Le Cube on Making an Impact for Brands and Breaking into Long-Form

Le Cube is an award-winning international animation studio, signed to Psyop in the US, that specialises in 2D animation, illustration and character design. Inspired by urban culture and design, the studio has partnered with agencies, brands and broadcasters around the world, from Coca-Cola to Heineken, Nike, Uber and beyond. Known best for its dynamic cell animations, Le Cube is led by five partners: creative directors Ralph Karam and Santiago Oddis, and executive producers Gustavo Karam, Juan Manuel Freire and Fernanda Soma.

After more than a decade of being awarded for their commercial and shortform content at festivals including Cannes Lions, Ciclope, LIA and the Clios, the studio is now also making the leap to long-form. Speaking to LBB, Psyop spotlights the studio in a conversation with its leaders, discussing some of Le Cube's highlights from the last year as well as its ambitions for the future, including the upcoming Adult Swim project, ‘Common Side Effects’.

Q> How would you sum up Le Cube?

Le Cube> A global production partner - characters, narratives, and innovative concepts are our jam. We like to dance to the rhythm of a wide range of techniques, from 2D and 3D animation to motion graphics, stop motion and live action. We sometimes even blend all styles together for a unique effect. And we like to mix it up with characters too. It's always good to have a dancing partner.

We love to design stories for traditional formats such as TVC and socials, but we also enjoy every moment of projects where it is possible to tell stories using different media such as VR, 360˚ videos, interactive installations and AR. We are masters of classic techniques and lovers of new technologies.

Q> What are your highlights from the past year?

Le Cube> We’d have to say projects like Coca-Cola ‘Reborn’ and our latest ‘Ring of Fire’ for NEC. Also, ‘Common Side Effects’ which is a series we are currently in production on. All three projects provided us with the freedom to collaborate closely with our clients, elevating our craftsmanship to new heights. These pieces have not only won our hearts but are also pieces we are immensely proud to showcase.

The team might not do it for fame and stardom, but our projects have still been honoured at festivals like Cannes Lion, Clio, Ciclope, D&AD, The One Show, New York Festival, Lia and Promax. It’s always a major highlight having your work recognised.

Q> Any future aspirations for the studio?

Le Cube> We're eagerly looking towards the horizon and are excited about further expanding into content territories such as series, movies and IP. Additionally, we're looking to deepen our involvement in tech-related projects, consistently bringing our craft and passion together to help our clients bring their ideas to life.

We are thrilled to see some of these milestones coming to life already, as we are currently in production on an animated segment for Tom Tykwer’s new upcoming film which we’ll be able to see on the big screen early next year.

Q> Your latest is the ‘Ring of Fire’ project for NEC. What was the initial brief?

Le Cube> Our journey commenced with the concept of crafting a promotional spot, highlighting our two heroes as they embark on their journey to the ring. Our aim was to showcase the inner struggles and aspirations of the fighters on the eve of the big fight, while also recognising the significance of this highly anticipated event for the boxing community.

Q> How did you approach it?

Le Cube> Our approach involved preparing for the ring from multiple perspectives. We envisioned our contenders undergoing a three-act structure. The first part aimed to depict the fans' reception of the big fight and the heightened expectations surrounding it. Our second act focused on a more surreal segment, aiming to portray a highly visual moment that would reflect the inner dreams, hopes and fears of the challengers. Finally, the third act would place our characters in the ring, just about to commence the fight and celebrating this huge event.

Equally important was our intention to portray a balanced amount of time for both characters throughout the film, which we achieved through a fast-cutting technique in the visual language. Additionally, we employed a mixed-style visual approach in the second act to amplify the impact of the entire piece. One of our objectives was to delve deep into the extensive history of these two boxing champions, and to stay faithful and pay homage to their illustrious careers in the ring.

Q> What is your favourite moment in the film?

Le Cube> Our favourite part is in the second act where we utilised a mixed-style technique to enhance our psychedelic journey, portraying the inner conflicts and aspirations of the characters while paying tribute to their rich histories. By collaborating with some of our favorite talent and friends in animation from around the world, we crafted this spectacular segment, complete with intricacies and Easter eggs for the boxing community.

Q> How did you land on the style?

Le Cube> The style of the project was developed around the concept of providing a cinematic experience in 2D, a hallmark of the studio's reputation. Particularly in the second act, the blending of styles was carefully crafted to create an arc of differing techniques that still felt cohesive within the overall piece. A nod to anime, this stylistic approach merged the two worlds while upholding the idea that this event will leave a lasting impact on the history of sports - a sentiment which resonates with every culture and language.

Q> In your recent work for Coca-Cola, there are a ton of varying styles, how do you blend these so seamlessly?

Le Cube> Just as assembling a jigsaw puzzle, each piece of artwork was meticulously planned to fit into the animation, identifying key points where transitions between styles could occur smoothly. Additionally, extensive communication between the team ensured consistency in style and a fluid flow throughout the piece. It was beautiful to see so many talented people working together!

Q> You mentioned a long-form project ‘Common Side Effects’ earlier - How did this step into the longer form world come about?

Le Cube> We've always had a passion for storytelling, so after 10 years in advertising with a great reputation and positioning in the industry, we started to pursue long-form content. In 2020, we produced a 22-minute 2D animated TV Special for Disney+, under the ‘Descendants’ IP. 

With a strong background in the advertising industry, we're accustomed to positioning craftsmanship as a top priority. However, the challenge with longer formats is the scale, timing, and judging how to maintain that same level, with all things considered. After the Disney project, we worked on the amazing feature 'Unicorn Wars' from Alberto Vazques and the TV show 'Poor Evil'. Currently, we're thrilled to be working on the episodic project 'Common Side Effects' for Adult Swim which we'll be wrapping up in the coming months.

Above: Still from 'Common Side Effects'

Q> What has been the most creatively rewarding part of the ‘Common Side Effects’  process so far? 

Le Cube> Everything. First of all, working with such a talented team is amazing. The show was created by Joe Bennett and Steve Hely and is executive produced by ‘King of the Hill’ creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels so having the opportunity to work with them has been an incredible journey. 

Then, the story - it’s awesome. As we are still in production so of course we cannot spoil it, but we can say… ‘Common Side Effects’ follows former high school lab partners Marshall and Frances as they begin to unravel a conspiracy involving big pharma and the federal government to suppress knowledge of a rare mushroom that may hold the key to curing all the world’s diseases (more info here). 

We are sure that this show is going to be a hit so we are super excited to see it on screen.

For any further information, contact Tyler Chambers, director of marketing: thchambers@psyop.tv