Joey2 Tomato Team Lives Here

We Moved Back To www.joeytomatoes.com

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 17:23:00 -0700

We Moved Back Home To www.joeytomatoes.com.

For the latest postings please bookmark www.joeytomatoes.com.

We can now resume our podcast by going home.

We are no longer updating here.

Thanks,

Tomato Team

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Charlex Gets Healthy With Subway

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:54:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

When the Boston agency, MMB wanted to create three new spots for their new Subway Fresh Fit campaign, they turned to Charlex for all the live-action, design and VFX work.

The first spot, That's a Lot, opens with images of greasy burgers frying on a grill. It then switches to a series of seemingly innocent images: kiddie pools, birdbaths and water coolers. These items—typically filled with water—are instead filled with grease in order to visually illustrate how much grease fast food chains use in a single year. "The concept from the agency was to use strong and graphic images to get this message across, and they asked me to help visually portray the grease in ways that were impactful but not too off-putting," reports Charlex CD Ryan Dunn.

"Once we had established the look and behavior of the grease as well as how it was going to be shot, I developed an editorial style that moves between wide and tight shots in order to break up the rhythm and 'feel' the vastness instead of just see it," adds Dunn. "I didn't want to make it about anything except visualizing the statistic in a strong, simply manner. So the shots are all locked off, and any animation besides the opening hose pour was peripheral. A flock of birds in the sky, for instance, or a bubble gurgling through a water cooler filled with grease." This approach really helped focus the impact of the spot as well as the density of the images that the team later composited together.

Dunn and his team spent a day in Connecticut shooting all of the exterior elements. They also had a night shoot to cover the office building interior, and an additional day filming the table-top of the burger that punctuates the grease sequence.

According to Dunn, the overall process was very traditional in terms of how the live-action was completed. "We used actual grease in the kiddie pools shots, but substituted liquids for the rest," he explains. Dunn shot the piece with the Arri Alexa camera. "I really like the way it captures imagery. It feels like film, even though it's a digital system, with more detail in the highlights than I had become used to with other digital cameras." To portray the thicker viscosity of grease for certain shots, Dunn filmed at a higher frame rate in order to slow the action down a little bit.

Dunn compiled a series of elements that could later be composited together in post. "While in reality, we only had a dozen kiddie pools for the wide shot, we moved them around a locked off plate and had our Flame artists clone and composite these shot elements in order to fill the entire field," he reports. "The bird baths were about one hundred pounds a piece, however, so we couldn't really move them around that hillside as nimbly. We looked to our VFX team to help use our scant reference plates and bring the hillside to life with CG."

Summing up, Dunn stresses, "It was an interesting job for sure, and a bit of a new angle for Subway. The spot has a documentary feel to it, and we're all excited to be seeing a brave message such as this make it on air."

Media: That's A Lot

Credits:

Client: Subway
Spot Name: That's A Lot
Air Date: August 14, 2011

Agency: MMB Boston
ACD, Art Director: Chris Poulin
ACD, Copywriter: George Goetz
Art Director: Jen Campbell
Copywriter: Liz Giuggio
Director of Broadcast: Sara Ventetuolo

Production Co: Charlex
Post Co: Charlex
Creative Director: Ryan Dunn
VFX Supervisor: Steve Chiarello
Senior Producer: Alex Jarman
Live Action Producer: Diane Leuci
Lead Editor: John Zawisha
Asst. Editor: Drew Weigel
Lead Flame Artist: Marc Goldfine
Flame Artist: John Yu
2D Compositor: Jun Lee
Lead Lighter: James Fisher
Additional Lighters: Keith McMenamy, Will Atkins
Lead Modeler: Alex Cheparev
Additional Modelers: Hung Ma, Chin Lee
Lead Rigger: Steve Mann
Additional Rigger: Andre Stuppert
Lead CG Animator: Tony Tabtong
CG Supervisor: Keith McCabe
Supervising Producer: Lori Fechter
ECD: Alex Weil
EP: Meredith Machial

About Charlex:

Charlex is a full-service creative studio based in New York City. We specialize in visual effects, animation, design and live-action. We've thrown fancy mission statements out the window and simply embrace versatility. Our motto is design and build. We can take any seed of an idea and bring it to life.

Making great work is the product of forging great relationships. Our team prides itself on fast, efficient work at the highest level of excellence. Our reputation is founded on a commitment to creating compelling imagery, regardless of the assignment. We are experts at building a seamless experience from concept to completion, from client brief to end result.

