True Free Range: Behind the Scenes

Go behind the scenes, as we explore the production of The Happy Egg Company's 'True Free Range'.
Created over eight weeks entirely in-house, 'True Free Range' was created from scratch using only paper and card, introducing a unique visual style for the film. Three 'hero' hen characters were created which were fully articulated, as well as smaller scale background hens with a more limited range of motion. Six large eggs and an oversized egg box were sculpted and painted in detail, while numerous trees, huts, flowers and foliage were all designed and cut using a laser-cutter before being assembled by our team of model makers.
The final long tracking shot was animated in reverse. Starting with an entirely assembled set our animator had to cut the grass base every frame, reducing its overall scale, simultaneously dressing the edge with pre-cut spiky grass elements. A motion-controlled camera slider created a smooth track through the duration of the shot. The final shot took five days to complete.
Post-production work included replacing blue screen backgrounds with sky elements, and compositing in butterflies and bees which were shot individually. A final colour grade created the look of a sunrise at early dawn.