Irish Animator’s Short Film Airs During the Grammys Broadcast in US
Irish animator Johnny Kelly had special reason to tune into last night's televised Grammy Awards programme in the US as his short ‘Back to the Start' was broadcast to an audience of millions during an ad break. His short animated film was shown as an advertisement for the popular US fast food chain Chipotle Mexican Grill. Initially Chipotle made the film as a means of promoting the improvements in the country's food supply but last night they turned it into their first national commercial.
Kelly, who is now based in London, was selected by the Creative Artists Agency after Chipotle turned to them to find a director. The film uses puppets to show a family farmer switching first to factory farming, then back to the sustainable approach to turning animals out to pasture. The concept of the farmer changing from a passive observer to an instigator who transforms his own farm ‘closely reflects Chipotle's own story as they began moving away from using factory farm suppliers 10 years ago' Mr Kelly explains.
The film, which has reached 4.4 million viewers on YouTube, boasts Willie Nelson singing his version of Coldplay's "The Scientist". This song can be downloaded on iTunes with 60 cents of each purchase going to the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation.
You can watch ‘Back to the Start' here.