More info: TRUST | NYC 646.452.3388 | LA 310.451.5153 |

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Yessian and the Royal Couple’s Californication

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:14:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

The Royal couple was spotted on a 3-day vacation in California! 3-days doesn't seem enough to soak in all the fun.

Check out the latest California Tourism spot as Kate and Harry prepare for a whirlwind three-day visit to California - soundtrack courtesy of Yessian.

Media: The Royals

CaliforniaTourism_Royals.mp4 Watch on Posterous

Credits:

California Tourism "Royal Visit"
Agency: Mering Carson
Creative Director: Dave Mering & Greg Carson
Copywriter: Kerry Krasts
Art Director: Robert Petrie
Producer: Liz Ross

Production Company: Beef Films
Director: Nick Spooner
Executive Producer: Ashley Adams
Producer: John Malina

Photography: Greatguns USA
Director of Photography: Michael Ozier

Music House: Yessian
Yessian Executive Producers: Michael Yessian
Music: Andy Grush & JJ Appleton

Editorial: Peepshow
Editor: Dean Gonzalez
Post: Chop House Edit

About Yessian:

With offices in New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Hamburg Germany, Yessian is a global collective of producers, composers, music supervisors, research creatives and recording artists. With six full service recording studios and Dragon Licks, a music licensing and research division of indie bands and well-known artists, the studio offers a complete source for music, sound design and soundscapes. This powerful combination has allowed Yessian to enlist some of the world's best-known brands in film, television, advertising, gaming and theme parks as clients. http://www.yessian.com/

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Light of Day lenses new TV Spot for VBlast sports drink featuring NBA Star Tyreke Evans

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:08:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

LIGHT OF DAY’S CHARLES NORDEEN LENSES NEW TV SPOT FOR NEW YORK SPRING WATER’S VBLAST SPORTS DRINK FEATURING NBA STAR TYREKE EVANS

NEW YORK, NY – August 16, 2011 – New York-based visual effects and animation studio Light of Day co-founder Charles Nordeen recently directed a new television commercial for New York Spring Water’s latest sports drink, the VBlast!.

With the VBlast!, New York Spring Water has found a way to keep vitamins fresher for longer periods of time. The innovative reservoir cap on the VBlast! bottle keeps concentrated vitamins separate from the water, since vitamins are most effective when added to water and begin to lose their effectiveness once diluted. Only when the consumer is ready to start drinking the VBlast! are the vitamins released. Being able to observe the vitamins dissolving in water and changing the color of the liquid is also a fun perk.

Featuring Sacramento Kings’ point guard and NBA’s 2010 Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, the spot parallels Evans’ movement as a basketball player with the intensity of the VBlast! bottle. Nordeen says, “Tyreke’s agility, his movements, his ability to spin, and everything else that he does as a basketball player directly relates to the VBlast! cap. I did a lot of shots with him looking directly into the camera—we get very intimate at certain points; that’s the intensity of the vitamins going into the water. The light vapors that linger and glow on Tyreke as he plays—that’s the hydration and saturation of the vitamins within him. I wanted to parallel the bottle with him as a basketball player and how the product actually nourishes him. You can’t have one without the other—that’s the creative concept behind the spot.”

The Light of Day team put much of their resources and talent to work on this spot, as almost the entire commercial is based around visual effects. Shooting on a green screen and working with a completely virtual environment built in 3D allow for the spot’s surreal, unique visual imagery. A phantom flex camera was used to shoot the commercial, as opposed to the original phantom camera that required more light on set. Commenting on the technical process, Nordeen says, “The phantom flex lets in so much more light, so the background stays in complete focus. It allows the cinematographer and myself more flexibility to work with the phantom camera as if it were a normal camera.”

In addition to working with Tyreke Evans, one of the “coolest parts of the gig” for Nordeen was learning to work with everyone on his team prior to the actual filming of the spot. “Being the owner of a visual effects company and doing this day-to-day, I’m able to do things on set that normally get overlooked. I was able to talk to the artists beforehand and ask them what they needed to get their jobs done; and that’s something that just doesn’t normally happen. I used a lot of people here that I continually use and grow with, and I just love working with them. That’s always the best part.”

Media: Tyreke Evans

V-BLAST_TYREKE_EVANS_-30.mp4 Watch on Posterous

ABOUT LIGHT OF DAY

Founded in 2011, Light of Day is based in Manhattan, New York. A visual effects and animation studio serving the advertising, broadcast, music video and feature film industries, Light of Day specifically focuses on the advertising business. Light of Day creates a seamless work-flow between high-end compositing and 3D, and generates photo-real and stylized looks for films, online media and TV commercials.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Foot Locker Goes Back to School with 'It's a Sneaker Thing'

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:50:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

Just in time for the back-to-school shopping season, Foot Locker is introducing its latest campaign to further demonstrate Foot Locker’s shared passion with consumers for athletic footwear.

