I partnered with FCB and Nathan Love to direct two short films on the topic of Schizophrenia, a disorder that affects a person’s ability to think, feel, and behave clearly. Each of these films tells the true story of a real person’s struggle, perseverance, and eventual triumph over terrifying circumstances. In a time when there is still so much stigma surrounding mental health disorders, I’m happy we were able to provide a platform for real patients to share their experiences, and to spread awareness about the treatment options available to those suffering.
View “Out of the Dark” and “Special Powers” below, followed by a case study outlining our process, including a trove of concept art, motion tests, and alternate concept explorations, as well as illustrations from the accompanying print campaign.
Client: Janssen Pharmaceuticals
Agency: FCB
Production Company: Aardman Nathan Love
Executive Producer: Jon O'Hara
Producer: Allison Robinson, Anna Toyama
Executive Creative Director: Joe Burrascano
Director: Chris Carboni
Design: Chris Carboni, Sarah Orenstein, Sam Ballardini
2D Animation Lead: Andy Kennedy
2D Animators: Peter Ahern, Hao Li, Chris Carboni, Will Pittas, Zack Williams, Zack Lydon, Amy Xu, Dana Wulfkotte
3D Animators: Andy Kennedy, Zack Williams
Modeling: Jin Fang Jiang
Editors: Chris Carboni, Asher Horowitz
Below you’ll find a collection of concept art created for “Out of the Dark”. Because the subject matter we were dealing with was so heavy in tone, the films called for a design aesthetic that felt appropriately bold. Those suffering from Schizophrenia often struggle to discern reality from hallucination, and I wanted to find a way to echo that disorientation through our artwork. The idea was to develop an illustration approach that integrated lots of different elements (loose gesture drawings, splashy paint strokes, heavily treated photographic elements, and plenty of tactile texture) and to have those elements constantly shifting and interacting with each other in service of an overall style that felt energized and alive - almost as though it were created by many hands at once.
My original vision for these films was a lot darker and more surreal than where we landed. And there were a lot of story moments inspired by Deborah and Jason’s true life experiences that unfortunately just never made it into the final films. Here are some of my early ideas and attempts at capturing those moments.
Following the success of the two films, I was asked to create a series of illustrations depicting Deborah and Jason’s lives after seeking treatment.