RAMADAN AT ISTANBUL AIRPORT
For the festive occasion of Ramadan at IGA Istanbul Airport, we embarked on a project to craft a unique story with an animatic storyboard and original characters designed to captivate hundreds of thousands of passengers during the holy month.
Given the brief, our creative focus was on integrating traditional Anatolian fairytale characters into a Ramadan celebration narrative. With the animation time capped at 4 minutes, we devised a practical approach: all 15 characters became neighbors in the same district of Istanbul. This setting allowed us to showcase each character’s distinctiveness within a cohesive, interconnected storyline.
Animatic Storyboard Video*
* The animatic storyboard presented here is a preliminary tool, not the final animation. It serves as a rough guide for the storyline, visual flow, and timing in the early stages of development.
At the heart of our narrative is the essence of Ramadan – a time for fasting, prayer, charitable acts, and faithful intentions. The protagonist, a child, embodies the spirit of the month by sharing Ramadan pita, a special bread symbolic of the joy and goodness of Ramadan. This act of kindness weaves through the neighborhood, linking the characters and their stories in a tapestry of communal harmony and celebration.
Our story aims not only to entertain but also to resonate with the values of Ramadan, reflecting its significance in a manner that’s both engaging and respectful. With this project, we aspire to bring the warmth and unity of Ramadan to the diverse audience at IGA Istanbul Airport.
The costumes of our characters were meticulously crafted and sewn, allowing performers to embody these roles in person at the airport and conduct workshops, thereby adding an interactive and educational dimension to the experience. This live representation at Istanbul Airport provided a tangible connection to the stories and traditions of Ramadan, further enriching the celebratory atmosphere and engaging passengers in a memorable cultural experience.
For the character designs, we utilized a specific color palette and design elements that were provided to us. These not only added visual coherence and appeal but also helped convey the festive and cultural essence of Ramadan. The character designs were crafted with a focus on distinctiveness, relatability, and expressiveness, ensuring that each one was unique in their attributes while reflecting traditional Anatolian folklore. For the moodboard settings, we collected images and photos to harmonize the layouts within the narrative, contributing to a rich and engaging visual storytelling experience.
