Top animation and F/X this year goes to Toronto-based Red Rover Studio’s ‘Matrix’ spot for Toyota through Saatchi & Saatchi’s local office. The spot smoothly integrates 2D, 3D and live action with the feel of feature-length animation. It features an animated character who climbs into an animated car that eventually goes so fast as to strip away the cartoon, revealing the real world around him.

Because Toyota wanted its real car to be featured, rather than having it animated throughout the spot, a live-action version was shot and edited, then animators either used manipulated elements of the footage or replaced it entirely with animation. Live-action footage was shot in Tampa, FL last winter, but Red Rover generated environments to replace backgrounds captured during shooting.

Director Andy Knight says the most challenging aspect of producing the spot was developing the right style for each scene. ‘Every scene demanded a different approach. For each one we had to decide whether to use 2D or 3D animation, which programs to run them through and whether to use elements of the live-action footage or not.’

The production team included directors Knight, Brad Husband and Richard Rosenman, head of Red Rover’s 3D department, live-action director Sean Thomson, producers Randi Yaffa and Chelsea Lee, and Saatchi producer Anna Tricinci and creative director Mariano Favetto.