With a labor-intensive mix of in-camera effects, 3D-printed stop-motion, and algorithmic CGI, Blinkink director Balázs Simon showcases “how Olympians push themselves to the extreme” for the BBC Winter Olympics coverage.

Balázs Simon: “I really admire people having the will to push things to the limits. Especially the winter games where they compete in environments that are so different from our usual experiences.

“When I got approached by this project, the biggest question for me was how to portray and live up to that dedication. A good way was to bring the film out to the real world.

“Although most of my work is tied to digital animation, I’m most intrigued by the physical reality and the uncertainties that come with it. In a way, I wanted to find myself in a similar situation as the Olympians: in a foreign, unforgiving place which needs to be conquered.

“This resonated well with our controlling idea: to be able to compete, these people must be made of something different. We wanted to portray them being born into ice and snow and eventually breaking out.”

Watch the making-of video:
 

 

 
Client: BBC

Agency: BBC Creative
Creative Directors: James Cross, Tim Jones
Creatives: Stuart Gittings, Reuben Dangoor

Production: Blinkink
Director: Balázs Simon

Grade: Glassworks

Sound: GAS Music Manchester