Galaxy 61 Updates Manic Basketball Character for Price Chopper

For the Slam Dunk Savings campaign, Galaxy 61 was asked to reinvent Price Chopper's manic spokesball, Ricky B. We updated his look and gave him a full facial animation rig, for maximum expressiveness. We also gave him a slick new basketball court to bounce around in. Word on the street is that the new Ricky is much more likable, encouraging shoppers to let the madness begin!

"Bags 2 Riches" for Price Chopper features CGI shopping cart and piles of prizes

Price Chopper wanted to pull out all the stops to promote its "Bags 2 Riches" sweepstakes. To do so, we helped them create a shopping cart character that guides the viewer past the cars, piles of cash, and mountains of groceries that participants can win. We pulled together the previz and the editorial from the client's sketches and created the journey that culminates in a canyon made of grocery items. A last minute script change added the dancing prize tickets to an already action-packed spot.

Many, many groceries and other prizes had to be modeled. The Galaxy 61 modeling  team included Roger An  and Jasper Johnson (who built  some rather tasty looking donuts and bagels). Roger also rigged the shopping cart, enabling the bags of groceries to tumble and sway as the cart speeds along.

Galaxy 61 creates charming holiday pop-up books for Price Chopper

For this year's Price Chopper seasonal spots, we went with a concept that we'd been tossing around for a couple of years: the holiday-themed pop-up book, featuring the various ways in which Price Chopper can help you create holiday memories. The staff designers at Price Chopper sorted through mountains of stock imagery while the team here at G61 converted it all into a book that  unveils holiday vignettes and promotions as the pages turn.

We made two complete versions- fall-themed for Thanksgiving, and winter-themed for the late December festivities. Falling leaves and snow add to the magical charm.

The Galaxy 61 team included Andrew Ortiz (rigging and visual effects) and Jasper Johnson (modeling).

Galaxy 61 created the title sequence for VH1's "The Fabulous Life"

It's the featured lead story on Fired By Design's home page this week.

We're celebrating Galaxy 61's 10th anniversary this month:

Here's what Creative Planet had to say

The new Galaxy 61 Show Reel:

Season's Greetings 2013

Our holiday card this year features a New York Central Dreyfuss streamlined Hudson Locomotive barreling past several 1950's-era kids building a snowman. Here is a 3D version (if you have anaglyph stereo glasses):

It was created by Doug and Jasper Johnson here at Galaxy 61 studios in December 2013. It is loosely based on several holiday-themed works of the iconic american railroad painter Howard Fogg:

Happy Happy Holidays Holidays

It's been quite the busy year at G61, but we've managed to squeeze out a Christmas card. You need to scare up a pair of red/cyan anaglyph 3D glasses to view it, but it's totally worth it.

Izod "Genette" Macy's Brand Tree

We were asked by Izod to design and produce this elegant title sequence on an extremely tight schedule. It illustrated their brand strategy for Macy's.

Our first iPhone app: Status Blabber!

Galaxy 61, together with Animetwork.tv, is one of the developers of StatusBlabber, an app for iOS4 that allows you to post your Facebook Status or Twitter tweet as an animated character with a funny voice. The app attained "new & Noteworthy" status at the iTunes app store upon its release. Download it here and have fun!