The new multi-channel campaign kicks off with TV spots that feature students who have an obsession with sneakers, so much so that they reinterpret famous moments in history. The spots begin very straight-faced, as if they're documentaries on the History Channel, and slowly devolve into sneaker fantasies.

Whether it’s the invention of “fly” by the Wright Brothers or the discovery of gravity’s effects by Sir Isaac Newton, sneakers are always the focal point. At the end of each spot, a student delivers a report to his classmates, while the teacher, a Foot Locker striper, leads the class.

“It’s a Sneaker Thing” TV spots “Wright Brothers” and “Newton” were created by SapientNitro and produced by Biscuit Filmworks. They debut on broadcast TV networks, including MTV, ESPN, and BET to name a few, beginning on August 15.

Four fun facts about the TV spots:

1. They were directed by Aaron Ruell, best known for his role as Kip Dynamite in “Napoleon Dynamite.”

2. The actors who play the Wright Brothers are actually, in fact, the Wright Brothers: they are twins named Brandon and Brian Wright. More bizarrely, it is rumored that they also wear old-timey suits, business as usual, around Los Angeles.

3. Wright Brothers" was shot on a unique handcrank camera to give it a period look. The camera is one of only two in the world of its kind, which was rigged by Ridley Scott.

4. The majority of the costumes, styling, and set design are historically accurate – except, of course, the sneakers.

In addition to the TV commercials, the campaign is a completely integrated campaign that encompasses digital, print, and in-store communications. Some highlights include a classroom-inspired portal on Footlockerunlocked.com as well as a reskin to Footlocker.com; print ads and in-store display of reinterpreted classic book covers, such as “Dunkenstein,” “For Whom the Buzzer Tolls,” and “Ballerhouse Five;“ and an online ad campaign featuring a new SAT test: the Sneaker Aptitude Test.

Media: Wright Brothers:

Media: Newton

Credits:

Client: Foot Locker
Agency: SapientNitro
Creative Directors: Scott Higgins, Chris McMurtrey
Copywriter: Nick Sylvester
Art Director: Rodney White
Producer: Jim Frame
Group Account Director: Rob Rawley
Account Director: Mike Reuter
Account Supervisor: Kristen Bogusz
Account Manager: Derek Channell
Broadcast Business: Jennifer Kurtzman

Production Company: Biscuit Filmworks
Director: Aaron Ruell
Managing Director: Shawn Lacy
Executive Producer: Holly Vega
Producer: Tracy Broaddus
Director of Photography: Shawn Kim
Production Designer: Michael Broaddus

Post Production: NO6
Editor: Jason MacDonald
Producer: Toni Lipari

Permalink | Leave a comment »

EA Sports NCAA Football 12 Via Arcade Edit

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 14:30:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

EA Sports – NCAA Football 12 – A deeper game for a deeper devotion. Agency is Heat, they are directed by David Shane (O Positive) and edited by Stewart Reeves at Arcade Edit.

Media: True Friend

Media: Texas

Media: Gator

Credits:

Client: EA SPORTS
Titles: “Texas”, “True Friend”, “Gator”
Product: NCAA Football 12

Agency: Heat
Creative Director: Warren Cockrel
Copywriter: Kris Kennedy
Art Directors: Jason Rosenberg, Christa Chapman
Agency Producer: Jonathan Matthews

Production Company: O Positive
Director: David Shane
Executive Producer: Marc Grill
Line Producer: Ken Licata
Director of Photography: Marc Laliberte Else
Production Designer: Dan Oulette

Editorial: Arcade Edit
Editor: Stewart Reeves
Executive Producer: Deanne Mehling
Post Producer: Kirsten Thon-Webb
Assistant: Sean Stender (freelancer)

Telecine: Company 3 LA
Executive Producer: Rhubie Jovanov
Colorist: Siggy Ferstl

Online: Airship Post
Artist: Chris Homel
Executive Producer: Deanne Mehling

Audio: Lime Studios
Artist: Sam Casas
Executive Producer: Bruce Horwitz
Audio Producer: Jessica Locke

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Brickyard VFX Transforms for Bright House Networks

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 12:25:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

Santa Monica, CA (August 15, 2011) -- Artist owned and operated bi-coastal effects boutique Brickyard VFX recently completed a four-spot package for Bright House Networks, via agency Fry Hammond Barr and director Benji Weinstein of GO FILM.

