© 2025 MightyGiant
© 2025 MightyGiant
Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo
Ad Campaigns
Chester Zoo TV Ad Campaign: 3D Animation with paper art
Digitally recreating hand-crafted paper sculptures for Chester Zoo's Wild Worlds festival. A true three-way collaboration between agency, artist, and animation studio.
Digitally recreating hand-crafted paper sculptures for Chester Zoo's Wild Worlds festival. A true three-way collaboration between agency, artist, and animation studio.
Technical Execution
Technical Execution
Animation Style
Animation Style
Stop Motion > Hand Crafted > Bright > Dynamic
Stop Motion > Hand Crafted > Bright > Dynamic
Production Timeline
Production Timeline
12 weeks
12 weeks
Tools & Software
Tools & Software
Maxon Cinema 4D, After Effects
Maxon Cinema 4D, After Effects
Client & Sector
Client: Chester Zoo, via Edit Brand Studio;
Original paper art by Helen Musselwhite
Sector: Arts & Culture / Visitor Attractions/Advertising
Client: Chester Zoo, via Edit Brand Studio;
Original paper art by Helen Musselwhite
Sector: Arts & Culture / Visitor Attractions/Advertising
The Challenge
Chester Zoo's 2018 Wild Worlds summer festival needed TV ads built around Helen Musselwhite's hand-crafted paper sculptures. But paper art can't be animated directly. The challenge was digitally recreating something handmade without losing the warmth and the "heart and soul" that made the original work special in the first place.
Chester Zoo's 2018 Wild Worlds summer festival needed TV ads built around Helen Musselwhite's hand-crafted paper sculptures. But paper art can't be animated directly. The challenge was digitally recreating something handmade without losing the warmth and the "heart and soul" that made the original work special in the first place.
Our Approach
Rather than working from photographs alone, the team visited Helen Musselwhite's studio during the creation process. We gathered direct reference and measurements for faithful digital replication; a collaborative, artist-led process rather than a standard client handoff.
Early digital wireframes lost the handcrafted feel, they felt a bit smooth. To correct this, we increased texture detail, reduced the frame rate, and worked on our lighting to preserve the "homegrown" quality of the original sculptures.
Rather than working from photographs alone, the team visited Helen Musselwhite's studio during the creation process. We gathered direct reference and measurements for faithful digital replication; a collaborative, artist-led process rather than a standard client handoff.
Early digital wireframes lost the handcrafted feel, they felt a bit smooth. To correct this, we increased texture detail, reduced the frame rate, and worked on our lighting to preserve the "homegrown" quality of the original sculptures.
The Solution
Two distinct 30-second TV advertisements over a 12-week production. One built for younger family audiences, one for adults. Plus supporting still photography by Jonathan Beer, reused across billboards and web content.
Two distinct 30-second TV advertisements over a 12-week production. One built for younger family audiences, one for adults. Plus supporting still photography by Jonathan Beer, reused across billboards and web content.
The Outcome
One production delivered two audience-specific broadcast spots and a full stills library that carried the campaign into out-of-home and digital. A single shoot doing multi-channel work.
One production delivered two audience-specific broadcast spots and a full stills library that carried the campaign into out-of-home and digital. A single shoot doing multi-channel work.
What Edit said...
MightyGiant added a new dimension to the project and captured the energetic and immersive nature of the campaign.
Khadija Kapacee | Client Services Director @ Edit
The Craft
Direct studio visits with the original artist to gather accurate reference and measurements
Corrective technical work; texture, frame rate, lighting, specifically to preserve a handmade aesthetic that early digital passes had lost
Two full deliverables built for distinct audience segments from one underlying asset set
Direct studio visits with the original artist to gather accurate reference and measurements
Corrective technical work; texture, frame rate, lighting, specifically to preserve a handmade aesthetic that early digital passes had lost
Two full deliverables built for distinct audience segments from one underlying asset set
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Tell us about your project—whether it’s from concept, or if you're already at storyboard stage….we'd love to know more.
Let’s talk.
Tell us about your project—whether it’s from concept, or if you're already at storyboard stage….we'd love to know more.
Let’s talk.
Tell us about your project—whether it’s from concept, or if you're already at storyboard stage….we'd love to know more.