FUEL TV commissioned motion design and production studio Royale to collaborate with commercial and fine artist Adam Haynes to create the latest station ID for the network's popular Signature Series. Royale & Haynes delivered ID #24 of the ongoing series, which is slated to culminate into one hundred unique installments. Created as a way for athletes & artists to inspire the action sports culture, FUEL TV's Signature Series was itself inspired by the concept of signature series deck designs popular in skateboard culture.
For ID #24, FUEL TV tasked Royale to animate illustrations by the Oregon-based artist Haynes, who is also renowned in the action sports world for his artistic imprint on snowboards and groundbreaking work for Nike 6.0. Entitled "Rogue Wave," FUEL TV began airing ID #24 in January 2010.
Animated with the pulse of Adam Haynes's illustrated opus, "Rogue Wave" opens amid the subdued palette of his signature landscapes: a weathered Pacific Northwest forest. Gazing upward, falling twigs foreshadow an unusual cataclysm: brittle conifers begin to snap, crashing to the undulating ground. Gaining momentum, the torrential ground uproots everything in sight before cresting into an epic timbered tsunami. The ID concludes in cyclic fashion, as rust-colored clouds cede to pale blue skies, and a young sprig of pine emerges from the debris, as the FUEL TV logo comes into focus.
"We're thrilled FUEL TV invited us to be part of the Signature Series, partnering us with Adam Haynes," remarked Royale.
Collaborating remotely with Haynes, Royale says "Rogue Wave" culminated organically. The studio shared animated treatments with the artist, working back and forth, until both parties achieved the desired continuity for final delivery.
"Working with Adam's illustrations was a nice departure from more conventional approaches to animation," commented Royale. "It's invigorating for us as a studio, creatively, to shift roles and collaborate diversely."
Royale animated the illustrations with Adobe After Effects. Here, Royale says, the biggest challenge was preserving the detail of Haynes' artwork.
"Animating the 'wave' illustration in After Effects gave the ID a really unique look," commented Royale. "Using a 2D approach helped us maintain the detail of Haynes' aesthetic.
"For creatives in the broadcast design field, FUEL TV's Signature Series represents a true dedication to art. These IDs aren't just about pop culture or getting people to tune in. FUEL TV is genuinely all about the art."