The campaign, featuring spots “Robot”, “Custodian,” “Bedtime”, and “Paper Towel,” began airing in select U.S. markets in August.

Brickyard designed and animated a photo-real CG robot that transforms from a small child’s toy into an iron giant in “Robot.” Inspired from blockbuster films such as “Iron Man” and “Transformers”, Brickyard’s CG team was challenged to design this quick metamorphosis within the :30 spot that featured sheet metal outer layers as well as the detailed inner working mechanics.

In “Custodian,” Brickyard animated multiple robotic arms in CG that were seamlessly composited onto a zamboni-like cleaning machine in an office hallway.

Brickyard VFX Lead Artist Patrick Poulatian explains, “We matched our CG model using a plastic toy robot that GO FILM fabricated for the shoot as reference to fully animate and seamlessly resolve into the practical robot suit. This process included animating elements like the shoulders and chest plates and adding CG mechanical cladding to the practical-suited robot for continued impact.”

Brickyard’s turnaround time for the four spots was roughly five weeks. Their toolkit included Autodesk Maya and Flame.

Media: Robot

BrightHouse_ToyRobot_FINAL.mov Watch on Posterous

Media: Custodian

BrightHouse_Vacuum_FINAL.mov Watch on Posterous

Credits:

Client: Bright House Networks
Spots: “Custodian,” “Robot,” “Bedtime,” “Paper Towel”

Agency: Fry Hammond Barr
Creative Director: John Logan
Art Director: Sean Brunson
Producer: Jessica Correnti
Group Account Director: Scott Ankerholz

Production Company: GO FILM
Director: Benji Weinstein
Director of Photography: Brendan Steacy
Executive Producer: Jonathan Weinstein
Executive Producer: Gary Rose
Producer: Greg Jones
Production Supervisor: Desiree Laufasa
Assistant Production Supervisor: Taeko Masuyama

Editorial: 2150 Editorial
Editor: Michael Coe
Senior Art Director: Carmen Cothern
Smoke Artist: Mike Nonelle
Executive Producer: Michael Charves

Visual Effects: Brickyard VFX, Santa Monica
VFX Lead Artist: Patrick Poulatian
VFX Artist: Mandy Sorenson
VFX Artist: Chris Sonia
VFX Artist: Evan Paras
CG Lead: David Blumenfeld
CG Artist: Carl Harders
CG Artist: Kim Guedin
Producer: Linda Jackson
Executive Producer: Jeff Blodgett
Head of Production: Diana Young Gomez

About Brickyard VFX

Brickyard is a digital production studio skilled in high-end visual effects, animation, design and creative development for advertising, feature films and emerging media. With shops in Boston and Santa Monica, Brickyard is artist-centric at the core fostering a close collaboration of not only artist to director but the entire creative team. Within a cozy eclectic production space, Brickyard assembles its crew of designers, animators, and compositors customized for every project. Please contact Kirsten with Brickyard VFX Atlantic (617) 262-3220 or Jeff with Brickyard VFX Pacific at (310) 453-5722, or visit http://www.brickyardvfx.com.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Blake Huber Returns to Brand New School as Flame Artist and Lead Compositor

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:55:00 -0700

NEW YORK, LOS ANGELES and LONDON -- August 15, 2011 -- Jonathan Notaro and his colleagues at international production company and design studio Brand New School (BNS, http://www.brandnewschool.com) are very proud to announce the appointment of Blake Huber to the position of Flame artist and lead compositor for their East Coast studio.

"We couldn't be happier to have Blake back," Jonathan said. "Since he left, we've all grown and come to appreciate what we had. Seldom do you meet Flame/VFX artists that understand VFX and design the way Blake does."

Originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, Blake studied Radio/Television and Business at Indiana University, and at the encouragement of his professors, he left for Los Angeles soon after graduating in 1998. Although broadcast and film were his main passions, he landed as a temp at Warner Bros., where his first professional graphic design assignments were for print projects. His next break came from Post Logic Studios, which hired him as a runner before eventually involving him in animation and VFX assignments. Two years later, he joined Fuel/Razorfish as an animator, which carried him through 2001, when Brand New School brought him on as an animator and Flame artist. Over the next six years, Blake worked hand-in-hand with directors and designers on major spots for Chase, Jeep, Toyota and many others, while also serving as VFX supervisor on live-action shoots, and teaching After Effects at New York University.

Most recently, Blake has been a VFX artist for Charlex in New York since 2007, where he extended his experiences supporting leading directors and creatives and applied his talents to many ambitious projects, including Charlex's animation/VFX showcase entitled "ShapeShifter." Blake's artistry has so far garnered BDA Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards, as well as the AIGA Certificate of Excellence.

