Cryptopunks

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CryptoPunks are a series of 10,000 unique pixel art characters created by Larva Labs in 2017, that exist on the Ethereum blockchain. Each CryptoPunk has its own distinct features, and no two are exactly alike. They gained significant attention and value within the blockchain and crypto community and have become a notable part of the NFT ecosystem. They are often bought and sold in online marketplaces, and some have fetched substantial prices due to their rarity and historical significance in the NFT space.

Task

To create an explainer video that tells the story of Cryptopunks’ origins and development.

Industry

Crypto, NFT
Style

Character animation

Task and Goals.

We were tasked with creating a unique and entertaining animated video that explains the significance and legacy of the Cryptopunks. By narrating the story of their creation and the inspiration behind them, we aimed to answer a vital question: What makes them so valuable? The biggest challenge was condensing this information into a video lasting less than two minutes.

Concepts and Storyline.

Upon receiving the task, we brainstormed a style that aligns with our goals. The primary objective was to demonstrate the Cryptopunks collection’s crucial role in NFT history. To achieve this, we opted for a style that is both instantly recognizable and iconic – reminiscent of early 2000s Cartoon Network. This style not only perfectly illustrates the Punks’ legacy status but also evokes nostalgia for our target audience, who likely grew up watching Dexter’s Laboratory, the Powerpuff Girls, and Johnny Bravo.

Characters.

The majority of the characters represent real people, lending legitimacy and authenticity to the video. The animation begins with the character of Gary Vee, a prominent entrepreneur and internet personality, known for his advocacy and early adoption of blockchain technology. Starting the video with a real quote from him adds gravity and piques viewers’ interest. Using characters that illustrate the real Cryptopunks’ creators – Matt Hall and John Watkinson of Larva Labs – gives accuracy, especially when discussing the history of this popular NFT collection.

Designs.

We began by sketching the characters and main elements in the video, providing a basic overview of each scene. To offer the client a better idea of the video’s flow, we used these sketches to create an animatic – a series of still images accompanied by a soundtrack to convey the timing of the planned sequence.
After the sketches were approved, we started working on the designs and storyboard. The designs showed exactly how the characters and other elements would look, while the storyboard demonstrated key scenes in the video.

Animation.

The video was animated and subsequently further processed to give it a more retro look. This processing consisted of texturing and adding “jagged” corners and halftone textures, used in comics that made the animation look similar to the Cartoon Network favorites from our childhood.

Corkboard Animation.

In this scene, we trace the history of punks on a chalkboard. Our animator Andy began by designing a large corkboard, onto which the thread connecting all the “clues” was superimposed. The camera’s movement, from one corner of the board to the other, reveals items such as photos, envelopes, and text.

Character animation.

For the animation of the characters, Andy used controllers that move the limbs, faces, eyes, and eyebrows. This way, he could change the expressions and positions of the body. Different characters have different designs so they required a different approach to building these controllers. Each controller has its own direction of movement, following pre-set curves to move along. The same applies to the joysticks controlling the eyes, eyebrows, and facial rotation. The items are linked to the controller so movement in the joystick activates an animation in the character. For example, if you move the joystick to the left – the face also moves to the left.

Cryptopunks

Task

Industry

Style