Life To the Max was made for the Italian clothing company Max and Co., and embodies their ‘live life to the max!’ slogan and outlook. We tell the coming-of-age story of Max, a young woman living in Emilia Romagna who comes to terms with the little ‘deaths’ or endings that happen throughout her life. These endings include toys, clothes, plants and, ultimately, the end of her first relationship. However, at the end of the film, she has thoroughly embraced life little changes, fixing up an old stuffed animal of hers and joining her friends on a road trip.

This was a charming narrative, with some scenes taking place in Reggio Emilia, where the first Max and Co. store was opened (this same store is featured in the film!) The aim with this film was to stylistically romanticise the mundane, using a Ghibli aesthetic with a slight 90s anime twist. Our skilled background painters rendered the beautiful Emilia Romagna countryside, in addition to the Romanesque architecture of Reggio Emilia. Max herself was to be the embodiment of the brand, so we gave her a design which amplified her main personality traits; upbeat, endearing, relatable and authentic. Her authenticity was of great importance, so aspects such as her hair and sense of style were laid-back and casual whilst still looking appealing and put-together. As there is no dialogue aside from the narration throughout the film, she was designed to be facially expressive without veering into the realm of ‘cartoony’.

As Max and Co. are a clothing brand, her wardrobe was her main co-star, with attention paid to details such as the fit of the garment, the texture of the fabric and any prints or embellishments. We thoroughly enjoyed this process, as we got to take items from a look-book given to us by the client and, with their guidance, put outfits together for Max (and her friends!).