Working with Brighton design and branding firm Studio Makgill, character animation specialists Form Play convey the joyfulness and well-being at the center of UK student accommodation brand Joint Living.

Mark Davis and Catharine Pitt at Form Play: “As part of a full rebrand (naming and strategy included), Studio Makgill reached out to us to design and animate a suite of characters for Joint. Over time, this has developed into an animation promoting the benefits of the brand.

“Joint plays an important role in bringing students together by fostering diversity within its communities. The characters sit within the visual language created by the team at Studio Makgill and are a celebration of individuality, attitudes and strong identities.
 

“Capturing the essence of a character is important, especially for static illustrations. With Joint, we were able to emphasize these characteristics further through animated loops.”

 
“Capturing the essence of a character is important, especially for static illustrations. With Joint, we were able to emphasize these characteristics further through animated loops — from candid moments, to a little show of sass — small movements that bring both energy and playfulness to the brands communications.

“The majority of our animations start with a rough ‘pencil pass’ in TVPaint, which enables us to work through the key poses and timings. This then becomes our guide during the production / clean-up stage – in this instance, within After Effects.”
 
 

 
Client: Joint Living

Design/direction: Studio Makgill
Naming/strategy: Alt

Illustration/animation: Form Play