The Operators’ creative team were talking recently about ways to promote and showcase their work in a way that set them apart from the traditional show reel approach. Ben Le Tourneau, Director of Motion, came up with an idea.

Instead of doing what everyone else was doing – compiling a montage of client samples – he wanted to make a short film that captured the essence of their unique creative style while showcasing their client work. The extraordinary result – Grey Days.

Grey Days is a ‘morning in the life’ story about a man just trying to get to work. It chronicles the annoying hassles we’ve all faced – from his car not starting, crashing his bike into a passerby on the sidewalk, discovering he has no cash for a cab ride after he’s already hailed it.

And all along his journey, he’s peppered with advertisements and promos wherever he looks; from his cell phone and iPad, to the billboards, magazines and newspapers that all come to life with moving imagery.

As you watch Grey Days, you realize the creative sophistication required to bring such imagery to life – and the challenges of some very complex VFX.

“What started off as a little idea – which was to create somewhat of a gorilla film around the streets of London – soon evolved into quite an epic project. We brought on board photographer/director Stuart McClymont to help us evolve this idea into a reality. And that’s how it all started!

Because if its increasing complexity, Grey Days ended up having to be very well organized. There were a ton of locations we wanted to film on the main character’s journey, and as this was a strictly self promotion piece, our budget was uber tight. We were adamant that we wanted to shoot this with a documentary feel so there was very little effort in prepping the locations for post production help.

“We tried a few different camera solutions, however we finally decided on the Canon 5D as it could deliver a high quality HD image, while still being lightweight and mobile enough to strap to the actors head.  We used Final Cut Pro 7 for the edit; Color for the grading; mocha Pro for Planar Tracking, roto, inserting, warping and removal and stabilizing; Adobe After Effects for all the VFX compositing; Adobe Photoshop for retouching and prepping the artwork and PFHoe for 3Dtracking.  All up it cost us three staff months to create the piece,” explains Ben Le Tourneau.

There were many different areas in some shots actually tracked. Sometimes some shots had four or five different tracking areas – all-in-all, around 70 areas/shots.

“This project could have never been achievable without mocha pro. Since we could prep each area within a shot, tracking such loose camera work, was an amazing challenge. We encountered everything possible that should have caused the tracker to fail, but it made it through the more challenging shots. Also the latest Shape export and tracking export works beautifully, which made the workflow between mocha pro and After Effects seamless,” explains Le Tourneau.

The Operator crew didn’t just use mocha for the tracker, though there were a ton of shots that needed to be stabilised,  rotoscoped and cleaned up – all of which was tackled a lot quicker in mocha Pro. “Even the ability to render out some of the insertions was a true gem; take for example ‘ether’,” says Ben. “Also, where we found serious lens distortion, the lens collaboration tool really helped bed the artwork in beautifully without having to manually animate/warp the artwork each time.”

Most shots would have failed using conventional tracking techniques, however tracking the newspapers and magazines were very challenging. “But what we found was, as long as you track from the right frame and animate and nurse the spline/tracking areas, a close and create a natural effect is achieved. ‘Adjust track’ was also very helpful,” he explains.

With purse strings pulling ever tighter, and the ever expanding delivery platform opportunities like web, D,O,O,H iPads, The Operator crew wanted to show that high-end VFX work can be done without the hero suite costs. “Our ability to do VFX within a reasonable budget is something I feel really strongly about,” says Ben. “As desktops keep getting stronger, more opportunities are now materialising that used to be totally unobtainable.”

The Operators VFX house is finding that in the commercial field, photography is evolving from a static print-based medium to incorporate motion and become animated stills. It is with the convergence of these disciplines that they are focusing on the ability to facilitate still-to-motion campaigns, or ‘Image Motion.’  “For every still brief we work on, we can employ static and moving components to create a complimentary motion campaign for digital billboards, viral advertising and ISO. This Image Motion product pushes the boundaries of the digital medium and broadens the scope of the photographic/static output.”

