Old Parliament House series of animated ads.

As seen on bestadsontv.com and featured on the NYC based animated magazine STASH, these animated spots for Old Parliament House have been awarded around the world. Mrs PM won an AGDA Finalist (Australian Graphic Design Association) and with 'Leaks Scoops and Scandals' also won a highly commended at The MAPDA awards (Museums Australia Multimedia and Publication Design Awards) under a multimedia category against prominent cultural institutions throughout Australia.

All four OPH animated ads won a Platinum REMI award in the 'series/campaign' category at the WorldFest International Film Festival. A second Platinum REMI award for the 'Talking Walls' commercial in the 'institutional identity' category and a third Platinum REMI award in the 'Low Budget' category for the 'Mrs Prime Minister' exhibition commercial.

WHY ANIMATION FOR OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE?

With a low budget, a big story to tell and a random collection of old photographs I decided to use pop up animation to bring to life the different eras featured within these exhibitions. Our brief was to freshen up the stuffy perception of this historic Australian icon, and we are pleased to say that they are much loved as a series and the pop up style is now synonymous with the Old Parliament House brand.

THE PRESS GALLERY EXHIBITION 'LEAKS, SCOOPS & SCANDALS'



"Old Parliament House in Canberra has permanently opened its Press Gallery to the public— the offices, corridors and gallery from where the major political events, leaks, scoops and scandals were reported by journalists between 1927 and 1988."

This spot uses animation to recreate the stress, squalor and glory of this cramped and frantic place, and gives an insight into how the physical intimacy of the press and politicians at Old Parliament House shaped the way Parliament and federal politics were reported to Australia.

Client: Old Parliament House
Writer/Art Director: Ken Buchan
Animation: Damian Stocks
Animation Design: Rachael Johnson





We also explored the clandestine ways the journalists got their scoops and how the House of Reps looked a lot like the bay of a typewriter. Animation by the ever-talented eyecandyanimation.com


'MRS PRIME MINISTER EXHIBITION'

'Mrs PM' also won a finalist at The 8th Biennial AGDA AWARDS (Australian Graphic Design Association) against over 2,700 entries from Australia, UK, Germany, Singapore, Japan and New Zealand.



CD/Writer/Art Director: Ken Buchan

Winning an AGDA finalist for Visual Design with 'Mrs PM' was a great achievement with many thanks to Damian Stocks, Rachael Johnson and Joe Styles of Eye Candy Animation who worked with me to create the beautiful 1950's cardboard cut-out visual style using material from the Mrs Prime Minister exhibition.



Our brief from OPH was to dramatise the role of a Prime Minister's wife as well as featuring highlights from the exhibition.

The challenge was not to focus too heavily on one Prime Minister's wife, so instead I chose to highlight objects and moments from a few different women in office such as Sonia McMahon’s famous 'White House' dress, romantic love letters from Joe and Enid Lyons and a shanghai slingshot owned by Pattie Menzies (she apparently used to shoot at Currawongs with it for fun!) Although this idea was abandoned from the final script so as not to offend the animal rights groups.

Another aspect of being a Mrs PM was that they were often quite lonely, so the idea of being hounded by the paparazzi brought to life how isolated they all felt tucked away in the ivory tower of The Lodge.


AUSTRALIANS IN THE GREAT DEPRESSION 'SCARRED & STRENGTHENED' EXHIBITION

The Old Parliament House traveling exhibition explores how the Australian spirit was forged during the hard times of the Great Depression between 1929 and 1932.

So I wrote a 'riches to rags' tale of an animated aussie bloke who literally walks through the turmoil of The Great Depression, coming out the other side to triumph over adversity with his free spirit intact.





This Exhibition will also travel throughout Australia sharing the personal letters and diaries, depression-crafted objects, photographs and much more, to reveal the untold stories of the Great Depression. This extraordinary exhibition is a powerful and poignant portrait of the people of Australia at the most testing and turbulent point in the nation’s history.

This is the third ad in a series of animated spots for Old Parliament House created by Zoo Advertising and EyeCandy Animation. EyeCandy have once again captured a compelling world, this time firmly set within this unique era of Misery, Mettle and Mateship.

Creative Director: Ken Buchan
Writer/Art Director: Ken Buchan
Animation/Design:Damian Stocks and Rachael Johnson
End Frame Design: Anthony Nankervis and Clinton Hutchinson.

DISCOVER WHAT'S INSIDE OLD PARLIAMENT HOUSE

This ad 'Talking Walls' captures just a few of the momentous events that occurred within this majestic building.




BILLY HUGHES AT WAR

Still Australia's longest serving parliamentarian, Billy Hughes was the Prime Minister of Australia during the turbulent years of WW1. Hughes is remembered for controversially splitting the Labor party over the issue of conscription and having the public throw an egg at him over the same issue. He famously argued with American President Woodrow Wilson when he defended Australia’s post war reparation deal abroad and improvised by signing the famous Peace Treaty of Versailles with the use of a diggers rising sun button.

‘Billy Hughes at War’ extends the strong visual brand style previously developed in the first four Old Parliament House ads by drawing on WW1 propaganda posters.