A Journey Into Scotland’s Craftsmanship | Glencairn Crystal Studio

A short animation produced for Glencairn Crystal Studio on the history of their whisky glass.

An animation on the history of a beloved whisky glass

Tasting whiskey is an art in itself, requiring a keen understanding of the nuances of flavour. Every whisky tasting experience needs to begin with the choice of glassware. The Glencairn Glass is renowned worldwide for its craftsmanship and timeless design. 

This is what we discovered when the Chocolate Films Scotland team were lucky enough to be commissioned by Glencairn Crystal Studio to make a unique animation on the history of the glass and the people behind its unique design. 

A special thanks to Launch Digital, Chocolate Films Scotland, Chocolate Films London, and Glencairn Crystal Studio, who all helped bring the history of the Glencairn Glass to life.

Not just any glass

The Glencairn Glass boasts a shape that is specially designed to showcase the best qualities of whisky. Its tulip-shaped bowl narrows towards the rim, allowing the aromas to gather and concentrate. This design not only enhances the olfactory experience but also prevents the escape of delicate scents. 

The wide base of the glass provides stability, while the solid, tapered stem allows for comfortable handling and a touch of elegance. Together, these elements create an optimal vessel for appreciating the complexity and character of fine whiskies.

Glencairn Crystal Studio Video Animation Project
Raymond Davidson founder of Glencairn Crystal Studio

Developing the script and style

Working closely with our client, the creative team at Chocolate Films developed the script that captures the essence of the Glencairn family’s journey. We explored old photographs, original artwork and illustrations created by the founders. We conducted interviews with the leaders of the organisation and uncovered personal stories to grasp the spirit of the Glencairn Glass. 

Drawing inspiration from these findings, our dedicated Chocolate Films animation team embarked on the storyboarding stage, translating the initial sketches of the founder Raymond Davidson into a visual style that would evoke the passion and profound love inherent in their craft.

Telling a story through animation

Through a collaborative effort, we carefully crafted the animation style with the inspiration from an archive of sketches and artworks by the renowned artist Jim Drysdale. These captivating illustrations provided us with a window into the intricate world of Glencairn’s history. 

Each scene was carefully planned out showing key moments throughout the family’s journey. Led by one of Chocolate Films highly skilled Scottish animators these scenes were brought to life through various 2D animation techniques.

Glencairn’s illustration history

Choosing the right animation style

The mixed media/collage style, we used for The Glencairn Glass animation, can also work well for museum and art exhibitions. We previously collaborated closely with Leighton House on one of their permanent pieces. In the documentary, we used photos of Leighton, his house, and his friends to illustrate his life and work from a young child to his death.  

Chocolate Films team have created animations for various clients and sectors. There’s a lot of creative freedom with animations compared to live-action videos, and choosing the right style can be difficult.

With our expertise and experience, we can help to find the right animation style for your project. 

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Book your free consultation

The producers at Chocolate Films are available to talk through your project at a time that suits you. They’ll make sure they really understand your organisation and what you’re looking to achieve with video content. Following the discussion, they will send over a detailed proposal for the work you’re looking to commission.

What our clients say

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Stephen WheatleyStephen Wheatley
16:50 03 Nov 23
Make Listening Safe Campaign UK is an initiative of The World Health Organisation aimed at increasing the awareness of avoidable risks to hearing in those between 10 and 40 years of age, launched at an in person event in London on 1st November 2023.We needed the launch to be filmed and were lucky enough to be introduced to Chocolate Films who provided the crew and the equipment required.Our events team have informed me that the crew were a delight to work with and were very helpful.We were very impressed with the quality of the footage and were very surprised when we received it so quickly after the event, so we could edit it and get it out on to social media in a timely fashion.We have no hesitation in recommending Chocolate Films.Thank you for making the filming such a pain free experience.Stephen Wheatley | Chair – MLSC UK |
Stella HungerStella Hunger
18:15 01 Nov 23
I was lucky enough to work with Nikita and Chocolate Films on a photo shoot. They were extremely professional, accommodating, organized and generally lovely. We definitely plan on working with them in the future! Thank you for everything, Nikita!
Vanessa RushtonVanessa Rushton
12:59 25 Oct 23
Great provider – always happy to help and deliver what’s needed quickly and cost effectively
Laura CliffLaura Cliff
09:49 12 Oct 23
I worked with Chocolate films to produce a voice over for a film translated into Welsh. Nikki and Lucia were professional, friendly and understood the brief. They ensured all deadlines were met and the work was produced to a really high quality.
Rachael CresswellRachael Cresswell
09:03 05 Oct 23
A friendly group of professional, talented film-makers who created some brilliant videos for us. Anna and Han were a pleasure to work with and were available to discuss the project whenever we needed it. The entire process was slick and efficient from start to finish – I would definitely recommend Chocolate Films for any film project.
Nick HarmerNick Harmer
14:26 21 Jun 23
A very professional team with flexibility and great understanding of the craft. The pre-production was straight forward but the dedication from the team on the day to capture lots of high quality footage of the event was admirable.The final outcomes were well edited and the revisions process was painless and fast. I highly recommend Chocolate Films for event and interview videography.
joe plimmerjoe plimmer
11:21 25 Apr 23
A pleasure to collaborate with such a wonderful company that nurtures talent the right way
Anoushka FreemanAnoushka Freeman
17:27 13 Jan 23
We couldn’t recommend Chocolate Films highly enough! The team had a thorough attention to detail, communicated each phase of the production clearly, and were extremely friendly and patient with time delays gathering necessary media items on our side.
A Google User
A Google User
17:27 13 Jan 23
We couldn’t recommend Chocolate Films highly enough! The team had a thorough attention to detail, communicated each phase of the production clearly, and were extremely friendly and patient with time delays gathering necessary media items on our side.
Emma HalesEmma Hales
16:57 11 Jan 23
Worked with this fantastic company On a vaccine hesitancy video. The company were professional from start to finish, very understanding and patient with the young people involved in making the video and truly brought their ideas to life! Highly recommended!
Social MediaSocial Media
13:27 29 Dec 22
It was a pleasure for Museum of London to work on one of our most exciting wrap up films of the year with Chocolate Films. Anna, Phil and the whole team were helpful, accommodating and flexible through a tricky brief and shoot. Definitely recommend! Jaanuja
Jessica DillonJessica Dillon
11:54 22 Nov 22
Buttle UK worked with Chocolate Films to create an animated video to capture a co-produced report about estranged young people. We are absolutely amazed by the video they created for us! The team at Chocolate Films worked tirelessly to involve our young team, including an in-person workshop and an online one. It was lovely to see how they made it a fun learning experience during the workshops, while also working hard on the core purpose and outcome of the project. We really valued the expertise we received from the project manager, animators and voiceover experts. As they are a social enterprise, it’s clear that Chocolate Films have the kind of values we (a charity) really love. It shows in the beautiful film they created, and the way that they made it possible for us to work with them. We are so impressed and wholeheartedly recommend them without hesitation.
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