Framestore Pictures creates ‘The Woodland’s Most Wanted’ campaign for YellaWood

The first of three new spots for American lumber company, YellaWood brand pressure treated pine, aired to kick off a national campaign helmed by Framestore Pictures director Murray Butler. 

‘The Woodland’s Most Wanted’ campaign was created in collaboration with Brunner’s Atlanta and Pittsburgh offices, and marks the second partnership between Framestore and Brunner for the YellaWood brand.

The comedic commercials feature a gang of clever CG beavers in a live action environment who are trying to steal as much YellaWood brand pressure treated pine as possible through an elaborate stealth mission, reminiscent of a traditional heist film. As the beavers, who were created by Framestore, hold their building materials to the highest of standards, they will stop at nothing to get YellaWood brand pressure treated pine. In addition to the broadcast campaign, Framestore helped to create assets for social media, in-store promotions, and even elaborate billboard installations. 

Preparation started in the pitch phase. The top priority was to ensure the campaign was funny while maintaining a high-end look. To mine the rich humour of the heist genre and translate it into the creatures’ world, Butler and the Framestore team worked to create a gang of beavers reminiscent of The A-Team and Ocean’s Eleven. Each of the five beavers was given a specific story beat and personality that grew out of animation tests, sketches, and visuals from film and television. 

‘Initial discussions took place between myself and the animation crew to develop archetypes that would be a subtle nod to pop-culture movie references,’ explains Butler. ‘We wanted a way for the audience to quickly identify with the characters and embrace the comedy.’ 

While the leader of the pack embodied George Peppard’s Hannibal from The A-Team, chewing a short stick in place of Peppard’s cigar, the team took inspiration from Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken in Escape from New York for the wildcard beaver, using his battle scars and grizzled appearance to inform the concept art. Each character had a distinct personality tied to their key role in the mission.