What began as a mostly illustrated assignment with a few motion elements grew into three fully animated promotions for InterContinental Hotels, in which Greg drew every frame himself.
Greg created the storyboard for the New York version based on life in the city’s very exclusive underground world during the early part of the 20th century. The other two storyboards were created by animator Mark Bellncula, with scripts by Smith Creative Labs. Once Greg had approval he tells us he “….had a ton of creative freedom and a great team that supported me throughout.” As he worked, he hinted about the project on his Instagram feed and later published images of the work in progress on his blog, some of which appear here.
It might have been safer for the client to use live action video for this project, but the finished files are proof of the power illustration can bring to advertising. Greg’s fluid lines and use of watery color capture the sophistication and beauty of the locations and those who inhabit them, whether it be 1920s New York or modern China.
With InterContinental’s 180 locations worldwide, we hope to see more from Greg!
