Scholar Races Down “The Rabbit Hole” for Castrol

In their first collaboration with UK reps Friends Electric, CD William Campbell and the Scholar crew stir up a whirlwind of 2D and 3D adrenalin for Castrol’s Edge synthetic engine oil.

Scholar CD William Campbell: “This concept intrigued us because it was a story that could only be told in animation, and we wanted to push the medium to its limits.”

Scholar AD Alex Bernas: “This was about showing the explosiveness that the product gives to the consumer. The environments are all inspired by the streaks of speed visible out the window of a fast-moving car and were used to create depth and send the viewer into warp speed as the brand colors culminate in an eruption of energy.”

Scholar AD Michael Cafarelli: “We extensively utilized reflections so everything in the traditionally cel-animated environment could be reflected on the 3D objects. This allowed the icons to not just float above the vortex, but instead drive through it.”

Watch the behind-the-scenes video:
 


 
Castrol The Rabbit Hole commercial by Scholar | STASH MAGAZINE

Castrol The Rabbit Hole commercial by Scholar | STASH MAGAZINE

Castrol The Rabbit Hole commercial by Scholar | STASH MAGAZINE
 
Client: Castrol

Agency: The Brooklyn Brothers
Producer: Sam Dowling

Production: Friends Electric
Director: Scholar
Design/Animation: Scholar
Creative Director: William Campbell
Art Directors: Alex Bernas, Michael Cafarelli, Wu Hyun Lew
Managing Director/EP: Anne Skopas
EP: Kate Aspell
Head of Production: Nakia Cooper
Senior Producer: Andrew Rindlaub
Designer: Ana Chang, Danni Fisher-Shin, Zach Herdman, Irma Hasanic, Madison Kelly, Susie Scheer, Amy Wallace, Kyle Fewell
Cel Animator: Alex Bernas, Olivia Blanc, Lyuben Dimitrov, Michael Relth, Julia Simas
3D Lead: Tim Hayward
3D Generalists: Michael Cafarelli, Vin Kim, Jay Kim, Jeffrey ‘Jip’ Jeong
Model/Texture Artist: David Martin
3D Animator: Han Hu, Stephen van Wyk, Sarah Wolfe
Compositor: Sam Bachman, Jeffrey ‘Jip’ Jeong
Storyboard artist: Fred Fassberger
Editor: Sam Bachman

Composer/Sound Design: Hyde Music