Title insurance is a difficult concept. It’s even more difficult to try and explain. That’s why we were asked by Titlesource to help explain the process and why it’s important to get insurance when buying a new home. Not knowing the ins and outs of title insurance ourselves, we worked closely with Titlesource in order to figure out the best way to communicate this complicated topic to their customers, both verbally and visually. After a few rounds of story boards, style boards and character designs, we landed on a look that is broken down into the simplest of shapes, yet is intriguing and easy to follow.
This was a great project for us, as we were free to push our storytelling, and ourselves, stylistically. From concepting all the way to final production, we were encouraged to explore to make the end result the best it could be. In the end we used a really fun, bold style to contrast and help bring to life the story we were telling.
The resulting animation has a contemporary point of view and is a point of pride for us at First Fight. We believe the same can be said for the team at Titlesource.
Check out the video and scroll down to see some process shots and some of our favorite frames from the final!
Miles. Davis. Done out of love and admiration, this was an exercise in motion and storytelling. Here, simplistic shapes create the many facets of the complex genius’s life through transition, timing and iconography along with a soundtrack thats unparalleled. It’s interesting how from the simplest of shapes comes such a complicated story. Freeform but always in control, just like Miles.
Recently we were contacted by our friends at The Work Department to help out on an animated explainer video for the IT giant, Dynamic Computer Corporation. Close collaboration with our client resulted in a look and feel that came together at a pace and ease that was astonishing. With a clean and simple design and a great script, we set out to tell the story of Dynamic and their innovative new product, Q-WRX, in a fun bold way.
Agency Partner: The Work Department
On a shoestring budget and minimal direction, we were chosen to help bring attention to the Covenant House mission through the use of engaging artwork and a fun animation style. These are the challenges we love the most; jobs where creative solutions mean everything and can help shape social change within our community.
In preparation for the new Ghostbusters feature film, First Fight was able to work hand in hand with Sony Pictures, ICE and Dave & Buster’s on a slew of promotional materials that mixed the best of the old movies with some from the new! We had our hands in a lot of different projects; from the Dave & Buster’s tie-in spots all the way to actual arcade game cabinet design.
To learn more and see some cool concept art from this project, click here!
Agency Partner: Offsite
When we were asked by the famous New Orleans music festival, The Ponderosa Stomp, to create a video that helped celebrate one of the unsung heroes of rock ‘n’ roll, we didn’t dare pass up the opportunity. To highlight Rod Bernard – unsung hero, festival performer, and King of Swamp Pop, we created a video befitting of his music royalty. We captured Bernard’s rise to fame using a combination of 2D art, 3D animation, and rotoscoping. For more about Rod Bernard, visit PonderosaStomp.com
Sound Design and Mix: Spencer Hall, Derek Swanson
The First Fight reel for 2016! Some of our favorite stuff from the past year!
We were excited to, once again, work with Dave & Buster's on their new 2016 Summer Of Games campaign. This TV spot is the first of many to roll out this year.
We took care of the motion, edit and post.
Footage/Cinematography by Eric Bute.
Onstar is always great about helping giving out pointers to their customers. It shows they care. We were recruited to help in the caring by creating this fun and cool infographic for them, using the brand palette. Take heed! There is some good info in there! Thanks Onstar! We love you!
Agency Partner: Campbell Ewald
Recently we were tasked by the folks at Doner to create a video that explained the Kelly Blue Book Price Advisor in a fun and simple way. Utilizing our own custom illustration and animation, we helped to easily relay a process that can seem complicated at times. Its always the best when we get to create from the ground up and this project was no exception!
To see some cool concept art and learn more about our process on this video, please click here.
Agency Partner: Doner
When Dave and Buster’s needed a spot heralding the arrival of their new Angry Birds game, we where more than excited to help out! We got to really spread our wings and fly on this one (pun intended): from the regular edit and sound all the way to the CG birds, we did it all.
Everyone knows that Miguel Cabrera is the greatest hitter to every play, so when Miggy won back-to-back MVPs, the Tigers knew they needed a commemorative poster that was worthy of Cabrera’s accomplishment. That’s why they gave us a ring. Crafted simply in Tiger blue and orange, this poster was an honor for First Fight.
Recently, Norwegian Cruise Line needed to announce their newest and most luxurious ship as well as the first-ever cruise ship customized for the China market. For such an important event as this, Norwegian Cruise Line felt that First Fight had just what was needed to pull this off while maintaining the correct tone for the China market. We couldn’t agree more!
When Pfizer was pitching four different stores and proposing a branded sleep aid section in their pharmaceutical aisles, we were asked to create storybook-style booklets, as well as videos, to tell the tales of women who found solace in the sleep aisle of their local pharmacy.
Drawing inspiration from favorites like Curious George and other children's classics, we used illustration and animation to create four different stories with four unique looks.
Agency partner: The Mars Agency
There are few joys in life that are better than pizza, so we were over the moon when asked to help Cici's Pizza with their new Flatbread spot!
Sketching, brainstorming and concepting are what we have been doing our entire lives. Here is a sampling of some of our favorites.
Jeep wanted a special piece of art to help introduce their new Jeep Wrangler Dragon at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and First Fight was on hand to help out; with First Fight providing over three feet of art in the style of an ancient Chinese landscape painting, the giant 5-fold brochure that this went into was a total standout at the show!
