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Crongton

1 brief 2 comic book 3 shadow puppets 4 vfx 5 titles

Crongton, a coming of age extravaganza for the BBC

01

Brief

Bringing Alex Wheatle's books to life for the BBC

Our team was entrusted with bringing the world of Crongton to life, crafting dynamic 3D sequences, immersive VFX shots, and captivating titles for all 10 episodes of this powerful TV series. Inspired by Alex Wheatle’s beloved Crongton book series, the show dives deep into the lives of a group of teenage friends navigating the challenges and thrills of their neighborhood and school, all while standing together against forces that threaten their unity.
Aimed at 12 to 16-year-olds, this series invites young viewers into a story of resilience, friendship, and courage, now airing on the BBC.

"Early on, we chose to explore a 3D-to-2D pipeline, recognizing it would allow us to achieve dynamic camera angles, rich depth in each shot, and smooth, consistent animation—all while preserving the unique charm and hand-crafted feel of traditional 2D artistry. This approach gave us the best of both worlds: the visual depth and fluidity of 3D with the stylistic warmth of classic 2D animation."
Ricardo David
Animation Director / Lead Artist
02

Comic Book

Crafting a comic style 2d look using a 3d pipeline

The heart of our work on the show was crafting full 3D sequences that brought the heroes’ dreams to life, allowing each character to shine through, in their own imagined worlds.
In these sequences, each hero excels at their favourite sport, set against the backdrop of vast stadium and an awe-inspired Olympic-sized gymnasium that represent the magnitude of their ambitions.
Countless hours were poured into designing the unique 2D cartoon alter egos of each character, as well as the vibrant, heightened worlds they inhabit. By blending flat shading, bold cartoon outlines, and intricate hand-drawn effects, we created a rich, comic book-inspired aesthetic that transforms the screen into a lively, animated playground.

"We designed a pipeline that combines flexibility, stability, and speed, empowering us to make countless refinements throughout the look development and production phases. This system was our backbone, enabling us to bring a high volume of shots to life within a tight deadline, while still giving each one the attention it deserved. It was the key to transforming ambitious ideas into polished visuals, even under intense time constraints."
Vincent Filhine-Tresarrieu
Technical Director / Lead Artist
03

Shadow Puppets

Representing emotion and conflict using shadow puppets

To depict two intense sequences involving moral and physical conflict, we turned to a unique, artistic approach to ensure these moments were impactful yet appropriate for young viewers. Using a shadow puppet style, we crafted scenes that feel as if they were delicately handmade, each shape resembling paper cutouts created with careful scissor strokes. The animation itself evokes a tactile, almost theatrical feel—puppets attached to fine metal wires, manipulated by unseen hands, with a gentle, nostalgic glow cast through translucent paper. This simple yet evocative lighting brings the scenes to life, immersing viewers in a haunting, handcrafted world.

04

VFX

Emphasizing and imaging dreamed worlds.

The show also features a range of traditional VFX shots that subtly enhance its emotional depth and storytelling magic. From giving the villain an ominous red-eyed glare to amplifying characters’ emotions, every detail was crafted to pull viewers further into the narrative.
We seamlessly blend dreamed 3D and 2D environments with live-action scenes, creating moments where reality and imagination merge, heightening the drama and making the characters worlds feel vivid in their  journeys.

05

Titles

Introducing the show with a playful and vibrant visual.

We also crafted the opening titles for each of the 10 episodes, setting the stage for the stories that awaits. It was essential to find a style that harmonized with the show’s unique atmosphere, instantly immersing viewers in its world and hinting at the mood of each episode. Each title was meticulously tracked and blended into the background, becoming a part of the scene itself, evolving and moving organically to draw viewers into the heart of Crongton’s story from the very first frame.

Credits

Client/Legal
New Pictures
©2024 Commission by BBC iPlayer
Factory Fifteen
Ricardo David Animation director / Lead Artist
Vincent Filhine-Tresarrieu Technical Director / Lead Artist
Chris Barnes Producer
Beth Yirtaw Producer
Stefan Dopierala Senior Artist
Sergio Gonzales Gomez Senior Artist
Oleh Horban Senior Artist
Benedetto Bertozzi Senior Artist
Luigi Lucarelli Concept Artist
Gabriel Lopes de Menezes Senior Modeler
Sakuna Kotchanin Senior Animator
Roly Edwards Senior Animator
Dan Cherry Senior Artist
Tom Goodliffe Senior Artist
Collaborators
Molinare Grading
Boss VFX Studio Tracking / Rotoscoping
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