Phill Swaine scooped top prize in the annual Channel 4 E sting design competition. Phill beat over 1000 entries (internationally) to win a £15,000 commission for channel 4. The winning entry (starring his twin brother Paul & an E4 fridge monster called eGOR) was a 10 second sting/advert promoting the channel.

During an interview with 4Talent Magazine Phill explained more about the work: 

"One of my lecturers suggested our class make entries for the competition as personal projects. We weren't expecting to get to the final stages, so I went in with a fresh attitude and just decided to have fun with it. I was gob- smacked to be the runner-up, it feels like my degree is really paying off."

Phil comments that his more traditional method of using film rather than animation, was a conscious effort to do something different.

"I think the judges must have appreciated my use of film. So many of the entries were animated, but my work tries to stay away from trends as much as  possible. Animation is very fashionable at the moment, but it's not all designers have to work with."

Inspired by puppets like Gordon the Gopher featured on children's television in the early nineties, Phil took to making the E4 puppet monster which stars in  his E-Sting concept himself.

"The E4 brand was really inspiring. The programmes and the channel's  personality are pretty unique – it's funny, and cheeky. I was trying to reflect  that in my E-Sting."

Phil has plans to go back-packing in search of inspiration for future projects and  says that he'd love to working for an innovative and ambitious graphic design  company some day.

Article taken from 4talent Magazine