bpg Agency

I was contacted by bpg for some quick, brand exploration style frames for VH1 around the working tagline “More fun to be different” as the network was seeking to freshen up and differentiate its on-air look from its competitors.
 

theNewBlank / MRM//McCann / Verizon

theNewBlank contacted me needing a set of illustrated scenes to animate for a Verizon explainer video, highlighting how implementation of M2M (machine-to-machine) applications can help businesses gain access to valuable information and increase operational efficiency. Yeah, I would need that explained to me.

You can see the final video here, expertly animated by the talented crew at theNewBlank.

theNewBlank / PBS

A couple of stylistic approaches developed with theNewBlank, for a PBS branding campaign encompassing the notions of PBS everywhere, anytime, always within reach, with something for everyone, no matter their age. PBS was looking for both, a completely graphic, as well as a live action approach with broad appeal.

Loaded Pictures / Cole & Weber / Washington State Lottery

My illustrated frames for a Washington State Lottery commercial spot, explaining how proceeds from lottery ticket sales are distributed throughout the state. The talented crew at Loaded Pictures couldn’t help themselves, and pushed the piece into a completely dimensional, cut-paper look which you can see here via their website.

theNewBlank / PBS

PBS was looking for a warm, Latin American influenced style for promoting and branding their Fall Arts Festival and stage set, and theNewBlank contacted me to develop an illustrative solution as part of their proposal. Happily, my illustration work was selected to package the festival programming, which included promos, animated sequences, as well as being made into a physical stage set in which show host, Gloria Estefan introduced the various featured performances. 

Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to see the physical set or figures, but was told that Gloria requested and received the Chita Rivera inspired figure for her personal collection.

WINTR / Rubi

The brief was to create a compelling attract loop for Rubi coffee kiosks to attract customers and then educate them about the Rubi process, while they wait for their coffee to brew— communicating that coffee from a Rubi kiosk is fresh, with the beans being ground on the spot, and using a brewing process similar to French-press coffee. I never saw the final outcome of this project, but I think they went in an altogether different direction. It happens.

World Famous / Nike

My hand drawn concept for an in-store video pitch to engage customers and equate the purchase of a Nike Gift Card with cool, innovative Nike products.
 

World Famous / Microsoft XBOX

It’s always great to collaborate with the fine folks at World Famous, and even though I'm not a gamer, it was terrific to be brought in to work on ideas for the boot-up animation and brand mnemonic for one of the top game consoles in the universe!

The creative brief was looking for a solution to broaden the appeal of the XBOX and make it more family friendly. The first few concepts are some of my favorite solutions presented throughout the process, with the final set being the client selected direction, which made heavy use of their newly established XBOX “motional” brand stripes.

Loaded Pictures / Cole & Weber / Washington State Lottery

A spot pitch for The Washington State Lottery, highlighting how proceeds from tickets benefit early childhood learning programs and college scholarship funds in the state. Ultimately, the client selected a 3D approach.
 

Loaded Pictures / The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

One of the crappiest (and most rewarding) projects I’ve ever worked on, and all for The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s noble initiative to reinvent the toilet as we know it. Four out of ten people worldwide don’t have a safe, sanitary place to poop, and upwards of 1.5 million children world wide die each year as a result. We can do better.

Check out the final video as produced, animated and directed by the talented crew at Loaded Pictures and learn more about the initiative via The Gates Foundation.
 

Loaded Pictures / Group Health

A short brand film in which I collaborated closely with the team at Loaded Pictures and the fine folks at Group Health, developing the style, conceptual approach, and the illustrations for the animators to work their magic.

Süperfad / FOX Sports Design

FOX Sports Design contacted Süperfad needing a promo package for the network’s weekly broadcast of MLB games that would capture the imagination of baseball fans. Inspired by vintage educational science films, test patterns, and the notion of having baseball literally on the brain, my concept answered the brief by avoiding the typical sports motifs found in many promos. But, they ultimately ended up going with a more patriotic solution.
 

self-initiated

A big frisky feline kiss for the holidays—sent out via text to friends and family.
 _
Related work: Holiday Cards

World Famous / Microsoft

Some illustrated concepts I created for a perception change and awareness video for Internet Explorer 10. 

The brief was looking for a creative approach that would differentiate IE10 from its competitors and highlight key features such as speed, touch and sharing, while steering perception towards the notion that IE10 is fun and innovative.

BIGSMACK / A+E Networks

My design and branding concepts for the Crime & Investigation Network, based on yellow crime scene evidence markers. 

A+E Networks was looking to rebrand their C&I Network, making it the destination for crime and investigation fans, while shattering preconceptions of what a crime network could be while delivering the unexpected with a bold, new confidence in a smart, provocative, sexy and slightly quirky, never-before-seen way. 

mOcean / Sony Pictures Entertainment

I was contacted by mOcean to help establish a stronger brand personality for Crackle, an online digital video hub owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment. They needed a portfolio of communications assets to visually express the brand and communicate its core positioning and personality, which attracts a masculine "testosterone with brains" audience, while retaining the existing logo and brand colors. 

The feedback I received after the initial presentation was that the client referred to my frames as “works of art”. That seemed promising, and they ultimately chose my direction. 
 

theNewBlank / FOX Broadcasting

A couple of main title story board concepts I created in collaboration with the motorcycle gang at theNewBlank, for a comedy series set in 1990s Southern California, about a man becoming a dad, as his son is becoming a man, in a time before “coming of age” was something you could Google. 

Based on a book by “Shit My Dad Says” creator Justin Halpern, the network was looking for potentially blunt and irreverent solutions that had a 90s vibe and included an element that could easily change from week to week similar to the chalk board in The Simpson’s opening. I think they went in another stylistic direction, but I had fun working up these concepts.

A music video I illustrated and animated for the talented Seattle band, St. Kilda, for a Northwest Film Forum event featuring their work. They let me have free rein, and I used it as an opportunity to get myself back into animation, and felt like the song was about me by the time I finished the piece. Be sure to watch it in HD.

You can hear more from St. Kilda here.

Digital Kitchen / Sony Entertainment

Created as part of a competitive pitch for a 20-second show opener, and logo treatment for The Queen Latifah Show. 

My identity solution lays a foundation from which the entire intro and graphics package radiates, creating a graceful marriage of transitions between images of down-to-earth, street level LA and the luxurious stylings of celebrity lifestyle. With an aesthetic nod to the golden era of Hollywood glamour and the Art Deco sensibilities of the show’s historic studio— all with a decidedly bold, confident and modern flare, reflecting Queen Latifah herself.

The show chose another direction, and is no longer on the air. I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

FOX Broadcasting Co.

Miscellaneous creative identity work for a variety of shows in development (at the time). I'm not sure if many survived, but it was fun coming up with ideas.

BIGSMACK / The Oprah Winfrey Network

As you can imagine the lead up to Oprah’s network launch and the branding surrounding it took many twists and turns, not to mention countless hours by a plethora of creatives, and cycled through no less than two different “official” identities while I was involved.
Featured here are just a couple of my approaches using the first official logotype and brand colors.

Digital Kitchen / Macy’s

A fun project for Digital Kitchen, in which I was asked to create a series of illustrations that were subsequently animated for a Macy’s holiday television ad campaign.
 

World Famous / Microsoft XBOX

This was a fun opportunity— working with World Famous to develop a concept for the video that played when customers all over the world first plugged in their brand new XBOX console. My client-selected solution featured roving, stop-motion animated TVs in a charming way to communicate the many benefits a user can experience when they “Get Connected” via the online service, XBOX Live.