Newly formed PHD Collective has produced a live-action/CG PSA featuring global superstar Jackie Chan and three animated CG pangolin mammals. The public service announcement promotes protection of the endangered pangolin species on behalf of the international animal advocacy group WildAid and The Nature Conservancy Group. PHD also recently completed production of ten additional PSAs for WildAid, including spots featuring talking elephants and rhinos.
In the new PSA, entitled “Jackie Chan – Kung Fu Pangolin,” which was shot in Los Angeles, Chan is seen instructing three small pangolins on how to perform various martial arts moves in order to protect themselves from human poachers.
To create the CG-generated pangolin mammals, PHD first began with photography and basic drawings that gave the characters the realism, personality and movements that would result in their stunningly real depictions. PHD’s Kevin Donovan created drawings of the pangolins that were first used within a crude animatic in order to roughly determine the length and action of the specific shots that would be required during the live action production. Helena Packer, PHD’s VFX Supervisor, then worked with the animation team to create the comedic kung-fu moves performed by the CG pangolins within the PSA.
Pangolins are mammals which are native only to Asia and Africa. They have large, protective keratin scales covering their skin, and are the only known mammals with this feature. Pangolins are threatened by hunters for their meat and scales, and are, unfortunately, the most trafficked mammals in the world.
The video can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0i9HjbdcTM
