I was tasked by MTV to create an opening for a rock countdown show with minimal direction, just the name and format. I developed the concept of a musical dodgeball battle on a concert stage where characters representing different music genres compete by throwing instruments at each other.

Working remotely from New York, I collaborated with French animator Julien Sarraute who helped bring my vision to life through distinctive character designs and keyframe animation. Together, we created a lineup of characters that embodied different music styles, from metal and punk to indie and classic rock—each with exaggerated traits that made their musical identity instantly recognizable.

The animation features dynamic concert lighting with contrasting green and magenta colors to create visual tension between the competing musicians. The high-energy sequence perfectly captured MTV2's edgy aesthetic while creating a memorable identity for the countdown show.

The final animation was produced by the studio behind Venture Bros. and was featured prominently in MTV's programming, even appearing on a massive video billboard in Times Square. This project taught me valuable lessons about creative direction and managing international collaborations that continue to influence my approach to multimedia projects.