Joint Living is a student accommodation brand in cities across the UK that puts the well-being of tenants at the centre of its offering. As part of a full rebrand, Studio Makgill commissioned us to develop and animate a suite of characters. More recently, we created an animation to help promote Joint Living and share how their offer helps students thrive.
Watch the animation in full:
Character Development
Initially, we were commissioned to create a suite of fun-loving characters with anthropomorphic (human / animal) qualities that would appeal to the student's sense of play.
Joint plays an important role in bringing students together by fostering diversity within its communities. The characters sit within the visual language created by the team at Studio Makgill and are a celebration of individuality, attitudes and strong identities.
When developing each character, we were clear about how we wanted to show their unique personalities - from everyday moments to candid moves that show a little sass. By focusing on these subtleties, we were able to deliver energy and playfulness to the brands' communications.
Pencil Roughs
The majority of our animations start with a rough 'pencil pass'. It's the perfect way to quickly plan key poses, movements and timings. This then becomes our guide during the production/clean-up stage - in this instance, within Adobe After Effects, using predominantly shape layers.
We were really happy with how Form Play were able to capture our Brand and ethos so wonderfully. As a student accommodation provider, we want our brand to represent us and what we can offer students. The unique characteristics of each of our characters has been done so well to showcase the support, care, playfulness and warmth of our business and each character has a unique quality to work with.
Charlotte Harman
Joint Living
As a designer, I've always enjoyed collaborating with other creatives – but no one more so than Catharine and Mark. Their incredible creativity is matched by their easy nature and tireless support. Form Play are pure talent.
Hamish Makgill
Studio Makgill
Client: Joint
Commissioned by Studio Makgill
Rebrand: Studio Makgill
Naming and Strategy: Alt
Animation Direction: Catharine Pitt
Animation / Design: Mark Davis
Voice Artist: Lisa Shingler
Music: Epidemic Sound
Further reading: Stash Media