"Since my departure in 2007," Blake began, "I have always kept an eye on what BNS has been doing, and I felt like there was a perfect opportunity for us to collaborate once again. My main focus is to bring unity to the compositing and set up a really great workflow. I am always interested in tackling challenging shots and problem solving to find creative solutions. I also enjoy mentoring junior artists and helping others grow. In my absence from BNS I was able to refine my skillset through collaborations with different artists with different techniques. I am excited to be coming back to BNS as a better artist, and I look forward to continually growing and expanding my range with each project I participate in."

About Brand New School

With offices in New York, Los Angeles and London, Brand New School is a vertically integrated production company and design studio that delivers extraordinary media on all platforms. Offering a new model for creative digital production, we are filmmakers, developers, designers, animators, editors, illustrators, and producers dedicated to driving communications to new heights. Akin to leading academic institutions, our guiding philosophies prize experimentation and learning, and our commitment to discovering the best ideas for our clients is absolute. For more information, please visit http://www.brandnewschool.com.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

With No Time for Silence, HUSH Inks Terwilliger

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 09:50:00 -0700

Following the recent additions of producer Jana Heiss and East Coast sales rep Jake Neske, HUSH is geared up to announce the signing of New York-based designer, director and illustrator Jodi Terwilliger.

With this latest addition, HUSH is acquiring an 11-year industry vet who counts JetBlue, VH1, HSBC and music group RFA as former clients.

"When you have a solid class of talent in place, the list of eligible new candidates shrinks, because whoever you bring in has to be as good as who you already have," noted HUSH Co-Founder/CD David Schwarz. "Jodi, without question, is a talent of that caliber, and one who we are very eager to promote."

In his decade-plus cranking out top-line work across the spectrum, Terwilliger has won featured spots in books, magazines, and online publications (IdN, Flash In The Can, 72 Dpi Pt 2, among others), as well as slots at major industry festivals. He has shown his minimalistic and experimental artwork at galleries across North America and Europe, splitting his efforts between client-based work and self-initiated art projects. Terwilliger curates a website dedicated to minimalistic art and traditional graphic design called This Is Public Trust, runs a site for self-created experimental work called Some Things Are Black - Some Things Are White, and is a frequent contributor/editor for Ventilate.ca.

"In Jodi, you have an individual who complements his production talents with a broad swath of experience and interests," stated HUSH co-founder Erik Karasyk. "This makes for more interesting and entertaining work, which inspires further creativity and innovation in the rest of our staff."

Terwilliger has spent time creating skateboard graphics, video art, and directing under the pseudonym Stefano Dembro. He has also freelanced, co-owned a company called Hired Goons, spent time at Eyeball New York, and worked as a designer at The Diecks Group.

As HUSH continues to stockpile an A-level group of talent, the industry can expect more work like their Webby-honored interactive installation for Infiniti at the Pebble Beach Classic Car Show, a wall-sized interactive touch-screen Prius slot machine for Toyota at the Detroit Auto Show, hyper-designed architectural spaces for Showtime's annual SHO House extravaganza, arty animated microsites for General Mills, the NY design pack for D&AD award-winning Granimator iPad app, or their OMMA-winning integrated media experience equally ensconced online and on Times Square billboards for Chicco via McCann Worldgroup.

About HUSH:

HUSH is a creative studio crafting visual stories for digital, experiential and broadcast media. Whether with the latest technology or the most classic of techniques, we unify stories for agencies and brands alike.

Design. Story. United.

Agency Collaborations:
McCann Worldgroup, Jack Morton Worldwide, Momentum Worldwide, Mindshare Entertainment, George P. Johnson, Grey, BBH, Sapient, space150, Central Planning, 160 Over 90, among others.

Brand Collaborations:
Nike, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Microsoft, Zune, HP, Coca-Cola, Honda, Hyundai, Acura, Kiehl's, E*TRADE, Random House, Dove, Stylecaster, MTV, Syfy, Discovery, HBO, PBS, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Starz, among others.

More info: TRUST | NYC 646.452.3388 | LA 310.451.5153 |

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Vi Nguyen Joins Thornberg & Forester as Head of 3D and VFX Supervisor

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:11:00 -0700

NEW YORK - Aug. 11, 2011 - The principals of award-winning design and production company Thornberg & Forester (T&F) are very proud to welcome Vi Nguyen as their head of 3D and VFX supervisor.

This is a new position within the growing company, which was launched in the heart of New York City in 2007.

