hornet and the talented mixed-media director, whose technical and narrative technique has been recognized on both sides of the Atlantic.n_nKnown for his human approach to storytelling, Yves Geleyn uses a variety of techniques to create evocative, memorable narratives. He has worked with the NSPCC, Motorola, Kellogg’s, ESPN and John Lewis, who he created the award-winning The Bear and The Hare spot for.nDirector: Yves Geleyn nnHornet Inc. nExecutive Producer: Hana Shimizu nHead of Production: Greg BedardnDevelopment Producer: Kristin Labriola nProducer: Marty GerennLive Action Producer: Joel Kretschman nDirector of Photography: Toby Howell nSupervising Technical Director: Sang-Jin Bae nEditor: Stephanie Andreou nProduction Coodinator: Erika Bettencourt nTechnical Director: Juan Carlos Cuadra nStoryboard Artists: Carlos Ancalmo, Yves Geleyn nDesigners: Yves Geleyn, Anna Bron nCompositors: John Mattiuzzi, John Harrison, Kit Lam, XiaoXiao Tang, Ted Wiggin, Craig Nowicki nLead CG: Juan Carlos Cuadra, Dan Fine nModeling: Dave Soto, Kintan Chauhan, Juan Carlos Cuadra nTexturing: Juan Carlos Cuadra, Dan Fine, Susie Hong nRigging: Lee Wolland, Michael Altman nLighting & Rendering: Juan Carlos Cuadra, Dan Fine, Susie Hong nCG Animators: Bill Burg, Nick Johanides, Andrew Boccio nPre-Viz: Bill Burg, Nick Johanides, Andrew Boccio nCG Layout Artist: Nick Johanides, Bill Burg nMatte Painter: Patrick O'Keefe n2d Animators: Tavet Gilson, Nivedita SekarnMotion Control Operator: Anthony JacquesnGaffer: Michael YetternElectric: Chris Clarke, Casey WoodennKey Grip: Jeremy RodriqueznGrip: Rick MorrisonnStop Motion Animators: Pete List, Matt Christensen, Maxwell SorensennArt Director: Elise FergusonnFabricators: Tim McDonalds, Peter Erickson, Matt Christensen, Hillary Barton, Matt McGlade, Ben Kress, Kelsey Knight Mohr, Nellie Davis, Ester Kislin, Casey Follen, Connie Chan, Kerry Coutu, Alex Russi, Royal JarmonnInterns: Kelsey Brewer, Madow TsainnAgency: Leo Burnett UK nAgency Producer: Bruce Macrae nAgency Creative Directors: Rik Brown and Jon Fox nAgency Creatives: Matt Collier and Wayne Robinson nAgency Account Director: Sarah Kay nAgency Account Manager: Alisa McQuaid nMusic & Sound Design: Ant Food nVO Artist: Philip Glenister Less