Watch Grey Days on motion.tv

Credits:

A Film by:
The Operators

Directed by:
Stuart McClymont

Prosthetics:
Bill Turpin

Sound:
Tom Lowe

Music by:
Madness ‘Grey Days’

Cast:
Adam Morris, Sally Deane, Kai Bastard, Ben Le Tourneau, Scott Freeman, James O’Neill, Joey Grange

For the new campaign for Hertz’s Gold Plus Rewards membership, Superfad bathed cities, cars, flowers, and Hertz’s new mascot Horatio in the gilded hue.
 

 

Superfad previously worked with DDB New York on a previous Hertz spot that introduced Horatio in a cameo: This time the agency decided to give him a starring role in “Gold Is Better” a spot also marks Hertz’s first fully animated commercial in twenty years. To expand on the character of Horatio, Superfad went through extensive development to capture both his swagger and his charm.
 

 

A charm that is further added to by the voiceover talent of the inimitable Owen Wilson. Superfad Creative Directors Kinda Akash and Brian Drucker created a friendly, clean look to the Hertz world that is bursting with life, while the 3D team devised a style based on simple geometric shapes. The result is a vibe that’s pure sunshine.
 

 

Watch the video on motion.tv.
 
Credits:
Production Company: Superfad
Creative Director: Kinda Akash
Creative Director: Brian Drucker
Designer: Sarah Ancelmo
Head of CG: Todd Peleg
Technical Director: Jin Lin
3D Animation: Matt Parent, David Dam, Will Robertson
Compositor: Jim Forster
Producer: Dina Chang
Head of Production: Nicole Stevens
Executive Producer: Geraint Owen

A true industry veteran, Chase has shot it all. Known as much for his commercial work with comedy, dialogue, sports, celebrities and automotive action as he is for branded content and helming concept-based productions on a massive scale or shooting VFX-heavy projects, the directorʼs lauded talent and experience are appreciated by major agencies and brands worldwide.
 

“Iʼm tremendously excited about having Steve join us,” said R+H Executive Producer Paul Babb. “His directorial style and sense of imagery have always put him at the top of my and many other EPʼs lists Iʼm sure. I canʼt wait to let him loose to play with all the tools that are available to him at R+H.”
The director is equally enthused about his new production roost.
 

“Joining Paul Babb and R+H is a natural fit for me. The scale and polish of their work and the commitment to doing it right is something I’ve always strived for,” said Chase. “They do what I do, and I do what they do. What took me so long? It’s destiny, and I’m honored to have them in my corner.”
Chase comes to Rhythm + Hues from Curious Pictures, and from Canada originally.
 

About Rhythm + Hues
 
R+H is a complete digital studio, with live action and animation directors, vfx, design and post-production services. We draw upon the talent and technical firepower of one of the worldʼs premier effects and animation facilities, Rhythm &Hues Studios, and are dedicated to the highest quality of commercial production and outstanding client support.
Recent commercial projects include Activision, Budweiser, Carrabbaʼs, Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Crayola, Electronic Arts, Hartford, Kelloggʼs, Mattel, Microsoft X-Box, Nascar, Nasonex, Quaker State, Tide, and Ubisoft. Film Division credits include an Oscar® for Achievement in Visual Effects for Golden Compass in 2008. Recently produced projects include HOP, X-Men: First Class, Mr. Popperʼs Penguins, and Red Riding Hood. Films currently in production include Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, Life of Pi, Everybody Loves Whales, Moneyball, and Snow White and the Huntsman.
 

For more information contact Chad Norton R+H Creative Services Manager.

