SourceEcreative

Newsletter - 06/24/2010

Our New & Improved newsletter now comes with more images, shorter entries and subject headings. Check out this week’s edition to learn about new work from Anonymous, Green Dot, Tool, Goodoil and other shops, as well as signings at Crossroads and Method and announcements from Bang, Brand New School and others.

	Crossroads Films has signed renowned commercial and feature filmmaker Vadim Perelman. The director, who’s been making commercials for nearly two decades, has worked for such clients as Microsoft, Kellogg's, MasterCard, GMC and Chevy, to name a few, collaborating with such agencies as Saatchi & Saatchi, Element 79, Gotham, McCann Erickson, TBWA\Chiat\Day and Deutsch. Perelman is off to a rapid start at Crossroads, having already booked a pair of major projects that shot in May: a trailer for Ubisoft's latest "Ghost Recon" video game for Dojo and a four-spot campaign for Cox Communications out of Doner. "I've been a huge fan of Vadim's film work and find his body of commercial work to be absolutely amazing," says Crossroads Owner and President Cami Taylor. "To have someone like him on our roster who is well-versed in both short and long-form formats is core to our mission of working with well-rounded filmmakers. He's a dynamic and impressive director, and we are delighted to be working with him." Perelman's work runs the spectrum from music videos to major features. His feature work includes "House of Sand and Fog" and "Life Before Her Eyes." He also directed Grammy-winner Kelly Clarkson's number-one hit "Because of You," which garnered an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. Before joining Crossroads, he spent several years directing spots via Tate USA.
	Visual effects company Method Studios has hired VFX supervisor Peter Marin (that’s him on the left) and Senior Flame artist Martin Lazaro (that’s him on the right), who most recently completed work on the Spike Jonze film "I'm Here." "We're very happy to have Peter and Martin on board," says Gabby Gourrier, Executive Producer, Method Studios. "As we continue to strengthen our East Coast presence, they bring a wealth of experience in visual effects to our growing team of New York-based artists." Marin has worked in visual effects since 1997, when he first joined The Mill as a Flame Artist. Since then he's served as VFX supervisor at a number of leading facilities, including Framestore CFC in Reykjavik, Iceland, the UK's Animal Logic and Sweden's Redrum, where he worked on the 2009 Cannes Lion Grand Prix winner, "Carousel," directed by Adam Berg. Lazaro got his start in the industry as a graphic designer at Metrovision in Buenos Aires, Argentina, designing commercials and TV shows before forming his own VFX boutique, Dynamo Post. After that he moved to Spain, where he worked on numerous high-end VFX commercials and feature film projects. Prior to joining Method, Lazaro headed the VFX department as a Flame Artist/VFX Supervisor at wild(child) and Resident Creative Studio in New York, where in addition to commercials for clients such as AT&T and Sirius/XM he worked on music videos for Coldplay, Jay-Z, Kanye West and the Black Eyed Peas, as well as the opening titles for HBO's "Entourage."

	Working with the ad agency Heat, Anonymous Content Director Justin Reardon released an entertaining :30 spot introducing Electronic Arts' Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 videogame. The spot, entitled "Team Golf", aired during Game 2 of the NBA Finals, and stars the famous golfer leading a squadron of US golfers against a team from the European Union (EU). The fast-paced spot presents team golf as thought it were pro football, featuring everything from an eagle-suited mascot launching a golf cart through a team banner to a cheering grandstand split between US and EU fans. There’s even an appearance by former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka (seen here with Woods). The spot culminates with the American fans cheering on Woods as he sinks a putt to win the tournament.
