Proto
The future of fashion.
A design collective with a vision, a sneaker steeped in sustainability, a floral namesake, a crimson dreamland, 90s anime, a factory for the future.
Proto, a design collective who came together in 2020 in response to a lack of consumer-led trainer designs, were looking to launch their visionary first trainer ‘The Iris-D’; the first completely biodegradable trainer produced domestically in the Americas, setting the precedent for Proto’s sustainable production model.
Partnering with both the teams at Proto Collective and Bright Young Things, Art&Graft created a stunning dream sequence which breathed life into the Iris-D — both its floral namesake and the shoe. The film drew on anime influences to demonstrate the eco-conscious production of the Iris-D (constructed from 100% recyclable materials), emerging from a dreamlike factory of the future, in perfect harmony with nature.
"I cannot speak highly enough about Art&Graft. Tasked with a challenging anime project last year, we found ourselves facing tight budget constraints and demanding timelines. Art&Graft, however, demonstrated remarkable poise and professionalism, navigating these hurdles with grace. Their animation work not only met but exceeded our ambitious expectations, resulting in one of our favorite pieces to date. The team's ability to transform challenges into triumphs makes them a standout creative partner. We eagerly anticipate future collaborations, actively seeking the perfect project to entrust to Art&Graft once again."
Chelsea Greenwood, Executive Producer at Bright Young Things
Chelsea Greenwood, Executive Producer at Bright Young Things
VISUAL DEVELOPMENT
Practice is Perfect — the sentiment behind Proto Collective’s launch — was key to the studio’s development process. Creating a Miyazaki style world is an immersive process — particularly as this requires a hand drawn, frame by frame approach.
A key focus was how the Iris-D would translate into its animated form. To realise this centrepiece, a model was developed in 3D with illustrated textures visualising the detailed upper of the shoe (a monogrammed knit produced by a Shima Sheiki computerised knitting machine — which also has a background cameo in the establishing shot of the factory).
"This was one of the first projects that I worked on when I joined the studio and it was amazing to witness the turn around. Everyone who worked on this partnership was a professional, working to such tight deadlines. My focus was on animating the Iris, focusing on its design and motion and handling the overall composition and rendering for the final film."
Jack Chang, Creative at Art&Graft
Every scene was digitally painted by hand, each an ode to Miyazaki and other legendary figures of anime. There are references also to a 90s sensibility — the digital camera that creates a portal into the animated world of Iris-D and the dream-like grade that was a notable nod to the anime of FLCL.
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
The character development was extensive, with a particular focus on wardrobe development to align with the brand and its place within the fashion industry. Proto’s pride in being a minority-led team also resounds in the depiction of the Proto dream factory.
"Working on this project was pretty much the dream job – being able to incorporate elements of character animation with my real world interests. I was able to call on my interest in the trainer community and tap into these influences to ideate our main character’s wardrobe."
Freddie Griffiths, Creative at Art&Graft
Credits
Designed & Animated by Art&Graft
Executive Creative Director — Mike Moloney
Head of Production — Tom Bromwich
Creative Director — Stephen Middleton
Creative Lead — Freddie Griffiths
Storyboarding — Adrian Cathie
Design — Adrian Cathie, Freddie Griffiths, Clement Danveau
Character Animation — Jack Chang, Freddie Griffiths, Geoff McDowell
Compositing / 3D — Adrian Cathie, Jack Chang
BYC.NYC
Director / Editor — Jonatán López
Executive Producer — Chelsea Greenwood
Head of Production — Steve Cozzarelli
BYT Producer — Lucas Carpenter
DP — Joanna Thanh há Nguyen
Set Designer — Ash Kron
1st AC — Christo Mercado
Gaffer — Charles Tae
Key Grip — Steven Miller
Colour Grade — Cameron Marygold
SFX — Andy Stermer @chaliwastudios
Music — Outkast “Prototype”
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