Ntropic Credits: Executive Producer: Dana Townsend
Creative Director/Technical Supervisors: Nate Robinson, Andrew Sinagra
Producer: Fawn Fletcher
Senior Flame Artists: Nate Robinson, MB Emigh, Maya Korenwasser
Flame Artist: Matt Tremaglio
Senior CG Artist: Andrew Sinagra
Flame Artist/CG: Rob Hubbard
CG Artists: Dustin Zachary, James McCarthy, Mark Wurts, Kevin Clarke
Roto Artists: Jesse Boot, Jordan Mann
Colorist: Marshall Plante

About Ntropic
Ntropic draws its strength from a diverse background of creative talent. Assembling a global community of artists in multiple locations, the studio has built a creative collective with strengths in all facets of production and post-production ranging from conceptual design and motion graphics to photo-real CG and seamless compositing. Ntropic focuses on elegant, intelligent, and conceptual visual effects producing award-winning work for commercials, music videos, feature films, experiential theaters, and interactive content.

As industry mediums rapidly change, Ntropic maintains a foothold on the bleeding edge of technology… leading the charge into a new era of entertainment media. The studio removes the mystery from the black box of technology and operates as a creative hub for directors and agencies to converge and collaborate without limitation.

Ntropic’s creative directors thrive on the unique challenges of production and work closely with the creative team to concept, visualize, and realize their artistic vision. Offering innovative solutions for otherwise impossible tasks, Ntropic inspires artists and filmmakers to expand the horizons of possibility.

The studio’s objective is to create an inspirational environment for artists and clients to come together and not worry about the how, but stay focused on creating the most fascinating and innovative work to date.

Watch “Blackout” spot on motion.tv
Watch “Superheros” spot on motion.tv
Watch “Explorers” spot on motion.tv
Watch “Zombies” spot on motion.tv
Watch “Peel Off” spot on motion.tv
Watch “Our House” spot on motion.tv

Hybrid production studio Vitamin has created a new spot for Nike, its second spot for the brand this year.

The new ad promotes the Lunarswift+ 2, a redesigned version of the classic Nike running shoe. The Vitamin team concepted a world where the retooling of the shoe occurs in a futuristic laboratory full of pristine high-tech gear. A sleek robotic arm uses a laser to cut a breathable pattern into the shoe’s surface while a gyroscopic pedestal tests its overall performance. Another robot arm swings into view, cradling a display showcasing the shoe’s available color stylings and the “Run Cool” slogan.

Vitamin was responsible for conceptual design through finish, including all CGI modeling, animation, compositing, audio, and color. “At the beginning of the project Nike provided a brief about the new shoe with it’s technical specifications that needed to be featured in the spot…the rest was up to us”, recalls Vitamin Creative Director Danny DelPurgatorio. “It helped having worked with the Nike team in the past. There was a level of trust and creative freedom that contributed to the current campaign for Run Cool”. The testing facility featured in the spot was designed by Art Director Matt Beharry. The creative team felt the hi-tech facility was appropriate for Nike, who is constantly on the cutting edge of technology.

Modeling, animation and compositing was completed by a team of artists headed by Vitamin Art Director Rob Foster and Art Director/3D Lead Linas Jodwalis. Concept Artist Tony Legato prepared all of the conceptual design for the laboratory, the robotic arms and other elements that served as the basis for the models prepared by the CG artists. Jodwalis said that they drew their inspiration, in part, from classic sci-fi films. “We wanted it to be very beautiful and elegant, but also something that could exist in real life,” he explained. “We wanted to show off the shoe, but not in a ‘demo’ way, but rather in a way that is organically integrated into an artful piece.”

Vitamin partnered with frequent collaborater Todd Beyer to create the ethereal soundtrack and sound design for the piece. “We knew from the beginning that music would be a key component to the story. It introduces an element of humanity, which was an important part of the message.” recalls DelPurgatorio.

To view this spot visit motion.tv.

Vitamin is located at 232 East Ohio Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611. For more information, call 312.664.6683 or visit their website.

