Three flipped tales that made a car feature come alive by showing happy endings falling apart in reverse.

BACKWARDS STORIES

VAUXHALL

Role

  • CD, Art Director, Copywriter

Agency

  • Mrm/ McCann UK

To showcase the benefits of the Astra’s reverse parking camera, we created “Backwards Stories”. A series of three animated films that tell classic tales in reverse.

Each film starts with the familiar happy ending, then rewinds back to the characters’ humble (and often miserable) beginnings, turning the idea of “going backwards” into a playful and unexpected narrative device.

I worked as CD and both specialist of Art Direction and Copywriting, to led the creative collaboration across three different animation studios in three countries, ensuring a cohesive visual and narrative approach while celebrating each studio’s craft. 

 

  • SILVER Cannes Lions 2019
  • 2 x SILVER Epica
  • 5 x BRONZE LIA
  • SILVER CICLOPE
  • BRONZE CLIO
  • ONE SHOW Merit
  • 3 BRONZE Eurobest

«Reimagining classic tales to highlight a new Vauxhall feature as never told before».

The Cinderella

• Gabriel Nobrega  Director

• Lee Peffer  Animation Director 
• Felipe Jornada – Art Director
• Lucas Andrés Barreto –  Photography
• Jerome Saravá – Animation Supervisor

 

Produced by Vetor Zero Studio  (Brazil)

«In a kingdom where the slipper flies back to her foot and the carriage shrinks into a pumpkin, Cinderella stumbles through a series of backward misadventures.»

The Ugly Duckling

Produced by MACH Studio (Spain)

 Rafael Merino – Head of Art
Victor Llorente – Technical Director
Pablo Camarero – Art Director
Álvaro Rebollo – VFX Director
Beatriz Orellana – Modeling & Look 

“In a quiet world where ripples pull themselves back to shore and wings fold before they ever beat, the lonely swan drifts through its own set of gentle, backward misadventures.”

Jack and the Magic Beans

Producedy by Coffee and TV (UK)

Martin Allen – Creative Director
• Jonny Grew – Creative Director
• Josh George – Character Design
• Catherine Elvidge, Adam Lindsay, Adrian Russel – CG & Animation 
• Steve Waugh – Art Director 

«In a land where the beanstalk coils back into the earth and the giant’s roar rewinds into a distant murmur, Jack tumbles through a string of backward mishaps».

«A visually bold execution that elevates cinematic storytelling that transforms narrative into art.”

The making off

The making of the campaign was its own little fairy tale.

Three studios with completely different styles had to work as one. One team focused on the emotional storytelling, another on the visual craft and animation logic, and the third on the seamless backward choreography that tied everything together.

Vetor Zero / LOBO (Brazil)

Handled “Cinderella”, providing direction, rigging, modelling, 3D animation and look-development, building the entire visual world for that film.

Mach Studio (Madrid) 

Was responsible for “The Ugly Duckling”: modelling, VFX, look-dev, animation and final compositing to achieve its distinct style.

Coffee & TV (London)

Delivered full animation, 3D CG, character-design, modelling, lighting and compositing for “Jack & The Beanstalk”.

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