Familial Routines

Bruno Simoes and Studio Kimchi’s first foray into advertising screened in York as part of the Aesthetica Short Film Festival’s Official Selection in 2016. Morning Rituals is an animation from our popular advertising category and depicts a family acting out their usual morning routines. Boasting a vibrant colour palette and unusual perspectives on familiar, everyday activities, the film ends in particular twist that speaks directly to its target audience. Produced as an awareness campaign for the UN Refugee Agency, we were happy to welcome the piece into the annual selection. Director and animator Simoes speaks about the making of the film.

ASFF: Morning Rituals uses animation within the genre of advertising. How does animation lend itself to the advertising sector?
BS: Animation has the power to portray any characters, worlds or stories one can imagine, with no limitations regarding colour palette, visual style or shooting constrains. It is also very engaging to most audiences. All these aspects provide an unlimited potential that when used well will perfectly serve any cause, product, brand or campaign.

ASFF: The film sees a family go through their typical morning rituals, this time with a difference. Where did the idea for the film come from?
BS: The idea was to show that a refugee family is no different than the common American family, we all go through the same daily routines and we all want the same for our families. We didn’t want it to be confrontational, it had to look nice, almost as if people were watching a Disney trailer, but with a twist that would hopefully drive engagement from the target audience.

ASFF: What did it mean to you to be screened in ASFF’s Official Selection in 2016?
BS: It’s always an honour to have our work selected and shown at any event, but being chosen by a festival and magazine I’ve admired since my London days and whose taste I respect feels extremely encouraging and validating, especially since Morning Rituals was the very first project from Studio Kimchi.

ASFF: Did you work with a team of creatives on the film?
BS: Yes. Apart from me as the director, we had Juanjo Surace as concept designer and matte painter, Clara Prado and Joaquin Alme as modelers, Cristina Llamas as texture artist, Irakli Kublashvili as rigging TD, Fatih Dogan as animator, Bruno Oliveira as sound designer, Catherine Hunter doing the voice-over narration and the colour grading was done at MPC London by Richard Fearon.

ASFF: Is animation your preferred platform, and have you or will you venture into new art forms?
BS: I have directed live action short films and documentaries in the past and even though at the time I’m more focused in animation, I do intend to return to those mediums at some point, as well as venture into new ones such as virtual and augmented reality, as long as they suit the stories I want to tell.

See more of Bruno Simoes and Studio Kimchi’s work: www.vimeo.com/164024290 www.studiokimchi.com

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1. Bruno Simoes, Morning Rituals.