	Nexus Director Johnny Kelly created a fun film for YouTube Play, a celebration of original digital creativity organized by YouTube and the Guggenheim Museum, with selected videos to be showcased on both YouTube and at the Guggenheim. Using a combination of stop frame animation and dynamic camera work, Kelly designed each fantastical world to mirror the creative diversity of content made by YouTubers. To screen a 'behind the scenes' video about the YouTube Play intros, click here. To screen the actual intro, click here. Says Kelly, "I wanted to try and capture that ‘down the rabbit hole’ feeling you get when watching YouTube -- you start by watching something innocent like a music video, then another video catches your eye and before you know it you've spent your fourth hour watching videos of pandas playing pianos. From a technical point of view, it was a challenging animation assault course, with much head-scratching and figuring out along the way. I was very fortunate to be surrounded by brainiacs like production designer Graham Staughton, who always had an inventive solution to any problem we came up against." Nexus credits go to Executive Producer Julia Parfitt and Producers Liz Chan and Beccy McCray. DP was Matthew Day. The client on the project was Google Creative Labs EMEA and Across the Pond Productions.
	Sons and Daughters and Crush partnered with Dentsu, Canada to create a lavish journey though Japan's rich cultural heritage that reveals the brewing process behind Sapporo beer. Co-directed by Mark Zibert of Sons and Daughters and Gary Thomas of Crush, the beautifully detailed two minute film, titled "Legendary Biru," was shot on location over a month in Guangzhou, China. "The original concept was to create an other-worldly visual experience that would gradually tell the story of how Sapporo beer is crafted," explains Thomas. Taking children's cutaway storybooks as their starting point, Thomas and Zibert drew on a range of film and VFX techniques to build the finished image. "We looked at a few techniques off the top," adds Zibert. "We first considered creating the entire spot with motion control and CG. We then experimented with projecting 2D art/matte paintings onto geometry, which was developed by Crush's Sean Cochrane, and found it had a unique quality that would help make this campaign stand apart. So the spot is not entirely photo or CG or 2D illustration, but a combination of all three." "We were excited about this project from the moment it came in”, Thomas continues. “We all saw it as a one-time opportunity to do something amazing that would stand out in its field and prove that people are still open to seeing advertising that intrigues and delights. Not to mention we got to cast and shoot samurai warriors and geishas!"
	Directors Dael Oates and David Rosenbaum of Mothership, the content creation and production arm of Digital Domain, have teamed up with Goodby Silverstein & Partners to roll out the world's first 4G mobile phone, the Sprint HTC EVO. Titled "Firsts," the :30 TV spot (along with a :60 cinema version) broke in early June. "This is exactly the kind of project that excites us at Mothership," says President Ed Ulbrich. "Goodby gave us great creative and the opportunity to present them with a solution. Dael and David are new directors who pitched the project in a new way - by developing a full creative concept and prototype. We've had a long history with Goodby and are thrilled they entrusted us with this important product launch. The results exceeded all of our expectations." Oates and Rosenbaum joined forces to handle the complex spot, including overseeing a three-day live-action shoot at the Bonneville Salt Flats and the digital integration of hundreds of all-CG elements. The production team, which included Executive Producer Tanya Cohen, worked on the project over six weeks. Digital enhancements were executed by the visual effects team at Digital Domain, with Aladino Debert as Creative Director. The directors tapped DP Claudio Miranda for the project.
	Director Richard Farmer is up to his comedic tricks again in a funny new campaign from the Canadian agency Cossette in Vancouver for Amour, a service that delivers adult films directly to your TV set (no need to slink home with DVDs in a plain brown wrapper). The spots all feature sexalicious models in casting sessions where they manage to either reveal their airheadedness or mangle their lines. The spots include "Sword," "Tethescope," "Shakespeare" and "Hot in Here." The campaign was a co-production between Green Dot Films in L.A., Farmer's Stateside home and most probably where all these great actresses were found, and Imported Artists in Canada. Other recent Farmer projects include a funny Canadian spot for Lays potato chips titled "Day in the Life," produced for BBDO Toronto, along with work for Playboy and the soft drink brand Cheerwine. Meanwhile, Farmer's "Under God," a short film that shows off a more serious side of the filmmaker, continues to score well on the film festival circuit.
