Clems' Short Film Flint Invokes Sympathy for a Skipping Stone

Flint is a short, contemplative animation created by Clemenger BBDO  following the story of a stone after skipping to challenge viewers to consider the impact of the small, unconsidered moments and pieces of our lives.

LBB spoke to ECD Paul Meates, directors Louise McClean and Conrad De Lange, and animator Amber Sawicki to gauge their inspiration. 

Paul has been ECD at Clemenger for nearly three years, and was group creative director at Droga5 for ten years prior to this. He co-wrote Flint, and has won many prestigious awards including Cannes Lions, Effies, and Spikes Asia.

Louise McClean co-directed Flint and is a copywriter at Clemenger. She shares how important colour was in contributing to the mood of the film, as well as creating the warmth effect of the light.

Amber Sawicki was an animator of Flint and is also a copywriter at Clemenger. She comments on how the collaboration of music with Sonar produced "fluid, resonant soundscapes", and that the audience goes beyond children.

LBB> What was the motivation behind creating Flint?

Paul Meates> This story had been sitting on the shelf for a while. But it hadn’t been forgotten, which is usually a good sign. It was sticky enough to hang around in the back of our heads. And there’s nothing worse than letting a good story go untold, so it was time to bring it to life.

LBB> Who is the film aimed at and what do you hope that the audience takes away from it?

Amber Sawicki> Children enjoy it, but it’s really aimed above them. We wanted it to feel like a good parable. We were inspired by 'The Giving Tree' -- a child-like story carrying complex emotions and deeper meaning. At its heart, we aimed to spark a sense of belonging and family in the viewer, something simple enough to feel, but layered enough to stick with you.

LBB> What attracted you to animation as the format for telling the story?

Paul Meates> Animation is such a great way to tell emotional stories. We’ve always admired how Pixar opens its feature films with animated shorts -- no dialogue, just sound and music doing the emotional heavy lifting. Interestingly, Pixar don’t make any money from these short films. In fact, they lose money on them. They make them purely to nurture new talent, which was equally inspiring for the inexperienced group of filmmakers we pulled together for this project.

LBB> One of my favourite things about the film is the close attention paid to the animation of the light. How challenging was that to create?

Louise McClean> When we were shaping the visual identity of the film, we spent a lot of time thinking about how the two worlds should feel. The light is dappled through the trees and similarly shimmers through the rippling water, creating a cohesion both above and below the surface. Colour played a huge role in creating a softness to the film: charcoal blacks, pastel tones, a palette that feels gentle, emotional, and expressive. The lighting built on that feeling by leaning into morning light, which holds both coolness and warmth at the same time.

LBB> How did you incorporate music to further the story? How important was the specific score?

Amber Sawicki> Because the story is so simple and pure, we knew the score needed to echo that tone: subtle, minimal, and heartfelt. In partnership with Sonar, we built a distinct sonic world using Tibetan singing bowls, vibraphones, drums, and layered water phones to create fluid, resonant soundscapes. The score guides the viewer from moment to moment: the low, ominous hum as the crocodile appears, to the gentle flute textures as Flint rises from the water. These cues were designed to carry the emotional rhythm of the film, filling it with feeling rather than dialogue.

LBB> Could you explain the role symbolism plays in the story?

Conrad De Lange> It isn't really symbolism that makes the story strong. But the choice of a skipping stone does. A skipping stone is something we don’t immediately empathise with. Revealing its vulnerability really adds to the emotional heft and memorability of the story. We ask the audience to pause and consider something they’ve never taken the time to think about -- what it happens to a stone after you skip it?