A 42-second self-initiated TRACE commercial — written, directed, illustrated, and animated solo in one month, blending live-action skateboarding with hand-drawn 2D animation and 80s retro energy.
TRACE is a street sports brand rooted in skateboarding and youth culture. We created a launch commercial that blends hand-drawn 2D animation with live-action footage — real skaters moving through real cities, with an animated world erupting around them. THE STORY The film opens quiet: a skater walks under a concrete bridge. Then a spark hits — color, characters, and hand-drawn chaos explode out of the frame. City spaces come alive: underpasses turn into psychedelic tunnels, walls sprout cartoon cows and UFOs, and pavement becomes glowing portals. The message is simple: TRACE is expecting you. THE VISUAL SYSTEM - Wavy hand-drawn frames that "ink" around live-action cuts, creating portals between reality and animation - A full cast: ghostly little creatures, a flying cow, a snail, a pirate ship, a hot air balloon, a UFO, a strawberry, a bear, a sunglasses-wearing sun, and a giant yellow monster - 80s retro motifs: neon grids, Saturn, checkerboard patterns, glowing portals - An 80s-influenced hip-hop soundtrack — confident, playful, a little swagger BEYOND THE FILM The visual system extends to out-of-home: bus-stop billboards where live footage, the TRACE wordmark, and animated worlds sit side by side. The characters and motifs become a repeatable brand kit — ready for social, product, and future campaigns.