	Tool of North America Director Geordie Stephens channels New York City's passion for sports in a four-spot campaign for SportsNet NY (SNY), the TV home of the New York Mets. The spots star a pair of hapless transplanted Middle Easterners, Sharif and Mandif, who run the fictitious NY NY Sports Sports collectibles and apparel shop. In "Busting Balls," the pair rants to bemused police officers that a villain is infiltrating their store each afternoon to "bust our balls." The police give chase when the perpetrator appears in a Mets jersey, deflating Yankee-themed balloons before fleeing from the store. "Hoop Promotion" features an ill-conceived contest in which customers try to sink a basketball through a hoop in exchange for a prize. The balls smash into walls, knock merchandise from shelves, hit a bystander in the groin, going everywhere except in the basket. The spots were conceived by Ogilvy & Mather New York, where credits go to Debbie Kasher, Arturo Gigante and Patti McConnell. Editing was done by Andrea MacArthur at Peepshow, the DP was Joe DeSalvo and the post was handled by Smoke & Mirrors, New York.
	Optimus Santa Monica and DraftFCB Orange County recently collaborated on a TV spot for Taco Bell Foundation for Teens. Titled "The Power of One," the spot supports the foundation's work to help teens graduate from high school. It highlights the fact that a leading factor in a teen's future success is a high school diploma. However, in the US, one out of every three teens drops out of high school. "We had a great experience shooting and are excited about the foundation spot," says Tom Anderson, VP and Senior Producer, DraftFCB, Orange County. "We're honored to help support this important cause that will raise a lot of money for the Taco Bell Foundation and in turn for Boys & Girls Clubs and Graduate to Go." The spot was directed by David O. Russell and produced by Form. It was cut by Editor Hovig Menakian, at Optimus Santa Monica. Music was provided by DeWolfe Music Beats & Rhymes.
	They're sleeping better Down Under, thanks to a new TVC from Goodoil Films in Sydney for AMP Bank. Titled "Night," the spot shows scenes of nighttime peace and quiet around Australia as the voiceover tells viewers that at AMP Bank, which pays a higher interest rate than competitors, "while you're sleeping, your money isn't." The spot was directed for Goodoil by Michael Spiccia and was created by Banjo Advertising. Agency credits go to Georgia Arnott and Meredyth Judd. Director of Photography was Adam Arkapaw. The spot was edited by Dan Lee at The Editors, and includes music by Elliot Wheeler of Turning Studio. Sam Long produced for Goodoil.
	Beef Films and Chop House Edit have recently collaborated on a number of spot campaigns and projects. Partner/Director Nick Spooner brought wit and innovation to campaigns for clients such as the Lap Band (Allergan), via Ogilvy/New York and edited by Eric Carlson at Chinagraph; Activia (Dannon), via Y&R/New York, which takes the ongoing campaign with Jamie Lee Curtis in a new, potentially viral, direction; and Wisconsin Tourism. Created via Laughlin Constable, Wisconsin Tourism called for a shoot on which Spooner used a handcranked camera to achieve an antiquated film look, illustrating that film is alive and well despite the HD/RED favored by so many these days. Spooner also helmed a multi-platform Rhode Island Foodbank campaign via Nail (Providence, RI), and director Danny T has directed a short that will be seeded on YouTube in conjunction with the rollout of the videogame "Portal II." Pascal Franchot helmed "Mr. President," Pierce Brosnan's call to action imploring the Obama administration to withdraw its support for a proposition allowing Japan, Norway, and Iceland to resume whaling. Chop House's Stephen Hens ushered the project through post using the company's RED workflow (proving that both the RED and film loyalists can all get along at Beef and Chop House). The PSA and online magazine www.SaveTheWhalesNow.org have generated a barrage of press and over 400,000 visits to the White House website.
