Warde is a fabric store with one of the most extensive collections of fabrics. It has been around for 130 years. Since then Warde has established itself as a household name and is part of most homes in Lebanon.

The TVC depicts a journey of migrating animals all using their instincts to navigate their way through the world. They’re looking for their natural habitat, a place that just feels like home.

After agreeing on the story boards and script, the first step in working on the animation was to design the characters, which were the primary focus of the spot. Avoiding cartoon-esque characters was essential; the challenge was to create animals made out of fabrics in the most realistic way possible.

While the characters were being developed, the team was split in half to simultaneously design and define the landscapes, while testing fabric dynamics with different 3D simulation tools.

Then came modeling all the approved characters and landscapes in 3D – the challenge was to create all the sceneries and characters in 3D, and texture them with fabrics provided by Warde. There were hundreds of fabrics to be scanned, photographed, and made tileable for use in 3D.

We wanted the same feel as some nature documentaries, so extensive research was done on how documentaries are shot and how the camera angles are treated. Through the research, a selection was made from which the first rough animatic was born. And then some specific camera angles and handling were replicated in 3D with virtual cameras.

As an overall, the most important focus remained – making it as realistic as possible, while immersing you in Warde’s world of fabrics.