In this piece for Christian Vision Global (CVG), we were tasked with conveying the idea that Jesus is a real and relevant person; one who wants to start a meaningful relationship with the viewer. The animation will be used in CVG’s video-sharing app yesHEis.
This required a careful consideration of every detail - from the illustrative style, to the timing and tone of the soundtrack.
Emotive and awe-inspiring illustrations
“The brief was quite specific in that the client wanted it to be emotional and moving,” Jumbla Executive Producer Charlotte Parsons said. “But they didn’t want it to echo the ‘traditional church’ or go too over the top.”
“Therefore, we settled on a low-key, chilled-out narrative combining beautiful illustration and subtle sound design.
“With a high-end, emotive animation like this, we needed to pick the right team. Thankfully, Jimmy and Jeric are superstars in the 2D realm.”
Jimmy’s detailed illustrations of characters and landscapes give the video greater realism, while simultaneously conveying the natural world’s stunning beauty.
“We wanted to make it feel quite personal,” Jumbla Motion Designer Jeric Ilagan said. “We did this by exploring different styles and creating symbolic visuals that tied in with the script.”
The script is framed from the perspective of a yesHEis user, who knows all about the love and friendship Jesus can provide, but doesn’t want to sound too pushy or preachy when explaining this to others.
Handwritten letters, postcards from the other side of the world, and emails were used as narrative devices to support and encourage laid-back conversation among viewers.
Other aspects of the video highlighted the positive effect Jesus could have on current and prospective Christians.
“The client wanted something that was visually beautiful, as well as a piece that would tell a compelling story,” Charlotte said.
Bringing every aspect of animation together
From the outset, CVG had a clear vision of what it wanted to achieve, providing a great deal of creative input, ideas, and inspiration.
“They sent us some really nice illustration examples and loved the work we did with the Wilderness Society,” Charlotte said. “From the the information they provided, we knew that the illustration, timing, and pace was vital - perhaps even more so than in other animations.”
The creative team chose colour palettes and textures that would help viewers build a deeper understanding of what Jesus meant to Christians.
“Using a combination of lens flares, glows, and particle effects, we managed to create a really nice ambience,” Jeric said. “The strong illustration style and well-thought-out transitions add to its distinctiveness.”
Sound design was also key, working alongside the visuals and narrative to rouse a reaction and pull at the heartstrings.
“The client was ecstatic with the final piece,” Charlotte said. “We nailed the brief, stuck to the timeline, and exceeded CV Global’s expectations.”
