Kenny Roberts,
Racing Icon
Documentary pitch for the life story of a racing legend.
Art Direction
Storyboards
Illustration
Animation
-
Kenny Roberts, a trailblazing icon in the world of motorcycle racing, revolutionized the sport with his skill, innovative racing techniques, and fierce competitive spirit. Known for introducing a new style of cornering as well as demanding higher safety standards, Roberts not only dominated tracks globally but also reshaped the very nature of Grand Prix motorcycle racing.
As part of a pitch for a proposed documentary on his life and career, I was responsible for the design and animation of the trailer. Even though Roberts was a legend in the racing world, an animated approach was essential to make up for the lack of archival footage from his early life and career. Although the project ultimately failed to secure funding, I remain proud of the work we accomplished.
Moodboards
During the exploratory phase, I was inspired by classic racing poster of the past, particularly their overall flat graphic style and strategic use of big blocks of color. Working with the producer, we chose to use color as an organizing principle of the presentation of Kenny's career. We selected three primary color palettes to represent each stage of Kenny's remarkable life. Beginning with his early childhood, through his flat track racing days, and culminating in his career as a premiere Gran Prix racer, each palette was chosen to reflect the tone and energy of that particular phase. To visually tie the entire piece together, we incorporated Kenny's legendary Yamaha YZR750 road racing bike, as well as his distinctive black and yellow track suit and helmet.
