Help to Grow
I was commissioned to create a Christmas advert-style animation for the HMT's Help to Grow campaign.
Illustration, Animation
Services
HM Treasury
Client
2022
Year
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/adc1f1_ca27376c584840cab2c9188d4f83371cf000.jpg/v1/fill/w_160,h_90,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/adc1f1_ca27376c584840cab2c9188d4f83371cf000.jpg)
The request for this animated feature was that it felt like a Christmas advert with a narrative that wouldn't seem out of place alongside the likes of John Lewis and Aldi, only based on a specific government policy. With the animation style, we wanted to create a feeling of nostalgia amongst viewers, a theme often familiar in Christmas adverts.
After brainstorming potential narratives and settling on one we liked, I drafted this animatic to test how well the narrative comes across, as the story was to be communicated without an words. After some pacing adjustments this above was the final version that set the stills and the pace for the animation.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/adc1f1_94f254842899435d9db21a965c55467d~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_980,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/adc1f1_94f254842899435d9db21a965c55467d~mv2.png)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/adc1f1_94f254842899435d9db21a965c55467d~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_980,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Stills.png)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/adc1f1_80d9d4ba08164c32a48de71652a29349~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_551,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Christmas%20Animation%20Stills-02.png)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/adc1f1_b85798ae832747ebbefbfd6e79e7e23a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_551,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Christmas%20Animation%20Stills_Other%20Side%20of%20the%20Street.png)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/adc1f1_3c2f694c7c644cc9b9c7d47401c7fa2c~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_1442,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-11-27%20at%2021_17_25.png)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/adc1f1_3c2f694c7c644cc9b9c7d47401c7fa2c~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_1442,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-11-27%20at%2021_17_25.png)
Workflow
The creation of this project was done entirely on a MacBook Pro.
When working in large consolidated animation files the software's ability to playback footage for preview was greatly hampered. when paired with the ever-diminishing memory capacity created the perfect storm of computing issues.
When faced with this problem, unable to upgrade the hardware we opted to purchase external hard drives to boost the software's ability to cache render previews. This combined with a reduction in the amount of moving elements per scene enabled the project to be worked on with the technology available.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/adc1f1_73c1f028725144fc90e58a7d2d8ec609f000.jpg/v1/fill/w_160,h_90,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/adc1f1_73c1f028725144fc90e58a7d2d8ec609f000.jpg)
If I had my time again
This was a massive learning curve for me and given my time again there are a lot of changes I would make to my workflow and the way I approached this project in general that would enable me to provide higher quality work in a shorter timeframe.