Agency Partner: Union AdWorks
Sometimes, telling a complicated story in a short amount of time can be a very difficult task. That’s why First Fight was asked to help Expedia AU with the creation of a succinct broadcast spot of their customization options in the Australian market. Using precise storytelling and bold, clear visuals, we definitely pulled it off!
Design and asset production for Macy's and Chevy holiday cross promotion. This was a fun mix of CG and illustration to make a compelling campaign.
Agency Partner: Goodby Silverstein & Partners
When local movie theater chain Uptown Entertainment decided the they needed a refresh, we decided they needed a few fun mascots to help bring a new and yet familiar face to the company. Using a blend of vintage characters painted in a more current style, the mascots were a huge success.
We have been called on multiple times by mortgage giant Quicken Loans to help out in a range of ways. From designing interiors, installations, posters and logos, all the way to internal art; here is a tiny sampling of what we have done for them!
The Journey of Jason and Kate was a sequential story told in the form of an infographic for Carolinas HealthCare System. The client wanted to tell the story of a couple in love and of all of the medical costs that they could incur over a lifetime together. In order to make this as engaging as possible, we came up with the idea of making the infographic more of an interactive game board where one could follow the path and see the medical expenses illustrated in a fun and enthusiastic style.
Agency Partner: Campbell Ewald
When Bluewater needed some bumpers made for their video projects, we created for them a visually compelling bumper set that represents them as a company.
This was a job that started as a single print ad and turned into an entire campaign! Originally requested by Tapper’s Diamonds & Fine Jewelry to make a creative and compelling ad for a magazine, the client was so in love with what we did that they ended up creating an entire campaign around it, including digital and inshore signage. They even made the costume for the mannequins in their window displays! Pretty cool!
Using a broad skill set from photo retouching to CG, First Fight was brought in to help Ford create print ads for their Sync feature.
Cooper Standard is a global automotive brand that was looking for a way to reach out to their employees and get people fired up about their passion for performance. With a limited asset library, we were able to take their passion and create an energetic rallying point for their employees worldwide.
Transformers, Lego politicians and street-sweeping motivational speakers aren't your average fare when it comes to magazine covers, but these are exactly the type of subjects we have incorporated into a string of successful covers for the Detroiter Magazine.
What do you do when you are advertising in a sports magazine where every ad looks identical to the next? You contact us for a campaign that jumps right off the page! That's exactly what skis.com did and that's exactly what we gave them.
For us, this was a “Bucket List” piece, created with authorization from Lucasfilm to be used on Detroit Tigers’ t-shirts during Star Wars Day at Comerica Park! Bucket List checked!
A promotional poster created around a philosophical musing based on design thinking. We love this style and palette!
Open to anything creative, we have often been asked to do portraits of famous people and community members. Here is a small sampling of that.
For most, an extremely tight timeframe can be a catalyst for disaster. For us, it can be just what we need to create some of our best work. That's what happened when we were called upon to create a series of illustrated icons for a CVS healthcare campaign. Never one to run away from an overnighter, we used this as an opportunity to produce some really fun designs. Mission accomplished.
Agency Partner: Campbell Ewald
In our spare time, we like to learn and try new things. These are a few pages from the Graphic Novel Virga: Sun of Suns that we completed for Canadian publisher Blind Ferret. Colors by Tamra Bonvillain.
For more info, please visit BlindFerret.com
Have you ever been to a convention and felt like you're lost are in a maze of color gradients, swooshes and giant low-resolution photos? A place where all booths are mindless and drab? Well, Nextek didn't want that to happen at their booths, so they called on us to create some compelling imagery that would wake the convention-goer from the doldrums of boring convention floor-ness.
Creating looks and style boards is something we are really good at. Sometimes a really great look doesn't get chosen to move forward to production and can fall through the cracks. This is one of them, but we love it and can't let go!
Editorial illustration with a unique take on the subject of new ways to converse with employees in the workplace. Gone are the days of one person preaching to the crowd from a stage. Now it's all about face time and networking around the water cooler.
A simple poster for a fun day. The client loved the memorable look and so do we.
This series of tightly crafted illustrations were eventually incorporated into a mural for Thyssen Krupp. The subjects are great, but we were able to stylize them and make them even better.
Book cover illustration and process work!
We are lucky to receive some really great projects from time to time and this is one that keeps on giving. We have been utilized several times to create a bevy of assets for Smart n' Tasty pet treats and other products. From simple icons to extensive background paintings and mascots, we have had the pleasure of helping make these products shine.
A while back, medical supply start-up Access Relief contacted us because they needed help with their fledgling company. They had a great idea for a product and the means to sell it, but had little branding experience and no corporate identity. First Fight was able to provide help in all areas. Originally interested in a short video, we provided Access Relief with everything from identity and print marketing materials to previsualization and concepting of the actual product, the Patient Comfort Pack.
Click here for more information on Access Relief, their products and how we helped them realize their goals.
With another opportunity to help Onstar help their customers, we were chosen to create a series of stylized web pages that were part of an interactive guide to winter sports destinations. Yes!
Agency Partner: Campbell Ewald
One of an ongoing series of posters commemorating new Dave and Buster's store openings, this one is still one of our faves! Palm trees and Ferris wheels? What's not to love?
One might say that sentimentality and nostalgia run deep here at First Fight... As deep as the waters of the Detroit River back in 1989 when Boblo Island was crackling with bustle and the two Boblo Boats where full steam ahead? One might say that.
