Computer Arts: How did you get involved with Victoria's Secret?
Freddy Arenas: I first worked with Carlo Vega about three years ago just, when I moved to New York. He had this project already and reached out to see if I was interested in co-directing and producing it with him.
The script was a hymn, enumerating the various qualities of the Victoria’s Secret brand. Because of the schedule he decided to have a lot of type-only screens, with just a few illustrations in between to link things together.
CA: How does the director's cut version differ from the original?
FA: I think the biggest difference would be the fact that the director’s cut is a narrative piece, where the original is more a classic motion graphic see and say.
I really liked the illustrated bits of the original piece and wanted to have a cut that features them. But just putting together a bunch of unrelated shots – wasn't looking all that great. So I decided to add the narrative component and created the extra shots to knit the new piece together.
CA: What was the most challenging part of making the director's cut?
FA: It wasn’t hard to decided what to leave in and what to take out – the challenge was more about looking at what I already had and coming up with a new story based on that.
CA: What's your favourite part?
FA: I think the transition from the shopping bag on the counter to the storefront. I like that it’s a metaphor and also the mini-paradox of it containing itself.
CA: How did you put the piece together?
FA: There is lots of frame-by-frame animation in Photoshop, some cutout animation in After Effects and a few 3D renders using Cinema 4D.
CA: how important is storytelling to your work?
FA: I like the whole structure that goes behind storytelling, thinking how one action triggers the next one, introducing characters and so on. I think it helps me catch the viewer’s attention.
Check out the full spot below, and more from Freddy Arenas at freddyarenas.com