Every February in New York City, a menagerie of purebred pups gather to compete in one of the most famous dog competitions in the world; the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. As the second oldest sporting event in the United States, Westminster is irresistible to audiences versed in the nuisances and legacy of the competition, as well as those who simply like ogling the thousands of canines on parade.

Enter the team of sports journalist Ben Walker and his Broadway choreographer wife Ginger “Gingey” Tidwell-Walker. When by chance a journalist assigned to cover the event with Walker was unable to attend, Walker brought in his wife Ginger to assist. From that day forward, they have been covering Westminster for The Associated Press annually for over 20 years. Ben and Ginger will draw on their rich experiences, knowledge, and contacts giving viewers behind-the-scenes access to Westminster in only the way they can.

THE PROJECT

Using a combination of documentary-style video, illustration and animation, enterprise digital team members Nat Castañeda and Peter Hamlin will create the following:

Video

·      Long form video that goes behind the scenes of Westminster. The piece will touch on the history of the event, the current state of the competition and will feature interviews and analysis of the competition by the Walkers.

·      A series of short videos for social with soundbites from the long piece

·      Instagram Stories adapted from the long piece and the animated shorts

Illustration and Animation

·      Series of illustrations showing various dog breeds

·      Animated shorts for social on Westminster history and things to know