Yves Geleyn Directed This Commercial For A Cancer Drug That Feels More Like A Short Film

As its director Yves Geleyn says, “The idea was to create a poetic metaphor to illustrate the very complex topic and importance of sequencing in gastric cancer. The main thread of the story was how a small interference can un-synchronize an entire universe, and vice versa how step-by-step changes can have a huge effect on the big picture.”

A third analogy is contained in the ad. When Geleyn was hired to direct it, he knew little about oncology — and the doctors working with him knew little about animation. Through their collaboration, they learned that their lines of work had something in common: both require minute planning.

According to Salah-Eddin Al-Batran, an oncology expert involved with the project, “There are many similarities between creating an animated film and treating a patient. At the end of the day, you need to think about what you want to achieve and to make a plan before you start working.”

Geleyn is an experienced animation director whose work ranges across a range of media. His past clients include McDonald’s and U.K. retailer John Lewis, and he also directed a spot about children and gun violence which we featured in 2014. “Planimation” was produced by Hornet, the New York-based production studio.

Check out more concept art, full credits, and a behind-the-scenes documentary featuring Geleyn and the oncologists, on Hornet’s website.