Rushes And Aardman Bring McVitie's To Life

Rushes have completed post on a series of endearing commercials for McVitie's Digestives.
Director Alan Short at Aardman Animation has developed the McVitie's wheat sheaf icon into animated characters, which promote three different varieties of digestives in the range.
'Leaving' sees a young and ambitious wheat sheaf informing his parents that he's off to become wholemeal and that he's "wholemeal at heart", despite his father trying to persuade him to settle for being plain flour.
'Serenade' sees an amorous wheat sheaf singing under a moonlit sky, to a blushing strawberry in the neighbouring field, as he tries to persuade her to run away with him to become a new McVitie's Yog Fruit Digestive, whilst in 'New Job', an elated young wheat sheaf boasts to her friends that she's got the job and is going to be chocolate digestive!
The commercials were created using computer animation for the characters and a combination of modelled environment and digital matte painting to give them their unique feel.
Rushes' Colourist Adrian Seery graded the commercials, enhancing the rich golden hues of the wheat and the beautiful moonlit fields.
Precomposited at Aardman Animation, additional compositing and final detail enhancement was then carried out by VFX Artist Brian Carbin at Rushes.
Further information can be found at: www.rushes.co.uk and www.aardman.com.
(KMcA)