creative showcase 1 4 idents
gorillaz monkey around with olympic trails Not since King Louis swung on to our
1970s Japanese TV import Monkey. The
coverage involved Hewlett rejigging the
frame task, it was a rewarding experience
screens in Jungle Book has an animated
trailer shows Monkey, Pigsy and Sandy
character design to make him TV-
for all involved. “We kept it reasonably
primate been so famous. Thanks to the
battling hazards and demons as they
friendly, and Albarn creating a
organic, and within certain stylistic
latest project to emerge from the
travel to the Beijing Olympics. All, of
soundtrack that had a more beefed-up,
boundaries. Little details were coming in,
combined talents of of animator/artist
course, in the inimitable Hewlett style.
edgy vibe than the more traditional show.
either from the animators or compositors,
Jamie Hewlett and musician Damon
Hewlett and Albarn had already been
In keeping with the ancient roots of the
and everyone contributed something
Albarn, cartoon simians are back on
working with the Monkey story for the
Monkey characters, the idents were
special,” says Robert Valley, who was
top of the tree.
last three years, on director Chen Shi-
created using traditional animation
animation director on the project,
The duo’s stunning two-minute trailer
Zheng’s Monkey: Journey to The West, a
techniques. This meant that the
together with longtime Hewlett
and spin-off idents for the BBC’s
Chinese opera-inspired stage show which
production company, Passion Pictures,
collaborator Pete Candeland.
coverage of the Beijing Olympics features
has been shown in various venues
had to conscript a team of animators
Hewlett’s company, Zombie Flesh
characters borrowed from the classic
around the world.
versed in old-school animation techniques.
Eaters, teamed up with Passion, and
Chinese novel Journey to the West and
Their work for the BBC’s Olympic
And although it was a gruelling frame-by-
Zombie’s producer Cara Speller
SH110_P14-15_monkey.indd 14
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idents 1 5 creative showcase
explains the daunting scope of the
Damon’s a rock star, and they’ve got
project. “The most challenging aspect
their own cool stuff going on,” he says.
was its sheer size,” she says. “The BBC
But Hewlett and Albarn admired the
told us early on that they expected 98
BBC’s bravery in making an animated
per cent of the UK population to see the
campaign for the Olympics, so they
Monkey footage on TV at some point
were keen to bring the much-loved
during the Olympics coverage.” She adds
characters to life.
that the BBC did a great job on a brief
Hewlett first encountered Sun Wukong
for what turned out to be a massive
the Monkey King during his childhood.
campaign, covering broadcast, online,
“Monkey, the Japanese TV series shown
print, mobile and radio.
in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was
“Additionally, they asked for the film to
our first introduction to the story – and
be delivered in HD, which looks beautiful
to Chinese culture – along with the Water
but certainly slows everything down from
Margin and Bruce Lee films,” he explains.
a production perspective as the material
“It’s a fantastic story about a group of
becomes so huge.”
mythical but really interesting characters
The agency RKCR/Y&R had the task of
on a journey of discovery.”
tying together the different companies
Hewlett and Albarn are not quite ready
involved in the project – Passion, Zombie
to part ways with Monkey and co just yet.
and the BBC. Executive creative director
August saw the release of an album of
there, Damon Collins, says that working
Albarn’s music from the opera, and
with Hewlett and Albarn was certainly not a typical advertising experience. “They had never worked on a brand other than their own, so it was kind of a long shot to get them to do it. Hell,
SH110_P14-15_monkey.indd 15
Hewlett is just putting the finishing touches to a short film to accompany one of the tracks. We’re squealing like chimps at a tea party at the prospect. “The film, Monkey Bee, is part Chinese
“The most challenging aspect of the project was its sheer size. The BBC said they expected 98 per cent of the UK population to see the Monkey footage at some point.” 1970s spaghetti western, part Korean
we’re just finishing the post.”
horror movie, and part Monkey, the TV
Monkey Bee will look like a small section
series,” says Hewlett. “But this project
of a much longer feature, and Hewlett
isn’t animated – we managed to film it
hints that we’ve not seen the end of
towards the end of July, using some
Monkey projects quite yet. “We have
members of the opera cast, and now
many more plans to come,” he teases. LS
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