Down to Earth • Animated Sequences Bring Science to Life

Client
Netflix
Solutions
AnimationStudio

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Case Study

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From mind-blowing science to Daytime Emmy-winning glory.

For season two of Netflix’s Down to Earth, we were entrusted to translate some of the show’s mind-blowing scientific concepts into fun, whimsical and easy-to-digest animated sequences. In addition to giving host Zac Efron a playful look, we got to work designing a whole cast of characters that balance the perfect mix of flexibility, charm, relatability and expressive depth—earning us a Daytime Emmy for Best Main Title and Graphic Design.

Character design

This was fun: cartoonifying Zac and creating a cast of friendly guest stars.

Rigging

A drawing is one thing, but Zac and his buddies need to move! Light, flexible rigs helped us to bring this cast of characters to life efficiently and without compromising quality or expressive range.

Storyboard & Animatic

Great scripts from our partners at the Nacelle Company gave us a solid foundation for our visual storytelling.

Image of the storyboard of the whole animation.

Environment

These segments called for environment design that was detailed enough to express the rich and varied natural beauty of Australia but minimal enough to allow the characters to stand out. Striking the right balance was important here!

Crafting an unforgettable world.

We went all out when crafting our dynamic characters and authentic backgrounds!

We elevated our designs by implementing facial rigging, intentionally embracing a low framerate, and deploying key pose-based animation techniques. Our characters are a fusion of relatability, looniness, humor, and agility – a recipe for pure entertainment! To complement our characters’ range of expression, we intentionally designed backdrops to be non-distracting and minimal. Overall, the production allowed viewers to grasp scientific concepts in action and explore the world with Zac through a new lens.