The Jackson's agency approached Stephen with the creative brief for a new commercial it was shooting for TAFE NSW. The concept was based on the trials and tribulations of discovering a new career path in the form of a live-action Snakes and Ladders game. The hero in this story would move from square to square, sometimes rising quickly up a ladder only to be confronted by a lack of skills in the form of a snake, forcing them to slide back down to where they came from. This was the metaphor used to show how levelling up at TAFE NSW can reduce the risks of these setbacks. To shoot this scene Jackson's needed a full-size Snakes and Ladders board for the actor to work their way around, confronting the central snake on square eighty-six. A 3D artist would later animate this snake. Stephen began the process of creating this oversized piece by designing the base game board, along with sketches of the snake poses and positions. Once the base artwork was approved, Franklin developed the individual snake illustrations. The outcome was a rich, imaginative background that allowed the actor to play the role of the brave student traversing the difficulties of their career path.
Creative Direction: Jackson’s Agency
Illustration: Stephen Franklin
Complete illustration with a final print size of 3000 mm x 3000 mm.
Illustration of a red belly black snake.
Illustration of light green snake with dark circular pattern.
Illustration of light brown snake.
Stephen created custom brushes in Photoshop for the snakeskin patterns.
All the snakes were produced as individual high-resolution files for use in post-production.
Illustration of green snake with brown and white pattern.
Illustration of a tiger snake.
Illustration of a magenta-coloured snake with light stripes.
