FlickerLab, the New York-based development, design and animation studio, has created a pair of Flash animated :30s and a :15 open for Comedy Central, sponsored by www.autotrader.com, the ultimate automotive marketplace. The spots, “The Greatest Car Ever” and “More Cars,” air on Comedy Central during April National Car Care Month (NCCM), a nationwide effort by businesses, civic groups, the government and the media, the goal of which is to advance the benefits of cleaner air, energy conservation, safer roads, and consumer savings through proper car maintenance.

In the first spot, our spokes-character Bruce (voiced by actor Benjamin Ellis Fine) points out some of the features of ‘The Greatest Car Ever’: the power windows, power locks, power cup holder, ejector seat, a sun roof with a moon rood inside?‚àö√묨‚àÇit even kills monster-trucks and eats their transmissions (thereby gaining their power) and, of course, was found on autotrader.com. In ‘More Cars’ Bruce details the cars he has driven and why he doesn’st drive them anymore, including his parents station wagon with wood paneling on the side (destroyed by termites), a green hatchback he bought at a yard sale (which didn’st make it home), a slow car (powered by a caged gerbil on its treadmill), the pimp car (which wasn’st pimped for him), a clown car (long story), and a van (oddly, termites again). But now he drives the perfect car for him which he found on autotrader.com.

FlickeLab Max Porter, who served as Animation Director, Designer, Storyboard Artist and Lead Animator, explained the animation process. ‘For these cartoon shorts promoting the ultimate online solution for buying and selling used cars and trucks, Comedy Central wanted a home-cooked, sketchbook-look with as little animation as possible – essentially, to have still drawings imply movement. Punches of color were used to lead your eye through the composition and to keep the spots vibrant and vital. The images were composed to tell the stories, quickly and clearly.’

Comedy Central Writer/Producer Rob Sosin added, ‘I wanted something ?‚àö√ë‚àö‚â§doodley,’s ?‚àö√ë‚àö‚â§cartoony’s in which all the frames had some action. Instead of animation between frames we went from frame to frame almost slideshow-like. We utilized comic strip gestures ?‚àö√ë‚àö¬® stars for pain, smoke over foreheads for anger, beads of swweat jumping off brows, dotted lines to show where a character was looking, etc, These tricks and squiggly colors kept frames active and moving. Max was great. We sketched out stuff and then Max ran with it. He was a great collaborator and I plan to work with FlickerLab again very soon.’

The FlickerLab team included Creative Director Harold Moss; Executive Producer Tammy Walters; Animation Director, Designer, Storyboard Artist and Lead Animator Max Porter; Colorists Chris Siemasko, Tom Smolenski, Simon Ampel and Nicholas Bertonazzi; After Effects Artist Brian Cox; Senior Producer Melissa Johnson and Coordinator Scott Brewster.

FlickerLab utilized Adobe After Effects, Photoshop and Illustrator; Macromedia Flash and Dreamweaver; Panic Transmit (file transfer software); PowerMac G5 Computers; iMac Intel Computers; Apple Display 20′ displays; Dell Ultrasharp 24′ widescreen displays; Wacom Intuos 3 tablets; and Wacom Cintiq tablets in the execution of this project.

Representing Comedy Central (New York, NY) were Creative Director Chris Scarlatta and Writer/Producer Rob Sosin.

About FlickerLab:
Founded in 1999 as a design and animation studio, today FlickerLab principals, long-term collaborators and strategic partners employ their skills, technology and industry experience on a variety of projects be they concept-to-screen development and production, design and execution of commercials or broadcast promotions. In addition to high quality creative digital content development, FlickerLab works with clients to extend their project reach through advertising, Internet impact, online marketing, and merchandising.

The company portfolio includes high profile work for media and entertainment companies including A&E Networks, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery Home, Disney Channel, Lifetime, Lions Gate Productions, Michael Moore Productions, MTV, Nickelodeon, Planned Parenthood, The Cartoon Network and The WB, and product/service companies including Bassat Ogilvy, Continental Airlines, Grey Worldwide, Johnson & Johnson, McCann Erickson, Microsoft, Party City and Procter & Gamble, among many others.

FlickerLab is headquartered at 7 West 18th Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10011. For additional information, or to see a reel, contact Managing Partner/Executive Producer Tammy Walters at [email protected] or by phone at 212 560-9228. Visit the FlickerLab website at www.flickerlab.com

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Credit Sheet:

Airdate: Comedy Central during April National Car Care Month
Title: Comedy Central/Autotrader.com
Length: two :30 and a :15 open

Description: In the first spot, our spokes-character Bruce points out some of the features of ‘The Greatest Car Ever’: the power windows, power locks, power cup holder, ejector seat, a sun roof with a moon rood inside?‚àö√묨‚àÇit even kills monster-trucks and eats their transmissions (thereby gaining their power) and, of course, was found on autotrader.com. In ‘More Cars’ Bruce details the cars he has driven and why he doesn’st drive them anymore, including his parents station wagon with wood paneling on the side (destroyed by termites), a green hatchback he bought at a yard sale (which didn’st make it home), a slow car (powered by a caged gerbil on its treadmill), the pimp car (which wasn’st pimped for him), a clown car (long story), and a van (oddly, termites again). But now he drives the perfect car for him which he found on autotrader.com.

Production Company: FlickerLab
City/State: New York, NY
Creative Director: Harold Moss
Executive Producer: Tammy Walters
Senior Producer: Melissa Johnson
Animation Director/Designer/Storyboard/Lead Animator: Max Porter
Colorists: Chris Siemasko, Tom Smolenski, Simon Ampel, Nicholas Bertonazzi
After Effects: Brian Cox
Coordinator: Scott Brewster

Hardware/Software:
Adobe ?Äì After Effects, Photoshop, Illustrator
Macromedia ?Äì Flash, Dreamweaver
Panic ?Äì Transmit (file transfer software)
PowerMac G5 Computers
iMac Intel Computers
Apple Display 20′ displays
Dell Ultrasharp 24′ widescreen displays
Wacom ?Äì Intuos 3 tablets
Wacom ?Äì Cintiq tablets

Client: Company: Comedy Central
City/State: New York, NY
Creative Director: Chris Scarlatta
Writer/Producer: Rob Sosin