"I was very attracted to Thornberg & Forester's open creative environment, the quality of work and the concentration on environmental and sustainable advertising," Vi said. "As a company, we have now grown to the point where we need Vi's leadership and amazing talents every day," explained co-founder and creative director Justin Meredith. "Working with us in a freelance capacity, he has been instrumental; by streamlining our workflow and render farm, he's made large-scale CG jobs run smoothly, and he is a proven master at resolving VFX challenges in beautiful ways. With Vi on our team, we feel that our creative powers and our capabilities are unmatched."

A native of San Diego, Vi began his career as an associate producer for Digital Hemisphere Development in LA, then joined Southern California's Rhodiana Corp. as a technical manager. By 2004, his reputation as an emerging Maya artist landed him with LA's Blind Visual Propaganda, and then with Motion Theory in Venice later that year. During the 28 months that followed, Vi rose to lead Motion Theory's VFX department as the company delivered iconic, VFX-intensive spots for Budweiser, Cadillac, EA Sports, Gatorade, HP, Lenovo, and McDonalds, among many others, and music videos for major artists including Beck.

Since moving to New York City four years ago and entering its freelance marketplace, Vi's renowned talents as a VFX and CG supervisor and lead have been sought-out by rising directors and creative industry executives on high-profile projects produced through T&F, Buck, The Mill, and Eyeball NYC, to name but a few.

Media: Demo 2011: Vi Nguyen

About Thornberg & Forester

At Thornberg & Forester (T&F), we believe that Design is Law(TM). Our smart and stylish original creations span the full spectrum of contemporary marketing communications, leveraging maverick talents in live-action filmmaking, animation and visual effects for ad campaigns, broadcast identity, feature film and television title sequences and promotions, digital media, experiential installations and much more. In addition to our production and design capabilities, T&F is also a resource for strategic, conceptual and creative solutions. Working alongside leading creatives, business executives and artists, T&F's highly collaborative approaches perfectly balance effectiveness and elegance. What can we do for you? http:// www.thornbergandforester.com.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Commercials that Emotionally Connect with Viewers Via Wee Beastie

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 05:54:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

The goal for successful advertising is to create an engaging story that connects with the viewer, with an emotional and witty payoff.

Wee Beastie has worked with the Discovery Channel brand internationally to help create advertising spots for the shows Mythbusters, Dual Survival, American Chopper and Ultimate Survival by portraying the main characters as children in home movies, foreshadowing their future destinies as television hosts. The spots were crafted in a manner that would connect emotionally with the viewer and enhance the Discovery brand.

Besides working with the Discovery brand on production, Wee Beastie's co-founder Chris McKenna directed all the spots to ensure that the scripts came to life. A special emphasis was placed on using authentic period props, costumes, and settings. Wee Beastie’s production team used specialized techniques to make sure these spots looked like genuine, vintage home movies. This included shooting on 16mm film to give the spot the authentic feel, as well as the use of video editing software to add filters and effects to the spots to make them look like they were originally shot in the 1950's and 70's.

Media: Developed for audiences in Italy: Dual Survival

Dual_Survival.mov Watch on Posterous

Media: Developed for audiences in Italy: Mythbusters

Mythbusters.mov Watch on Posterous

Chris McKenna, co-founder of Wee Beastie, is available to discuss how their agency was able to realize the advertising spots through innovative producing and directing. Chris can also discuss how Wee Beastie regularly adds their unique spin on advertising spots.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

CRASH+SUES Goes Off-Road With Polaris

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 05:32:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

CRASH+SUES Goes Off-Road With Polaris With A Spot That Showcases The Color Correction Expertise of SUE And Her New Digital Vision-Based Color Suite

August 11th, 2011, Minneapolis: CRASH+SUES colorist SUE demonstrated her expertise in the company’s new color suite with a rugged outdoors spot for Polaris Industries, the number one maker of ATVs and side-by-sides.

The vignette-style commercial showcases the “Breadth of Product” Polaris offers and highlights several models in the environments they were designed for. The spot opens with the company’s trail-dominating legend, the Sportsman XP 850, cutting through a path in the woods to join other Polaris off-road vehicles in a high-country clearing. Next, the voiceover spotlights the new Ranger 500 EFI, driving into a barn, busy with farm chores, that launches a new group of value-minded Polaris workhorses. It closes with hunters in camouflage driving a Ranger XP 800, the vehicle that heads up a new team of hard-working hunting machines. The tag line, “Polaris: Hardest working, smoothest riding,” brings home the commercial’s message.