	Co-directors Pete Wentz and Bill Fishman and Cutters Editor Ryan McGuire got on board with pop rock band Train for their latest music video "If It's Love." The video appeared in the Top 20 countdown on the VH1.com website in May, right after its broadcast premier. The love song is set to the back story of what the band has been up to while on hiatus. McGuire has a special talent for music videos, having recently cut for comeback rock band Alice in Chains, as well as a series of Vevo teasers with Mariah Carey, Adam Lambert and Fifty Cent. Says Fishman, "I loved working with the entire team, especially Pete Wentz. The band was very easy-going, and everyone was very professional." Wentz is best known as the bassist of Fall Out Boy, who's been trying his hand at many creative ventures, directing among them. "Being able to collaborate with such great talents like Pete and Bill on a project for Train was such an awesome opportunity," says McGuire. "I think they did an amazing job of getting nothing but the best from the band in its music and performance.
	Directing collective Kompost, working via DUCK Studios, created a visually explosive spot for Green Earth Technologies' G-Oil , the Official Motor Oil of the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) and the International Motor Spots Association (IMSA). Working via Alliance, a division of Grey Group, Kompost director Oliver Conrad and EP Gian Klainguti led a VFX team that manufactured a remarkable fast-paced world simulating the impact and durability of the world's first and only American Petroleum Institute-approved, biodegradable high-performance motor oil made from renewable bio-based sources. The spot, titled "Anthem," begins with a trickle of oil that morphs into an engine which ultimately turns into the FLM-09 racing car, manufactured by G-OIL for the newly formed Green Earth Team Gunnar, the first team at ALMS to run on environmentally-friendly oil. As it accelerates through a white-washed world, a verdant forest launches from the earth behind it, symbolizing the synthesis between the vehicle and the landscape. Emphasizing the oil's versatility, the car transforms into an even faster racer that zooms along a smooth road, relentlessly unfolding on screen. Kompost drew from a broad toolbox to create this vibrant world, using Maya, Real Flow, mental ray, After Effects and Mudbox. In an attempt to use materials that reflect the biodegradable qualities of the product, they used water-color textures to show green ink spreading life to paper as soon as the oil hits its surface.
	Duotone's Jack Livesey composed the theme running through a series of branded films for Mitchum's new "Hardest Working Person in America" (HWPIA) campaign. The integrated effort was created by Brett Ratner Brands and CAA Marketing, with celebrated documentary directors Albert Maysles and Casey Niestat behind the camera. The objective of the campaign is to find real people who can represent the 'Hardest Working' member of their respective professions. The work is currently appearing online at www.Mitchumhardestworking.com, on TV and in live screenings. Original music by Duotone is woven throughout the stories of such hard-working Americans as a "Cattle Rancher", "Web Entrepreneur," "Baker" and "Coach," and viewers will break a sweat just watching them start their day." "This project touched on so many areas of our expertise - from scoring features and documentaries to broadcast advertising and web content," says Livesey, whose team included duotone Composer/Arranger Aaron Mirman and Creative Director Paul Opperman. "It was great to be able to work in all these mediums on one great project." The winner of the online contest to pick the hardest worker will receive $100,000 and Mitchum-themed products. In addition, Maysles will direct a short film about them, with duotone providing the score.
	How randy can you get in fifteen seconds? Cut + Run Editor Dan Swietlik shows us how in two new spots for Hornitos Tequila from Euro RSCG New York. Taking advantage of the new ‘cougar’ fixation on TV, the spot titled "Cougar" features a young guy arriving home after spending the night with a hot older woman, who turns out to be his roommate's mother. A second spot, titled "Doris", features a raspy-voiced female bartender calling in sick for her patron so he can play hooky with two new female acquaintances. Both spots were directed by Zach Math of Bob Industries, while DP credit goes to Christophe Lanzenberg. The Euro RSCG team that created the spots includes Monica Wilkins, Blake Ebel, Jason Tisser, Julie Rousseau and Regan Kline. Carr Schilling was EP for Cut + Run, L.A., on the campaign.

