The FWA (Favourite Website Awards) has published a thorough list of sites it honors, with A Girl Story (Site of the Day, July 29, 2010) listed as a winning example in the following category:
Small, yet simple, ideas with big impact (viral)
Click here to view the full list of Work We Award
LITTLE RED ROBOT helmed the site’s donation-based animated series, and is represented for directing assignments by Beef Films.
In November of 2009, Seth Shukovsky, Creative Director at LITTLE RED ROBOT, was approached with a very special request: Scott Goodson, CCO of New York ad agency STRAWBERRYFROG, was doing a project on behalf of the Mahindra Foundation, and wanted to know if LRR would be interested in collaborating. Shukovsky didn’t waste one second contemplating his response.
“When the founder and ECD of a global agency calls you, and asks you if you want to co-creative direct one of his campaigns…you say yes, and do it!” Shukovsky recalls.
“I’ve always had a great admiration for the fresh inspired work done by STRAWBERRYFROG,” he adds. “It’s great to have another solid offering in their rich legacy of highly visual and culturally moving work.”
The project resulting from their collaboration is a donation-based, animated film series called “A Girl Story,” told through the eyes of Tarla, a young girl who simply wants to go to school and receive an education. Tarla’s story progresses as viewers provide donations, unlocking a new chapter each time a certain amount of donations are met. The funds are sent directly to the Nanhi Kali program, which provides education to underprivileged girls in India.
“The first part of the project was writing, and concepting, concepting, concepting,” Shukovsky says. Art direction was also of great importance, he says, “knowing we wanted to use animation, fleshing out the visual journey while creating the story and concept.” Eve Weinberg, Art Director at LRR, was instrumental in this process. “It’s Eve’s singular talent that really pushed this campaign to look so amazing,” Shukovsky says of Weinberg, who helped flesh out the story and oversaw details of the production, including hand illustrating every asset used in the campaign.
“We decided to go with this emotional, color rich illustration and 2D animation technique,” Shukovsky explains. “We felt it captured the spirit of the story and allowed us a simple but effective mechanism to deliver it. We had teams of 2D animators working on this, and without them, (music and sound company) Barking Owl, and our programmers, none of this would have been possible. I think this is another great example of how LITTLE RED ROBOT is truly a collaborator to our agency partners. We come up with innovative ideas and see them through to completion.”
A Girl Story was a project that needed to be both artistic and moving, a challenge LLR was more than ready to face.
“LRR provided excellent and extremely talented options that made the process painless,” says STRAWBERRYFROG’s Goodson. “We only work with the best, and we prefer those that are challenging the status quo, as well as standing for creative excellence. Seth and his team at LLR represent this fully. They have an incredible collection of cinematic illustrators and storytellers who can bring ideas to life with fluidity and color. The creative process was totally collaborative, open mined and both SFrog and LRR were aiming to create something that was never done before.”
Though still ongoing, A Girl Story has already received a great deal of positive attention, including winning Site of the Day honors on The Favourite Website Awards (FWA). Praise for the project has also centered around its distinctive style and approach. “People talk a lot about this innovation and the idea,” Goodson says. “They also talk about the innocence in execution, and they love the feel and look of the work.” Now 100% unlocked, the effort has raised over $5,000 dollars to help the girls of Nanhi Kali.
Josh Greenspan, Creative Director at STRAWBERRY FROG” Working with Little Red Robot was a truly collaborative and rewarding process. We came up with creative solutions together, shared ideas openly and pushed forward as one to create an extraordinary piece of communication.”
Corinna Falusi, Creative Director at STRAWBERRYFROG, says that the project’s success is due in part to “the unique illustrations style and animation technique as it sets the tone for the whole campaign. LRR and their partners created the graphic hand made 2D Style illustrations—a layered look that gives a sophisticated, yet playful feel, while reflecting India’s culture.”
Margaux Ravis, Executive Producer at StrawberryFrog, concurs.”While the company has a diversity of styles available, what I really liked was that they tapped into the heart of Tarla with their illustrations and in doing so, gave her story even more heart. The number one comment I hear about the work itself is that people love its purity and simplicity, but also find it poetic and eloquent,” she notes. “The donation-based platform reminds people that it doesn’t take much to help girls like Tarla – and that every bit helps.”
“I would say this is a truly innovate interactive film experience.” Shukovsky says. “It’s simple, but stunningly effective. It still gives me chills when I see the story animate from Youtube player to Youtube player.”
About A Girl Story:
A Girl Story is a unique donation-based film series that brings to life the experience of many underprivileged girls in India. This particular story is told through the eyes of Tarla, a young girl who simply wants to go to school and receive an education. Whether she succeeds, however, is completely up to you. Tarla’s story will progress only by audience donations unlocking new chapters within the YouTube film series, just as each girl at Project Nanhi Kali depends on donors to progress, stay in school, and complete her education. Please see nanhikali.org for more information.
Credits
Title: A GIRL STORY
Advertiser/Client: K.C. MAHINDRA EDUCATION TRUST
Product/Service: PROJECT NANHI KALI
Advertising Agency: STRAWBERRYFROG New York, USA
Chief Creative Officer: Scott Goodson
Creative Director: Corinna Falusi/Josh Greenspan/Seth Shukovsky
Writers: Josh Greenspan, Seth Shukovsky, Eve Weinberg
Executive Producer: Margaux Ravis
Agency Producer: Susan Liao/Kris Seto
Account Manager: Britta Schell
Production Company: LITTLE RED ROBOT San Francisco, USA
Director: Little Red Robot
Art Director: Eve Weinberg
Illustrator: Eve Weinberg
Animation: Felipe Vellasco/Leandro Beltra/Michael Wilson/Pavin Wongvises/Rinee Shaw/ Ben Adam/Fabio Marche/Brian Hayes/Journey Moses
Producer: Joseph Segrove
Editor: Seth Shukovsky
Web Development: Sean Moroney, Seth Shukovsky
Music + Sound: Barking Owl (Michael Anastasi/Kelly Fuller)
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