“Breadth of Product” was shot on location on a Sony HDCAM SR 4:4:4. Additional stills of sky and clouds were captured with Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II and used for the time-lapse sky scenes.

Assistant colorist Matthew Jensen loaded all the footage onto the Galaxy Aurora SAN, and from there everything was logged and given to C+S editor Carrie Shanahan.

C+S award-winning colorist, SUE, notes, “The original footage was exposed to give me the greatest flexibility for color correction in post. But, as a result, the dailies looked a bit flat. Because we had already captured the forage, the client was able to come into the color suite, and start working on fine-tuning the color looks before the spot was cut – which gave us a head-start when final edit was approved.”

Our clients, The Integer Group’s Robert Stocking and Ned Connelly, wanted slightly different looks for the different seasons of the year. For the hunting scenario, we first tried going warm and fall-like tones, and then a cool silvery look,” SUE recalls. “We liked the cooler look, but ended up brightening and warming it slightly. We also changed the color of several of the vehicles, making two red ones green.”

The spot marked the first time that SUE employed the tracking and matting software on her new Digital Vision Nucoda Film Master color correction system.

“This is new technology and I’m still experimenting with it, but this project really showed what this system brings to the table,” says SUE. “The difference between the ‘befores’ and ‘afters’ is quite impressive. All the scenes had the blackest parts lifted to show detail on the underside of the vehicles; in addition we paid special attention to the skies and made subtle tweaks on the product color.”

Adam Celt tracked in product supers for the three shots that had dynamic camera moves. Mark Anderson create the other static supers. Carrie Shanahan, who edited the original: 30 spot, recently cut a :60 version for the client. Donna Drewick executive produced for CRASH+SUES.

Media: Breadth of Products

BreadthofProduct_NFA.mov Watch on Posterous

CREDITS:

CLIENT/PRODUCT: Polaris Industries
TITLE: "Breadth of Products"
LENGTH: :30 + :23/7 broadcast spots (plus :60 version)

AD AGENCY: The Integer Group/Denver
Director of Integrated Production: Robert Stocking
Associate Creative Director: Ned Connolly
Account Director: Keith Shifrin

PRODUCTION: Streetlight Films/Los Angeles
DIRECTOR/DP: Nigel Simpkiss/London
DP: Ben Joiner/London
LINE PRODUCER: Matthew Lynch/Los Angeles
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Taylor Pinson/Los Angeles

EDITORIAL + POST: CRASH+SUES/Minneapolis
Executive Producer: Nathan Keech
Online Editor: Ryan Wheeler
Assistant Editor: Matthew Kroese
Editor: Carrie Shanahan
Colorist: SUE
Junior Colorist: Matthew Jensen
Flame Artist: Adam Celt

AUDIO POST COMPANY: Echo Boys/Minneapolis
Music: Echo Boys
Sound Designer: Tom Lecher
MIX: Ross Nelson
PRODUCER:  Sara Davidson

About CRASH+SUES

CRASH+SUES is an award-winning creative post and visual effects company specializing in the seamless integration of animation, FX, motion design, color correction, creative editing, finishing and multimedia services. For additional information, contact executive producer Nathan Keech at 612.338.7947 or visit crashandsues.com.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Roast Chickens to Help Save Energy Via Director Robert Logevall

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 05:15:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

Director Robert Logevall and Supply&Demand Integrated Roast Chickens to Help Save Energy

Media: Oven

mas_oven30_director_GRADED_0608_wd.mov Watch on Posterous

Credits:

Client: energysavers.gov
Title: “Oven”
Director: Robert Logevall
DP: Giorgio Scali
Production Designer: Richard Lassalle
Agency: GSD&M / Austin
Sr. Producer: Becky Carrel
Art Director: Todd Nolley
Copywriter: Barrett Michael
GDC/Art Director: Bryan Edwards
GDC/Writer: Victor Camozzi

About Supply&Demand Integrated:

Supply&Demand Integrated is a bi-coastal production company with global representation, comprising the award-winning talents of Jeffery Plansker, Greg Popp, Sean Thonson, Josh Taft, Landis Smithers, Robert Logevall, Margo Weathers, Matthew Rolston, Tony Kaye, Adrien Brody, Lucy Walker, Gabriela Cowperthwaite and David Holm.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Meet The Sanchez Brothers

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:47:00 -0700

August 10, 2011 - Partners Film is pleased to announce the addition of The Sanchez Brothers to their roster of directors.

The Sanchez Brothers, actual siblings Carlos and Jason Sanchez, hail from Montreal and began their careers in the world of still photography. Their large-scale photographic prints, which are cinematic in scope and compelling in content, were quickly likened to film productions making their transition to filmmakers a logical progression.