	Post Factory/New York and Bang Music announced a joint venture that brings complete audio post production in-house to Post Factory's facility in Soho. The sound room installation, overseen by Bang, will make PFNY a comprehensive start-to-finish production resource able to offer all-inclusive services to the film, TV, videogame and commercial industries. According to Alex Halpern, Founder and CEO of PFNY, the audio post component has already proven to be a compelling asset to many of the company's clients. Within three days of sound check the new room was up and running -- mixing and mastering "House Hunters International," a 26-episode series produced by Leopard Films USA for HGTV. "Post Factory/NY is thrilled to be collaborating with Bang Music to expand our package of services to the benefit of all of our clients," says Halpern. "After many months of searching, we felt that Bang offered a culture and philosophy that was in keeping with ours. We look forward to a productive relationship that will fuel the growth of both companies." Commenting on the new venture, Bang Founder and President Lyle Greenfield noted, "Our clients and colleagues in the television and advertising worlds are excited about this. They're well aware of Post Factory's reputation in film and TV and think it's a great fit. We definitely agree."
	Brand New School designed and produced numerous elements that debuted at the 2010 AICP Show, The Art & Technique of the American Commercial, and the 2010 Next Awards, a featured presentation of the AICP Show. Original works created by BNS for 2010 include the Sponsor Reel Sequence for the AICP Show itself and for the Next Awards, and (together with McCann Systems) a dynamic video installation that appeared throughout the venue. The team from BNS on the Sponsor Reel, which acknowledges the many companies that have provided financial support for the show, was led by art/design director Eric Adolfsen. "For each company's logo we devised animations, then scoured neighborhoods in search of locations for them that would all work together," said Adolfsen. "We tried never to repeat ourselves, each time trying to raise the bar. It was like a big game, played on the walls and streets of the city." "We are all big fans of AICP Next," adds BNS managing director Danny Rosenbloom, who also chairs the Labor Committee for the new AICP Digital Chapter. "Given that Next is the benchmark for innovation in our industry, creating its identity and translating that across all the different media channels really brought out our best."
	Outside Edit + Design cleaned up at the recent AICE Awards in Chicago. Editor Jeff Ferruzzo was among the top winners, earning awards for Best Comedy and Best National Campaign for his work on the Euro RSCG campaign for Dos Equis, specifically for the spots titled "Jai Alai," "Treasure Chest" and "Self Defense," all of which were directed by Steve Miller of @radical.media. Also shining for Outside Edit + Design was Editor Scott Gibney, as well as Designer Jacques Levet. Levet took home the first-ever AICE Award given for Design for his graphics work on Jaguar's "XF/XK" spot, also for Euro RSCG, directed by Bruno Aveillan of Believe Media and Gary Holder of Tangerine Films. Gibney's ability to make an entire audience wince in unison won him the prize for Spec Spot with a Doritos commercial titled "Dave - Snack Strong," directed by Rob Luehrs of Nola Pictures. Says Sila Soyer, Executive Producer at Outside Edit + Design, "We'd like to thank our wonderful clients for giving us the opportunity to work on such amazing, fun creative. We couldn't have done it without you!"
	Hey, you folks out there in Minneapolis -- not doing much this weekend? Want to have a good time and help a good cause? Then listen up! Minneapolis post house Crash + Sues is joining forces with the advertising community, industry vendors and local businesses for the first annual AD RIDE+ROCK event. It's a 150 mile motorcycle run and live concert to benefit the MS Society and it takes place this Saturday, June 26. Local and regional agencies have generously signed on to match their employee contributions. With your involvement - whether it's registering for the ride, buying tickets to the concert or simply making a donation to the cause, the AD RIDE+ROCK event will help provide the necessary funding to aid those in their struggle with multiple sclerosis, a disease very close to the hearts of those in the Crash + Sues family. Please visit www.rideandrock.com for more details on the event.
	We’ve just published a calendar for our remaining 2010 Special Features, and you can check it out here. SourceEcreative Special Features are great ways to promote your company to our global audience. Our Special Features on Reality-based Advertising, Fashion & Beauty and Animation & Visual Effects were huge successes for our sponsors, and all of them sold out. Our next two features—on Interactive & Digital Production and Automotive Advertising & Production—are shaping up to be sell outs, too. For more information, contact Halyce Naparstek in our Boca Raton office at hnaparstek@sourceecreative.com or any SourceEcreative sales representative.