Lesson 5: Slap. Cuddle. Slap

15 years. 15 lessons.
By Matt Cooper

Before anyone calls HR, let me explain.

Years ago, we were working on a project for a huge shipping company.

Two animated films. Budget agreed. Project greenlit. We're off to the races!

Then came the call.

“We actually need four.”

Same budget, obviously.

So, how the hell do you turn two videos into four without making it all look cheap?

We realised the answer wasn’t to spread the reduced budget evenly.

It was to spread the WOW unevenly.

And that’s where Slap. Cuddle. Slap. was born.

SLAP.

Hit them with something big straight away.

A busy cinematic scene. Lots of motion. A clever transition. Extra attention on the sound.

Basically, spend some of your creative chips getting the audience onto the ride.

CUDDLE.

Now settle things down.

You’ve established the visual world, the colour palette and the quality. The audience is in.

Give the message some room to breathe.

The animation can be simpler here without suddenly looking cheap.

This is where we concentrate more on getting the information across clearly.

Then...

SLAP.

Ramp it back up.

Bring back the energy. Push the animation and sound. Land the message. Hit the CTA.

Leave them with something memorable.

It worked.

And it became something we’ve used many times since.

Not every second of an animation needs to scream WOW.

In fact, if everything is shouting, nothing really stands out.

So, grab them.

Take them on a comfortable ride.

Then leave them with a memorable aftertaste.

Slap. Cuddle. Slap.

Probably still not terminology they’ll be teaching at film school anytime soon.

Lesson 5 done. Only 10 more opinions nobody asked for coming your way.