Animatics for Chuggington series 5 were developed with a combination of  2D and 3D elements allowing for a cinematic 'action/adventure' approach to the visual storytelling. Storyboarding Chuggington was a fascinating exercise in using the camera as a major communicator of mood and feeling. While the trains, by their nature, are solid, it was amazing how much character and feeling we could convey with a suitable twist and tilt of the body.

IMMERSIVE SHOTS

This opening shot in Trainee Camp conveys the bustle of a busy morning from Cormac's perspective as trains greet a good morning to each other in one shot.

BELOW: As Hoot and Toot rush down into a mine tunnel looking for a large sheet for a tent roof, Hoot spots one which Toot dismisses as 'too dirty'. Staging this with the cloth in the foreground in shadow and illuminated by their passing headlights, enabled the audience to spot this before Hoot and Toot and linger on it as they with race past, placing visual significance on the quickly forgotten find.

BELOW: This storyboard to final film comparison from 'Fletch Shines' shows how accurately the Redboard process allowed our boards to transition into animation.

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ANIMATICS

I worked closely with the editors at Ludorum, crafting the storyboards during the editorial process. In this Animatic clip from Koko Express, the shots show Koko's panic in finding the right package. 

In this end shot from "Trainee Camp", I used one camera move to place the audience within the action and convey the teamwork of the trainees, as they sing around the ‘camp fire’ against a starry sky.