In what has now become a holiday tradition, Daniel Savage once again brought together a few dozen artists from the animation + design community to make their own versions of channel 11's beloved Yule Log.

See ALL of the logs at watchyulelog.com - there are some great ones this time around.

I, of course, did one with cats in it. And cat-trees, because of christmas trees, I think? See also: this, if you are into the combo of wood, lazy furballs, and the colors red and blue.

CATSOUNDS by Fritz Myers / Platitude Music platitudemusic.com

[November 2016]

Gender norms = DUMB. Find out why in GENDER BENT, a series of three videos that travel back in history to bust common gender myths. Client: MTV / LookDifferent.org

Studio: And/Or

Kelli Miller: Creative Director, Design
Kendra Eash: Creative Director, Copy
Mike Sullo: Executive Producer
Erin Kilkenny: Art Director, Animation
Tammy Hahn: Design, Animation
Olga Povarchuk: Design, Animation
Dmitry Morozov: Animation

Want to feel old? Well guess what: TWITTER just turned 10!

While you may feel, suddenly, that the inevitable progression of time has stolen the last remnants of your youthful innocence (or something), Twitter decided (rightly) that 10 years being *THE* internet convo platform was cause for celebration. As such, they tapped Slanted Studio for some new .gifs/vines for the occasion.

Client: Twitter
Producer: Ryan Brown

Production Company: Slanted Studios
Executive Creative Director: Michelle Higa Fox
Producer: Jennifer Vance

Creative Director: Erin Kilkenny
Stop-Motion Animation and Fabrication: Matt Christensen and Ana Kim 
Compositing and Cel Animation: Tynesha Foreman
Sound Design: Raymo Ventura
Talent: Matt Christensen, Ana Kim, Jennifer Vance, and Tynesha Foreman

Custom promo trailer for Adult Swim to promote the fourth film in the Barbershop series - Barbershop: The Next Cut. We were inspired by these RAD hand-painted African barbershop signs.

Studio: Slanted

Client: Adult Swim
Agency: Boss Creative
Creative Director: Daniel Garcia
Executive Producer: Kathryn Hendersen

Slanted Studios:
Executive Creative Director: Michelle Higa Fox
Producer: Jennifer Vance

Director: Erin Kilkenny
Cel Animation: Ana Kim, Tynesha Foreman

VEVO needed some bumps, so we pitched a TON of very weird ideas to them. We wound up with these two: a pong game, and good ol' meltyface stock-people. 

Client: VEVO

Studio: And/Or
Creative Director: Kelli Miller
Design/Animation/music for Pong: Erin Kilkenny

Logo asked us to create a graphics package for Aspen Gay Ski Week, a weeklong programming event full of comedy shows, ski parties, the New Now Next Awards, and lots of double entendres.

Studio: And/Or

Creative Director: Kelli Miller
Producer: Mike Sullo
Art Director: Erin Kilkenny
Design: Erin Kilkenny, Jory Hull
Animation: Erin Kilkenny, Olga Povarchuk
Montage Editor: Christie Brown

Official video for kick-ass soul diva Sharon Jones. Role: Art Director.

Full Credits:

Artist: Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

Label: Daptone Records

Production Company: Slanted Studios
Executive Producer: Michelle Higa Fox

Director: Lizzi Akana
Art Director: Erin Kilkenny
Technical Director: Michelle Higa Fox
Additional Design: Josh Goodrich
Animation: Josh Goodrich, Shixie Shi, Tim Beckhardt, David Hobizal, Leah Shore, Gabriel Pulecio, Nika Offenbac
Watercolor Animation: Leeanne Brennan
FX Animation: Matt Timms
Special Thanks: Futurestack, Merlin, Olive, and the Fig Tree

Spike needed a show package for their interstitial show PLAYBOOK 360. Once solely focused on sports, they were branching out to include movies, music, and other culture. We made them a package that focuses on the specifics - hackers, oscars, shredding, concussions, heelflips, spacesuits, nachos, etc - of all the fun things they cover. 

Made at Juniper Jones

Role: ideas/design/animation

Mayweather Vs Pacquaio – The Fight of the Century.

I had the opportunity to do some design boards for the Mayweather Vs. Pacquiao fight promos.

In my research, I found Howard Schatz's stunning photography work (specifically his book At The Fights) and used it as a jumping off point for what would have been the shooting and editing style. Slow-mo, sharp DOF, graphic rather than cinematic – with lots of freezeframes and speed ramps.

