Listen & Look: New Work for Cartoon Network

A little ways back, the awesome crew at Cartoon Network reached out and offered us an amazing opportunity to create music for their network summer refresh. Fantastic to work with, the team at CN gave us full creative freedom to develop new sounds for them in our own style.

The end result was two frenetic tracks, “Glazer” and “Wires,” complete with ten additional edits of shorter lengths for use throughout the network in a variety of bumpers and on-air promotions. As a fun bonus, we also put together numerous mnemonic jingles heard when the CN logo spins at the end of promos which ranged from expected to downright strange.

Word of caution, this music might cause you to have an urge to celebrate your sock, bust out your dance moves, or start punching a balloon.

If you like these tracks, check out more of our music on iTunes & Apple Music, Bandcamp, YouTube MusicSpotify, Amazon, Soundcloud, and Rdio among others.

If that weren’t enough fun for us, beyond the music, we were also invited to participate in a collaborative animation with five other fantastic studios/artists from around the world. A 60 second version of “Wires” serves as the framework from which we all worked, one piece leading into the next, showcasing the characters of Cartoon Network. Our only restriction being the CMY palette, we were all let loose to create what we feel resulted an amazingly strong piece where the picture perfectly compliments the music and vice versa.

Each studio/artist created ten seconds of animation which would flow from what came before and after their sequence. The order of authors in the piece is Alex Grigg (England), Eamonn O’Neill (England), Impactist (US), CRCR (France), Rubber House (Australia), and Awesome Inc. (US).

Our animated section takes place from :20 to :30 and because of our music involvement with the piece we chose to incorporate little Gunter playing the keys while Bloxx transforms his iceberg into a supersonic-superstar dj space booth.

For the last few years, we’ve made note of the quality of clients we have had the pleasure to work with and Cartoon Network is no exception. This project was nothing but positive and we really enjoyed our time working with their team in Atlanta.

Go Gunter and Go Cartoon Network!

 

Below are a few examples of CN produced on-air promos, menu bumpers, and ads that feature “Wires” and “Glazer.”

 

Link to more Impactist – Cartoon Network music posts

Wilfred Season 2

Once again, it’s that time of year when our appetite for twisted tales between best friends, man and dog, can only be satiated by a weekly dose of Wilfred on FX.  The always fantastic team at FX was kind enough to ask us to expand upon the animated graphic package ideas we had already delivered last year for Wilfred’s inaugural season.

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This season’s sequences employed a similar color palette, textured feel, and staccato character animation style of last year’s package while showcasing Wilfred’s sometimes indignant, yet always incorrigibly canine attitude towards his friend Ryan.

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We delivered a handful of scenarios for season two we dubbed “Super Bone”, “Fetch”, “Laser”, “Rug”, and “Flirt”. These ranged from harmless to humping.  Each scenario was built to exist as a stand alone piece, while the delivery of isolated animated elements gives FX future flexibility to build new promotions using these components.

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It’s always a pleasure to have the opportunity to develop content for projects that you are an honest fan of.  Wilfred on FX is one of those projects.

You’ll never look at a rug the same way again.

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Link to Credits and Stills
Link to our blog post on Wilfred Season 1

FX – Wilfred Promos

To promote the new FX series “Wilfred”, starring Elijah Wood and Jason Gann, the team at FX Networks approached us to work with them to create a toolkit for use in broadcast, web, and print.  A variety of titles, character designs, and graphic styles were developed over the course of our collaboration resulting in a decidedly low-fi look that could be easily carried over to various media.

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The show centers on Wilfred, the new hot neighbor’s dog who appears to Wood’s character as a sociopathic man-dog in a grey furry suit, but as a normal dog to his owner and everyone else. Wilfred’s motives are that of a dog protective of his owner while also possessing the sensibilties of a loafing, beer drinking, pot smoking, oversexed male.  During our time with FX, we explored extremely crude and coarse narratives taking cues from Wilfred’s unique character traits along with softer, more innocent canine conventions.

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We delivered four final animated sequences in addition to high resolution elements for print usage.  These projects were created using sequentially cut paper shapes, hand drawn titles and illustrations using pencil and ink, and photographed charcoal and eraser textures all later combined in the computer.

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As this project was a toolkit of elements intended to be combined with other show materials, we compiled a short montage which includes the final animations and glimpses behind the scenes of our process during our collaboration with the fantastic team at FX Networks.

