Hasta La Motion!

[NEWS=”http://www.cgnews.com/wp-content/uploads/duck_usot_thumb.jpg”]18651[/NEWS]Director Jamie Caliri of Los Angeles-based DUCK designs and directs the opening title sequence to Oscar award winning screenwriter Diablo Cody’s debut Showtime series United States of Tara executive produced by Steven Spielberg. Crafting a unique and memorable opening that unfolds and expands like a dazzling 3D pop-up book, Caliri seamlessly guides us through the many personas of Toni Collette’s character Tara, a single mother with multiple personality disorder.

About DUCK:
Los Angeles-based DUCK, formerly Duck Soup Studios, is a continually evolving creative studio producing commercials, music videos, short films and web content. DUCK offers a wide range of services, including live action and integration, character design, film title design, 2D and 3D animation, digital compositing, digital/traditional ink & paint. In recent years, the studio has expanded, adding an original content division that works with writers and animators on unique ideas for film and TV.

The Creds:
Show: United States of Tara
Blind Decker Productions: Steven Mesner

Title Sequence: DUCK/LA
Director: Jamie Caliri
Animation: Anthony Scott
Illustration: Alex Juhasz
Art Department Lead: Morgan Hay
Art Department Assistant: Yoriko Murakami
EP: Mark Medernach
Line Producer: Daniel Ridgers
PA(s): Amanda Belden Scharnberg, Ashley Calhoun, Richie McCord

[NEWS=”http://www.cgnews.com/wp-content/uploads/sm_hyatt_thumb.jpg”]18438[/NEWS]Kirk Balden of design, animation and VFX studio Smoke & Mirrors New York leads his adept team in creating the captivating VFX on a recent :60 for HYATT, via BBDO, NY. In There’s a Place, we venture through global avenues of the entire HYATT experience, not only capturing the relaxing essence of a stay at the premier hotel, but the magical luxury as well. With a balcony view of NYC’s shining lights, beaches off the coast of an exotic island, and a secluded location in Asia…the effort truly encapsulates the HYATT hotel experience. Smoke and Mirrors artist Kirk Balden designed and executed the end title sequence and finished the look of this beautiful spot.

About SMNY:
New York and London-based design, animation and VFX studio, Smoke & Mirrors was founded by Creative Director/VFX Artist Sean Broughton (NY), Penny Verbe (UK) and Mark Wildig (UK). A creative and artist-driven company synonymous with vision and originality since its inception, Smoke & Mirrors has consistently succeeded because of its collaborative approach and ability to build lasting creative relationships with directors, producers, agencies and clients alike.

Production in the New York office is lead by Managing Director Jo Morgan and Executive Producer Celest Gilbert. Diverse projects range from work on the Harry Potter and Bond film series, to commercials campaigns for Mercedes, Burger King, Miller Lite and Sirius.

The Creds:
Client: HYATT Hotels Corp.
Spot Title: There’s a Place
Air Date: January 2009

Agency: BBDO/NY
CCO: Bill Bruce, David Lubars
EVP, Executive Creative Director: Don Schneider
Sr. VP Creative Director: Chris Cole, Mark Wegwerth
Sr. VP, EP: Helene Balzarini
Copywriter: Joe Lovering
Asst. Producer: Regina Iannuzzi

Prod Company: Knucklehead, London
Director: Joe Roman
Producer: Tim Katz
DP: Joost Van Gelden
EP: Helene Balzarini

Post/Effects: Smoke & Mirrors/NY
CD: Sean Broughton
Lead Flame Artist: Kirk Balden
Assist Flame Artist: Stephanie Isaacson
Managing Dir: Jo Morgan
EP: Celest Gilbert
Producer: Lauren Shawe

Editorial: Nomad Editing Company
Editor: Jason Painter
Asst. Editor: Tyler Peck
EP: Lynne Mannino

Telecine: The Mill
Lead Telecine Artist: Fergus McCall
Asst. Telecine Artist: Sal Malfitano
Producer: Claudia Guevara

Mix: Sound Lounge
Mixer: Tom Jucarone

Music: Emoto
Composer: Steve Hampton

[NEWS=”http://www.cgnews.com/wp-content/uploads/aviva_bruce_thumb.jpg”]18379[/NEWS]The Mill has collaborated with AMV BBDO and Serious Pictures to produce two new starry spots for the AVIVA rebrand. Entitled ‘Name Change’ the commercials celebrate the change in name of Norwich Union to AVIVA using a host of A-list celebrities. Directed by Vaughan Arnell the tongue and cheek commercials include appearances from a top Hollywood star, a comic, musicians and a famous model. ‘Name Change – Bruce’, begins with a scene which catapults the viewer into a Die Hard shot only to find a Bruce Willis of old and new sitting beside each other in an action packed car sequence.

The Bruce Willis of new asks the camera “Would Walter Willis have got to play the leading man?” This spot also features appearances from Elle Macpherson, Alice Cooper and Ringo Starr.

The second of the two spots, ‘Name Change – Ringo’ begins with black and white footage from ‘60s Beatles-mania. Using the same background footage as before it cuts to a shot of the current Ringo Starr asking “Would any of this have happened to me if I’d have still been Richard Starkey?” Other stars featuring in this spot are rock star Alice Cooper, Dame Edna doing stand up and Bruce Willis.