So anyway, credit where credit is due; I usually avoid posting boards that rely so heavily on swipe photography, but I liked these too much to let them rot on my hard drive. 

Made with my friends at Juniper Jones. Role: concept/design.

This past year, I co-directed a short film (with the psycho-talented Jake Armstrong) for the independent animation compilation Late Night Work Club – Ghost Stories. Our short is called Mountain Ash and it's about a snowstorm.

You can currently watch our film on the interwebz as part of the LNWC compilation, which is full of amazing work. 

There's also an NYC screening at BAM on Dec 19th, complete with Q&A and afterparty!

Full Credits:

Directors: Jake Armstrong & Erin Kilkenny
Sound Design: David Kamp 

Thanks: Fran Krause, Barbara Benas, Charles Huettner, Joseph Bennet, Mikhail Shraga, Marina Press, Lizzi Akana, Peyton Skyler, Christie Brown, Xilia Faye, Patrick Mellon, Chris Lenox Smith, Benjamin Reynart, Scott Benson, Celeste Lai, Carol, Jesse Armstrong, Paul Snodgrass, Kat Morris, Chantal Lee, Alex Grigg, Aleth Romanillos, Mary Nash

Late Night Work Club 2013

ESPN came to us wanting an open and graphic system for their Heisman Trophy awards broadcast that felt "like a website." We took this as a great opportunity to contextualize the 2014 Heisman nominees with their historical counterparts, creating a timeline that puts them in legendary company.

2014, Block & Tackle. Role: Design

CDs: Ted Kotsaftis + Adam Gault
Producer: Michael Neithardt
Badass Animator: Hayato Yamane

watchyulelog.com –  2014

Thanks to the genius of Dan Savage, Oddfellows, and Wondersauce, I had the opportunity to live out a lifelong dream: making my own version of the Yule Log.

The original channel 11 holiday classic – essentially a video of a log burning endlessly, backed by christmas music – is considered by none other than my dad to be the pinnacle of television as a medium. So when I was asked to take part in this 2014 animated re-thinking, I couldn't refuse.

See all 70+ logs at watchyulelog.com – killer work by super talented people, and the perfect backdrop to your holiday party.

Twitter Flight School helps brands and agencies develop impactful marketing campaigns. When Twitter asked for a way to congratulate their Flight School graduates, we broke out our stop-motion toys and paired them up with cel animation.

We had a blast from start to finish and feel like we pretty much ‘nailed it’! The party of work resulted in twenty looping tidbits of celebration for big internet high-fives to the Twitter Flight School scholars.
 

FULL CREDITS:

Client: Twitter
Producer: Ryan Brown

Production Company: Slanted Studios
Director: Michelle Higa Fox
Producer: Nika Offenbac
Art Director: Erin Kilkenny

Stop-Motion Animator: Matt Christensen
Compositing: Raymo Ventura
Production Assistant: Avi Jacob, Jessica Kleinman
Color: Erin Kilkenny

Sound Design: Huma-Huma

Special Thanks: Dan Savage

October 2014

ABC needed a promo package to tease the debut of their new drama, Missing. We set the mood with this live-action vignette, complete with the requisite wet scary alleyway, backlighting, and fog. 

For the logo and type animation, we experimented with different materials and chemicals in a stop motion tabletop shoot, achieving a unique and handmade feel.

Made at Leroy + Clarkson.

Role: Concept, logo design, shoot mood boards + pre-pro, table top animation.

Executive Creative Director: Daniel Fries
Executive Producer: Elena Olivares
Senior Producer: Rosanne Raposo
Production Manager: Rich Lombardi
Live Action Director: Daniel Fries
Art Director: Laura Rieland
Tabletop: Erin Kilkenny, Jon Smith.
Technical Director: Jon Smith
Editor: Corey Weisz
Designers: Erin Kilkenny, Vincent Diga.
Animators: Jon Smith, Chris Harmon, Jared Williams.

Web video campaign for fashion brand Coach. Role: Art Director

Honors:

Nominated: Animated Fashion Award, Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film
Official Selection: KLIK! Amsterdam Animation Festival 2013
Published: STASH 99

Full Credits:

Production Company: Slanted Studios
Director: Michelle Higa Fox
Producer: Nika Offenbac

Art Director: Erin Kilkenny
Illustrator: Liz Hur
Design: Alex Mapar, Elliot Blanchard, Sean McClintock
Cel Animation: Efrain Cintron, Lizzi Akana, Shervin Etaat, Harry Teitelman
Additional Animation: Matt Canale, David Hobizal
Compositing: Alex Mapar, Elliot Blanchard, Sean McClintock
Music/Sound Design: Huma-Huma

Coach, Inc:
Executive CD: James Spindler
Executive Producer: Bridget Sheils

Studio: Leroy + Clarkson
CD/Live Action Director: Daniel Fries
My role: Design/Art Direction

USA approached L+C to create a striking look to promote Graceland – a new show about LA undercover cops that needed an edgy neo-noir vibe.

