When Epson partnered with the world's fastest man, we were approached to create a heart-warming tale of Usain's biggest fan.

Having a celebrity as the main protagonist meant developing a recognisable character design with a delicate balance between reality and stylisation. We created detailed studies, lists of facial expressions and a body language library.

Since Epson was advertising one of the best inkjet printers on the market, we wanted to adopt a rich colour scheme with high contrast and mimic a natural cinematic look. All shots were staged in a way a cinematographer would do on an actual set, using digital equivalents of prime camera lenses and employing realistic shot compositions, camera movements, depth of field and chromatic aberration.

With over 40 shots containing multiple characters, animation was no easy task. Most shots were animated using a frame by frame posing technique, evoking a warm feeling of classic cel animation.