Keepy Uppy
Keepy Uppy
It’s FIFA World Cup time! Seed Animation, the British animation studio, invited animators from all over the world to participate in their experimental short film Keepy Uppy. The idea was simple. Each animator had one or two seconds to keep the ball in the air and pass it to the next animator.
As usual, time was a relevant factor because I had to find the time to work on this short film while still working full time. Additionally, I had to work fast. The deadline was set to European Time zones; therefore, time would be crucial to a smooth delivery.
Seed Animation Studio gave us some rules to follow:
- The ball could be anything we designed (it did not have to be a literal ball).
- What kept the ball in the air (not necessarily a foot or a human being) could be anything we wanted.
- We could touch the ball 2 times, tops.
- We could not hold the ball; it always had to be in motion.
- The background could be anything we wanted.
- It was up to us if the camera was near or far from the ball.
Integrating real images with animated digital elements is my favorite way of making videos. I try to do this whenever it is possible. My goal in participating was to meet the requirements in a simple way. I did not want to try to use complex methods that would make it impossible for me to deliver in time. So I decided to do a basic character rig with Duik Basel. I recorded the background using my iPhone, trying to make it as stable as possible. I waited for a person to walk right in front of the place where I had pictured my character to be so I could use rotoscoping. Finally, I dressed my character with Mexico’s national soccer team’s shirt. I wanted it to reflect the passion for soccer in Mexico: Any moment is a good moment to play soccer, or to support your favorite team.