Director Reza Dolatabadi and Prodco Madrefoca Launch NOBORDER Studio
April 30, 2025
Back in May of 2014, McDonald’s new Happy Meal Characters were branded as “scary” by the press and the Twittersphere. Looking at this compilation of slap-schtick, minion-like, decidedly non-scary clips of Buck’s work on the character, I can only assume it must have been a very slow news week. [Watch]
Snappy black and white iconography from the DK crew sets the tone for FXX’s sweet and absurdist new original comedy “Man Seeking Woman” starring Jay Baruchel and based on humorist/novelist/screenwriter (and former SNL/Pixar writer) Simon Rich’s book of short stories. [Watch]
Master-storytellers Giant Ant and fellow Vancouverites Taiji Brand Group elevate the profile of a Canadian government rural development initiative with this engaging explainer clip packed with intriguing details painted in a welcoming palette. [Watch]
Math at it’s most hypnotic – created by inventor/designer/artist and Stanford artist in residence John Edmark, “These are 3-D printed sculptures designed to animate when spun under a strobe light. The placement of the appendages is determined by the same method nature uses in pinecones and sunflowers. [Watch]
Impossibly cute stop-motion spot for Japanese beverage brand Maxim Stick using screened powdered chocolate atop 1,000 cups of flavored latte. Make sure to watch the making-of sequence at the end. [Watch]
London director/animator/illustrator/maker Doug Hindson created his low-key (and appropriately) handmade grad film while studying illustration and animation at Kingston University, London to tackle the theme of “our increasing reliance on technology and the disconnect that often results.” [Watch]
The number of job titles may not be complete, but this new spot for job aggregation site Indeed (adapted by HouseSpecial from their award-winning CG short “A Tale of Momentum & Inertia”) is guaranteed to make your uncle Gene chuckle and ask “What the hell’s a compositor?” Agency: Mullen. [Watch]
Intimate and funny first person peek into the very SoCal childhood of Jack Black by Montreal’s graphic artist/animator/director of the moment Nicolas Ménard. With sponsorship from Google Play, California Sunday Magazine commissioned the clip as part of their “California Inspires Me” project. [Watch]
If your current job reeks of a certain Kafka-ness, this animated short may be just what you need. Fresh off a successful festival run, “Lost Cubert” was created by Jim Schmidt, Felix Fischer and Carolin Schramm while studying at Hochschule RheinMain in Wiesbaden, Germany. [Watch]
Intriguing look at the silent animation and VFX gems housed in UCLA’s Film & Television Archive. Part of the Fig. 1 series produced by University of California. [Watch]
A combination of puppetry from Jonny & Will at Blinkink and CG from MPC (created from a range of nature and bird references) elevates Dougal Wilson‘s new IKEA spot for Mother into the first major-league awards threat of 2015. [Watch]
Feeling a smidge nervous about what 2015 holds for you? This new year’s greeting from creative director Herve Lopez, animator Benjamin Joret and illustrator Veronique Dorey from Paris prodco Lord of Barbès should help. Or not. [Watch]
Clever concept from Leo Burnett plus snappy design, direction and animation by Buck propelled by an impossibly happy track by Mozella (who also wrote Wrecking Ball) “asks even the worst of arch enemies to put down the gloves and bring in the hugs in this all out love fest for McDonald’s.” [Watch]
Tel Aviv-based Nomint director Eric Lerner introduces his latest 3D character living in the real world: a yellow skater dude with strange artistic powers and existentialist issues named Gabriel. Eric Lerner: “This introduction showcases Gabriel’s world and some of my ideas of what is possible within it. [Watch]
