Client// Flyway Games
Delivery// 2 min 2D Animated Trailer
There are few things more heartwarming in this world than a story about a boy and his dog. Meet Waltz, a spirit who passed on too early in the Cradle (basically, purgatory). He doesn't know where he is or who he used to be. All he knows is he has to reach Uptown. That's when Jam comes into the picture.
You see, Jam is Waltz's dog from a previous life. Forsaking eternal bliss (because as we know, all dogs go to Heaven), Jam chose to wait for Waltz and when the time comes, be his faithful companion in the afterlife. Even if that means his owner won't remember him...
Bet you didn't think this lighthearted project was going to get this deep, did you? In all seriousness, Waltz & Jam is a great example of a story cinematic that perfectly expands on the main premise. Our collaborators at Flyway Games really wanted to go down the 2D frame-by-frame route and we couldn't agree more. The handcrafted animation brought character and life to the protagonists. And our director Atanas Filipov committed to telling the story without any dialogue, staying true to the main characters.
//Trailer
//Stills
On their Journey, Waltz & Jam go through seven unique levels. Fighting bosses, who each represent one of the seven deadly sins.
One of the clients' main requests from the brief was to feature all seven levels in the trailer, which turned out to be one of the project's biggest challenges. However, expanding on the handcrafter cut-out style of the in-game art, we came up with a montage sequence that beautifully ties things together, while acting as a transition between the animation and gameplay.
//Development & Exploration
And to top things off, we went with a custom soundtrack from our close friend and long-time collaborator George Strezov, who put his own spin on Waltz & Jam's signature electro swing theme.
And there you have it, the perfect recipe for a sweet 2D animated trailer and one of our favorite projects to date.