Anyways animates the rich history of Soho and Spitalfields for Fora

Date
15 January 2019

London-based creative agency Anyways, a sister company to It’s Nice That and part of the HudsonBec Group, always approaches projects by looking for meaningful ways to display creativity. One of the agency’s most recent projects is two animated shorts for workspace company Fora, announcing its new locations in Soho and Spitalfields. The animations may differ in location and animator, but the historical context and vibrant communities of each area are at the heart of Anyways’ art direction.

For Fora, both the animated shorts needed to announce that its workspaces were moving into the area, but also celebrate its excitement to be joining two areas of London “synonymous with the creative industry,” it says. From the outset, its ambition “was to produce something fun, original and unexpected that resonates with those communities and also achieves standout for Fora.”

As a result, Anyways’ collaboration with the company began with immersing itself in the local areas. It began by tracing back the context of each area’s name, then uncovering local businesses to discover the “cultural impact that Soho had and the industrial impact of Spitalfields,” Anyways tells us. “Both share similar historical importance but in very different parts of society.”

After swotting up on its knowledge of the two areas, Anyways reached out to animators, Nice Shit, to illustrate Fora Soho and Milo Targett to reimagine Spitalfields. While Milo’s rendition of the area sees him include stories of "Shakespearean inspiration, master silk weavers, beer, brave women and Brick Lane,” Nice Shit turns to “hunting cries, exotic fruits, rhythm, new romantics and radio” for Soho.

With their differing subject matter, both of the animations relate to one another through their colour palette of teal blue interspersed with a vibrant yellow. Nice Shit and Milo’s ability to communicate strongly with a limited colour palette was an attribute of their individual portfolios Anyways felt was particularly apt, enabling them to “solidify the Fora colours in the eyes of the viewer”.

On viewing the animations Fora hopes those using its workspaces and the locals of both Spitalfields and Soho will learn a little something new about each area’s rich history. “The vignettes in the videos uncover some of that richness, and prompt the viewer to dig a little deeper, learning more about the spaces in which they live,” says Fora. “The creative message here is that these places have always been home to brilliance, individuals and events that have shaped history, and now Fora is bringing the ultimate environment for the next generation.”

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Anyways and Milo Targett: Fora Spitalfields

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Anyways and Milo Targett: Fora Spitalfields

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Anyways and Milo Targett: Fora Spitalfields

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Anyways and Milo Targett: Fora Spitalfields

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Anyways and Nice Shit Studio: Fora Soho

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Anyways and Nice Shit Studio: Fora Soho

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Anyways and Nice Shit Studio: Fora Soho

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About the Author

Lucy Bourton

Lucy (she/her) is the senior editor at Insights, a research-driven department with It's Nice That. Get in contact with her for potential Insights collaborations or to discuss Insights' fortnightly column, POV. Lucy has been a part of the team at It's Nice That since 2016, first joining as a staff writer after graduating from Chelsea College of Art with a degree in Graphic Design Communication.

lb@itsnicethat.com

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