CREDITS
Agency: AMV BBDO

Creatives: Mike Durban & Tony Strong

Producer: Anita Sasdy

Production Company: Serious Pictures

Director: Vaughan Arnell

DP: Nicola Pecorini

Producer: Donnie Masters

Editing Company: The Quarry

Editor: Bruce Townsend

Post Production: The Mill

Producer: Liz Browne & Andrew Salem

Telecine: Paul Harrison

Lead Flame: Barnes & Ben Turner

Flame Assist: Paul Wilmot

After Effects: Bob Wolf & Dominic Burgess

[NEWS=”http://www.cgnews.com/wp-content/uploads/head_olay_thumb.jpg”]18373[/NEWS]New York-based Headlight Design + VFX Animation Director John Clausing and VFX Director Steve Zourntos, along with a team of artists go fathoms deep for Olay’s newest spot for their Ribbons brand of body washes. This dazzling underwater spot courtesy of Saatchi & Saatchi showcases the power of Olay moisture in a dazzling display of underwater choreography and VFX that’s as stimulating to the eyes as Olay moisture ribbons are to thirsty skin. The challenge was to really bring the ribbons to life while maintaining the soft, beautiful quality of chiffon underwater.

Comments from Headlight:
The agency had developed the concept of the underwater woman with a ribbon and had featured it in other body wash campaigns. In previous spots, however, the ribbons had a more passive role; for Zeros In, the goal was to bring in a new level of `artificial intelligence’ (a term coined by director Sue Worthy) to the ribbons.

They were on a mission – seek out and target dry skin areas – so our challenge was to really bring the ribbons to life while maintaining the soft, beautiful quality of chiffon underwater. The process required complex fabric simulation and adapting traditional location techniques to an underwater environment.

Depth and caustic lighting passes were necessary to really sell the idea that everything existed in this underwater world. We worked very closely with both Saatchi art director Lisa Bet and director Sue Worthy in creating just the right look and feel of our ribbons.

For the product demo sequence, we were very involved from the beginning. We had to communicate that the product is made up of two separate creams, so we designed a demo that seamlessly transitions from the underwater world into the inside of the actual product. The objective was to illustrate that the pink fabric featured in the main body of the spot was a metaphor for the pink moisturizing liquid contained within the Olay body wash.

Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop, XSI, and Flame were used for the design, animation and compositing of the ribbons and demo. On-set VFX supervision was also provided for the tank shoot at London’s Pinewood Studios.

About Headlight:
New York-based Headlight Design + VFX is a creative, award-winning design, VFX, animation, and full service production company specializing in commercials, music videos, emerging media, feature and long-format clientele. Headlight’s recent projects include: creating show opens for CBS’s Kid Nation, ABC’s Men in Trees, 3D worlds for Ogilvy’s American Express Lost campaign, and executing the VFX for Vidal Partnership’s Sprint Holiday campaign.

The Creds:
Client: P&G/Olay Ribbons Body Wash
Spot Title: Zeros In
Air Date: October 2008

Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
EVP/Executive CD: Beverly Okada
SVP/CD: Hy Abady
Art Director: Lisa Bet
EP: Liz Sloane

Prod Company: Home Corp.
Director: Sue Worthy
DP: Adrian Wilde
Producer: Alex Hedges

Editorial: 89 Edit
Editor: Dave Bradley
EP: Bob Cagliero
Producer: Juliet Conti

Telecine: Nice Shoes NY
Colorist: Lez Rudge

Post/Effects: Headlight
VFX Director: Steve Zourntos
Animation Director: John Clausing
AD/Designer: Tico Kanzaki
3D Animator(s): Eric Lampi, Domel Libid, Eddy Estevez
Compositor(s): Ariel Altman, Jeremiah Moorehead
Head of Production: Lana Aklilu

Audio Post: Sound Lounge
Mixer: Keith Reynaud

[NEWS=”http://www.cgnews.com/wp-content/uploads/reader_thumb.jpg”]18322[/NEWS]Ever expanding their feature film credits, Rhinofx recently completed the VFX work for The Weinstein Company’s highly-touted feature, The Reader, starring Ray Fiennes and Kate Winslet. The film tells a complex story of post-WWII Germany, with the secrets and mysteries of the Nazi-era unraveling across four decades. Rhinofx was enlisted to do extensive effects work on the film, delivering the realistic feel of the changing backdrop of the country and the destruction still evident throughout the region. The historic drama is the product of Academy Award-nominated director Stephen Daldry, known for the acclaimed work on both Billy Elliot and The Hours.

The film opened in limited release on December 10th 2008, and has been extremely well-received, already claiming one Golden Globe and several award nominations. Extending their longstanding relationship, Weinstein and Daldry recruited Rhino to help rebuild the devastation that plagued Germany in the 1950s.

The footage, shot on location in Germany, was modified to reflect the postwar restoration period. Transforming and deconstructing the modern landscape, the Rhinofx team used effects work to bomb out and board up buildings, blow holes in roofs, and leave ruins reminiscent of the war-torn country.

Rhinofx has broadened their ability to deliver full-service VFX for a wide range of feature types. Working out of their Connecticut film studio, Rhinofx has recently contributed their efforts to Dimension Films’ Soul Men, as well as David Keopp’s Ghost Town for Dreamworks. In addition, Rhino is currently finishing work on I Love You Philip Morris, a dark comedy starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor, which is set to debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January as part of the Premieres category.

About Rhinofx:
Since its launch in 2000, Rhinofx has created award-winning visual effects, design, and animation for commercials, VFX for feature films, episodic television, webisodic mini-series, and videogame cinematics. The company’s principals and artists have also led the industry’s exploration into the boundless potential of branded digital content. By cultivating extensive relationships with key brands, advertising agencies, and film/TV studios, Rhinofx utilizes its creative directors and artists to develop and execute powerful branded entertainment to build both identity and awareness.