NIKE Run Cool Credits:
Creative Director: Danny DelPurgatorio
3D Lead: Linas Jodwalis
3D Modeling: Evaldas Cesnavicius, Charlie Peterson, Bruce Long, Morgan James, Linas Jodwalis
3D Animation: Morgan James, Igor Choromanski, Linas Jodwalis
Design: Matt Beharry
Conceptual Design & Storyboards: Tony Legato
Compositing & 2D Animation: Matt Beharry, Rob Foster, Danny DelPurgatorio
Music & Sound Design: Todd Beyer
Color Correction: Michael Mazur
Senior Producer: Larissa Shames
Associate Producer: Nina Yoo
Nike Digital Program Manager: Corey Patterson
Nike Executive Producer: Jesse Canright
Nike Producer: Noah Stanik

Said Guillaume Marian, executive producer and founder of Mathematic and sister company UFO, “We’ve always admired the work coming out of Stardust, but so much of this partnership boils down to good chemistry. Stardust feels like home for us. Jake and his teams in New York and Los Angeles are fun-loving, hard-working, wildly creative, well-connected and do fantastic work. We’re very excited about this partnership.”

UFO, which stands for ‘Unorthodox Filmmaking Organization,’ has developed a reputation in Europe for its youthful, innovative filmmaking that moves across live action, animation, VFX and other hybrid forms. The collective’s credits include music videos for La Roux’s 2009 hit “Bullet Proof,” Jack White & Alicia Keys’ “Another Way To Die” from the most recent James Bond film, and French artist Medi’s “How Would You Do it” single. UFO has also produced promo campaigns for MTV, France 5 and VIVA, and interactive digital films for The Guardian and The Observer newspapers.

The collective’s key creative talent includes Marien, Creative Director FX (Francois-Xavier Pourre), Producer Rebecca Rice, Creative Director Vincent Viriot, Creative Director Arnaud Ecobichon, and Creative Director and 3D Supervisor Sebastien Ebellard. UFO also expands via a wide network of freelance designers, storyboard artists and character designers. UFO spawned from Paris VFX studio Mathematic in 2007 and functions as the studio’s production arm.

“We’ve been collaborating with UFO on jobs for years and have always dreamed of bringing their fresh in-camera visual style to the states,” said Jake Banks, founder & executive creative director of Stardust. “The commercial production industry has evolved, and Stardust has too. While we’ve always developed our creatives here into directors, we’re now looking to grow this team with outside talent, and UFO is the first of many signings to come. These wildly innovative Parisians fit in perfectly on our roster, but have a distinctive style that we know the U.S. market is going to flip out over.”

Because UFO and Mathematic are sister companies, UFO’s North American representation by Stardust will facilitate more collaboration between UFO/Stardust and Mathematic, which will be brought in for large visual effects projects.

UFO is currently in production on a CITCO and SeaWorld campaign with Stardust, and a VW Beetle campaign for MTV + Viacom, as well as spotwork for Eurosport WTCC, France 5 and Lynx Eyewear.

About Stardust Studios
Stardust is a visually driven production company with offices in Santa Monica and New York that specializes in design, motion graphics and live-action. Its collective of designers, illustrators, animators, VFX artists, directors and filmmakers continually redefine creativity for commercial, on-air, music video and experiential projects. Led by Founder and Creative Director Jake Banks, Stardust is characterized by an authentic voice and willingness to experiment. The studio has worked with the globe’s top ad agencies and brands on projects for HP, Nike, Sony, AT&T, Honda, Shell, Nissan, Ford, IBM, Nokia, Adidas, BMW, NYSE, LG and Microsoft, among many others. For more information, please visit http://www.stardust.tv.

Teennick brand image spot: In the folds

[jwplayer mediaid="10048"]
ADOLESCENT is a creative boutique based in New York City with an international presence dedicated to providing integrated visual experiences for forward thinking brands. Our services include: creative and design direction, branding, directing, animation and production. Our mission is to make people smile. Adolescent’s diverse work encompasses: Nickelodeon, New York Times, PUMA, Pernod Ricard, United Nations and Discovery.

To find out more about adolescent and its image-making projects, visit their website.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

adolescent, Inc
29 West, 17th Street, 7th floor
NYC, NY, 10011, U.S.A
T. +1 (212) 226 0007
F. +1 (212 675 0198

info: vt.tnecselodanull@da

http://www.adolescent.tv