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Be sure and check out the “Wilfred” series premiere tonight at 10pm (June 23).  Like Spencer Tracy said, “There’s no such thing as a bad dog.” Well, except maybe Wilfred.

Link to Credits and Stills
Montage Audio Track: “Salvo” by Impactist

Attack of the Show!

Audio Track: “L.N.G. (AOTS Remix)” by Impactist.

A while ago, G4 kindly asked us to whip up something special for the 1/11/11 reboot of their daily digest of culture and cool, Attack of the Show! Or as its known to those long hip to this daily detonation of meta-meme-messaging, simply AOTS. The G4 team was keen on elements they saw in an earlier sequence of sight and sound we had created, so we reassessed, extended, and remixed fresh live action, still photography, and animation into a new main title sequence. Additionally, we composed a new full length music track that drives the new intro and plays into the show.

The dynamic sequence serves as a striking non sequitur from what precedes it with staccato sounds and images dripping with self referential visuals only fully observed via repeat viewings.

AOTS has an incredibly intense and outspoken fan base, so the team at G4 had the incredibly tough task of making adjustments to a program that is under such extreme scrutiny. New set, new host, new show, new awesome. G4 was fantastic to work with and we appreciate the opportunity to contribute to a program that has rightly earned itself a dedicated audience that can dole out both fierce affection and loyal criticism.

Additional Stills and Credits

Post updated 2022 –

Full length track:

The theme is a remix of “L.N.G.” from our 2010 Hello Neighbor – EP

PEACE CORPS – PRESS RELEASE

New Television Spots Showcase Decision to Join Peace Corps

WASHINGTON, D.C., September 25, 2006 – Peace Corps this week unveiled the newest television public service announcements that will complement the award winning campaign “Life Is Calling. How Far Will You Go?”

The PSAs feature a series of Americans, from all walks of life and all backgrounds, who hear the calling to become Peace Corps Volunteers. From a woman in her cubicle who seeks a new endeavor to an older gentleman who sees the possibilities for his future while viewing a travel information board, the spots are meant to highlight the moment when potential Volunteers realize the difference they could make in the world.

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The new PSAs capture the moments when Americans hear the calling to become Peace Corps Volunteers.

“The Peace Corps is celebrating a 30-year high in Volunteers serving around the world, and we want all Americans to know Peace Corps service is an option for them,” said acting Peace Corps Director Jody K. Olsen. “These new public service announcements reflect the diversity of Peace Corps Volunteers today and the decision each of us makes when we hear ‘our calling’.”

The PSAs are narrated by Ricardo Chavira, who currently stars as Carlos Solis on the ABC show Desperate Housewives. Ricardo’s parents, Juan Chavira and Elizabeth Ries Chavira, were both Peace Corps Volunteers, serving in Peru from 1966-68. Ricardo narrated both the English and Spanish language version of the PSA.

“I grew up hearing about how my parents’ Peace Corps experiences shaped their careers and attitudes,” said Chavira. “I’m delighted to share in this legacy by working with the Peace Corps to support its mission of promoting world peace and friendship.”

The PSAs were filmed using an innovative technique that utilizes a digital still camera rather than a traditional film motion camera. The stills are then played in rapid sequence to give the illusion of motion-like quality. In addition, this technique allows extremely slow movement at the moment when potential Volunteers hear the call to join the Peace Corps, giving the PSAs a unique look.

The new PSAs will be distributed to network and local stations across the country and will be available in :15, :20/:10, :30 and :60 second versions. To view the :60 second version, please visit www.peacecorps.gov/psa/tv.

The PSAs were created by BBDO-Atlanta, produced by Hornet, Inc., and directed by Impactist. BBDO-Atlanta also created the television PSAs from 2003. Those PSAs, which included voiceovers by actors Matthew McConaughey and Eduardo Verastegui, won several national awards, including a gold EFFIE. The pre-eminent award in the advertising industry, EFFIEs are awarded for excellence in advertising and marketing effectiveness.

The Peace Corps is celebrating a 45-year legacy of service at home and abroad, and a 30-year high for Volunteers in the field. Since 1961, more than 182,000 Volunteers have helped promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of the 138 countries where Volunteers have served. Peace Corps Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment.