Our friends at ESPN came to us to help launch the Longhorn Network, a brand new 24/7 sports network for the University of Texas. Of course, we were game.
Right from the start we knew this wasn’t going to be your typical sports package—no flying shiny logos here (not that we have anything against that type of thing). But this package needed to reflect the spirit of UT fans, and the unique flavor of Austin, TX—which is, as they say… weird.
We came up with the concept of a massive trophy case, something that spoke to the past (tradition, classic games, and past championships) as well the present. Austin and the UT campus served as our inspiration. We took textures from the sides of buildings, old barns, the UT stadium, and the UT Austin campus. We built signage inspired by the eclectic Austin aesthetic. We found old rusted pipes, wrought iron fences, and weathered air conditioning vents.
With our raw materials in hand, we set about building a UT-branded trophy case with worlds inside worlds and where everything was branded Longhorn. Actual game footage was camera-tracked and used as reference for our camera animations, resulting in a style that felt dynamic and organic. Footage and still photographs were rotoscoped to serve as “trophies.” We even recruited Bevo to hold the boom mic in a few shots.
By the end, the package had even us New Yorkers shouting “Hook ‘Em Horns!!!” (the BBQ and bucket of cold Lone Stars didn’t hurt).