We drew inspiration from Man on Fire, Drive, etc, and came up with a shoot/post style heavy on time manipulation, double exposure, texture, and color. 

While our team shot on location, I hung out in New York. I would get a big pile of footage and I'd have fun with it –  messing with the timing, overlaying images, adding light leaks, textures and color correction. I'd then send it back so everyone could see things coming together, as sort of a proof-of-concept. 

Role: concept / design / art direction

Studio: Leroy + Clarkson

3D Production: Speedshape

The USA Network worked with photographer Nigel Parry to create a series of quirky-yet-stylish photos of their roster of talent. They then gave us the opportunity to mold them into an upbeat video for their 2012 Upfront event. We channeled our inner editorial designers and ended up with a classy-as-hell montage.

Role: Art Director

Studio Leroy + Clarkson
 

Credits:

Executive Creative Director: Daniel Fries
Executive Producer: Elena Olivares
Producer: Rosanne Raposo
Senior Art Director: Laura Reiland
Art Director: Erin Kilkenny
Designers: Erin Kilkenny, Vincent Dega
Animators: Chris Harmon, Jared Williams

A while back, I did a metric boatload of background design (and a bit of collaborative character design, too) on this mystery project about a kid with a case of near-mythic tallness. Unfortunately, the whole thing wound up getting killed, so I can't tell you anything else about it.

Studio: Hornet

Directors: Mixtape Club

Ridiculously epic promos for Childrens Hospital and NTSF:SD:SUV.

Role: Art Direction, Design, Animatics (both), Animation (NTSF:SD:SUV)

Full Credits:

Client: Adult Swim

Agency: Boss Creative
Creative Director: Daniel Garcia
Illustrator:: Paul Shipper

Production Company: Slanted Studios
Director: Michelle Higa Fox

Childrens Hospital:

Art Director: Alex Mapar
Cel Animation: Harry Teitelman
Design: Erin Kilkenny
Animation: Shixie Shi

NTSF:SD:SUV:

Art Director: Erin Kilkenny
2D FX Animation: Matthew Timms
Additional Animation: Xiangjun Shi

This spot, which for a while was ALWAYS on TV, is all about what to do when you move and want to take your DirecTV with you. So, you know, moving = boxes. 

Role: Concept / Design

Studio: Leroy + Clarkson

Slanted Studios goes retro texture and screen print-style for this spy thriller.

Client: Adult Swim
Agency: Boss Creative
Creative Director: Daniel Garcia
Production Company: Slanted Studios
Director: Michelle Higa Fox
Producer: Nika Offenbac
Editor: Nika Offenbac
Design & Animation: Erin Kilkenny
Production Assistant: Avi Jacob
February 2015

Official music video for Gary Wilson, a strange and brilliant musician with a longtime cult following.

Full Credits:

Album: Electric Endicott
Label: Western Vinyl
Link: westernvinyl.com/catalog/WV79.html

Director: Kyle McKeveny
Producers: Kyle McKeveny and Quay Quinn- Settel
Camera: Erin Kilkenny and Max Porter
Art Director/Production: Emilia Costa
Editor: Christie Brown
Art Direction/Post: Erin Kilkenny and Christie Brown

Design boards for a Showtime Sports promo showcasing their full lineup of shows. Two directions – First, a smoky, sparkly type treatment burns white-hot. Second, gritty and authentic cracked paint titles.

Studio: Leroy + Clarkson

Styleframes for a Maryland Powerball ad.

Studio: Hornet

Directors: Santa Maria

Design boards for the title sequence of HBO's documentary on MLB player Curt Flood, whose Supreme Court case led directly to the creation of free agency for professional athletes.

Studio: Leroy + Clarkson

Large photocopy poster. Based on a quote from a television show - if you know which one, color me impressed.

Welcome to the Graveyard... it's where dead frames go. More directly, it's a special place for the ghosts of projects past – one-offs, failed experiments, incomplete pitch directions, and abandoned projects. Spooky, eh?