The design and motion team at Mellow Studio in Athens combine cel and 2D digital animation with 3D to craft an energized brand film and backstory for Greek premium tonic and soda brand Three Cents.

Constantinos Kilaris, CD at Mellow Studio: “The biggest creative challenge for this project was striking the right balance in the visual style. We wanted the film to feel vibrant and dynamic but we also needed to avoid it feeling cartoonish or overly dark.

“The key was creating a sophisticated yet energetic aesthetic that would appeal to a more mature audience while capturing the spirit of Three Cents. To achieve this, we focused on using a combination of shadows, blacks, and bright colors in a dynamic interplay.

“The bright colors and fluid animation kept the energy high, while the darker tones helped ground the visuals and prevent them from feeling too playful. This approach helped us maintain a balance between fun and sophistication, ensuring the film would resonate with both the brand’s youthful energy and its premium positioning.
 

“We wanted the film to feel vibrant and dynamic but we also needed to avoid it feeling cartoonish or overly dark.”

 
“From a technical standpoint, we faced the challenge of combining different animation techniques in a way that would make the film feel cohesive and visually striking. One of the key moments in the film, the flavors shot, required a combination of cel animation for the liquid and 3D for the ingredients.

“To make sure the liquid’s movement felt fluid and the depth remained consistent, we used a dummy spline in Cinema 4D to control the camera movement. This allowed us to achieve the right depth and dynamic motion, while keeping the animation seamless.

‘Another challenge was the compositing of the glasses and bottles. Since there were many small details like gradients, fizz particles, and highlights that needed to be adjusted in post-production, we exported single-color channels from TVPaint and handled the final assembly in After Effects.

“This approach allowed us to speed up the process by cutting down on time-consuming cel animation coloring, giving us flexibility for last-minute tweaks and adjustments. By combining these techniques, we were able to maintain the film’s high visual quality and also stay responsive during the final stages of production.”
 
 

 
Client: Three Cents

Agency: Ogilvy Greece
CD: Gianna Katopodi
ACD: Vicky Kalafati, Giannis Sfetsos
Art Director: Sotiris Kizilos
Copywriter: Athina Stillou
Producer: Christina Louisa Mavroudi

Production: Mellow Studio
Director: Mellow Studio
CD: Constantinos Kilaris, Giannis Andritsopoulos
Art Direction/Storyboard : Ioanna Glykou
Animatic: Anthi Vergini
Designer/Illustrator: Ioanna Glykou
Additional Illustration: Bitasi Santos, Anna Yashina, Till Noon
3D Modeling/Texturing/Animation: Giannis Andritsopoulos
Cel Animator: Anthi Vergini, Krisi Zhupali, Peter Hagis, Konstantina Tsigka, Facundo Lopez
2D Animator: Konstantina Tsigka, Giorgos Filaxtos
Compositor: Constantinos Kilaris

Sound Designer: Giannis Andritsopoulos
Voice Over: John Nene