In the one year they’ve been directing, The Sanchez Brothers have made music videos for The Stills, “I’m With You”, and The World Provider, “I Got it All Wrong”, and commercial film productions for Scotia Bank, TV5 and Familiprix.

“Coming from a photography background, The Sanchez Brothers’ film work possesses a rich cinematic feel,” says Aerin Barnes, Executive Producer, Partners Film. “We are excited to be able to bring their unique directorial talent to our roster.”

Although The Sanchez Brothers are represented in Quebec by Montreal-based Quatre Zéro Un, their joining Partners Film makes it the first time they are available to the rest of Canada.

The Sanchez Brothers have receive much acclaim for their photography. They have created two installation projects that have been exhibited in Canada and the United States. They exhibit their art internationally and have had solo exhibitions in cities such as Montreal, Toronto, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and internationally in Brussels, Strasbourg, Madrid and Amsterdam. Their work is included many public and private collections such as The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, The National Gallery of Canada, Le Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Foam Fotografiemuseum - Amsterdam, Martin Z. Margulies Collection, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Le Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, The Gemeentemuseum Helmonds – Netherlands, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, J. Paul Getty Museum, - Los Angeles, amongst others.

View The Sanchez Brothers’ reel: http://www.partnersfilm.com/sb0720/

View their photography work: http://www.thesanchezbrothers.com/

Media: Stills Montage

A video showcasing their stills work on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/27544100

PARTN&RS 55 Mill Street, Building 36, Suite 300

Toronto M5A 3C4

+1 416 869 3500

http://www.partnersfilm.com

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Calabash Animation Catches the ‘’Rainbow’’ In New Lucky Charms Spot

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:21:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

Award-Winning Studio Ups The Creative Ante With New CG Lucky the Leprechaun Adventure

CHICAGO, IL -- Building on the success of their previous outing for Lucky Charms cereal, which found the iconic character Lucky the Leprechaun rendered in CG for the first time, Calabash Animation has expanded Lucky’s CG universe in ‘’Rainbow,’’ a new ad for the General Mills brand. The ad was created by agency Saatchi & Saatchi, New York.

‘’This was the most ambitious CG project that we’ve done to date, with so many characters involved and so much motion,” Wayne Brejcha, Calabash Creative Director says. “Three kids plus lucky and five avatars – the screen is just jammed with characters.’’

Picking up where the previous spot ''Everybody Flies'' left off, ''Rainbow'' begins with three kids still chasing Lucky and his beloved box of Lucky Charms as he flies aboard a magical cereal piece when he flies smack into a rainbow. As he rips through it, the rainbow magically transforms him into five distinctly colored Lucky avatars, each with their own personality. Suddenly, Lucky loses his grip on the cereal box, which the camera follows as it falls through the sky and into the waiting arms of the hungry kids. As they excitedly realize there are five new colored charm pieces in the cereal (hence the name ''Rainbow''), Lucky and his avatars swoop down to steal back the cereal -- ending the spot with his familiar call of ‘’they’re magically delicious!’’

''For this spot we wanted to amplify the special effects, particularly the look of the water and the lighting and get away from an overly cartoonish blue sky look,'' Brejcha says. ''Rainbows generally form during or after ominous weather, so went for a slightly threatening weather look. The whole spot flows very naturally despite the fact that it was very complex.''

For Sean Henry, Calabash Executive Producer, who focused much of his attention on the compositing of the many characters and environments, the most challenging component of the spot was the sequence when the air-born Lucky loses his grip on the cereal box and the POV shifts from him to the falling box and finally to the kids waiting below. Although it comprises less than ten seconds of the whole spot, the sequence was extremely complex.

''Whenever you fly the camera around, you exponentially increase the number of things you need to think about,'' Henry says. ''The spot has a lot of dramatic camera movement and characters rocketing around like the Blue Angels, plus a ton of special effects. The motion has to feel physical, and yet it has to be very controlled so that the audience doesn't get lost. With six or more characters visible at a time in some of the shots, it was a particular challenge to make sure the performances came through. It involves a lot of very careful choreography to make something look so perfectly chaotic.''

Henry adds, ''The agency and the brand trusted us with a lot of freedom to tell a story which was very difficult to convey through storyboards alone. We find time and time again that communication is key, so that there are no unpleasant surprises.''

Media: Rainbow

539_Lucky_Rainbow_30sm.mov Watch on Posterous

Creative Credits:

Client: General Mills/Lucky Charms
Project: ''Rainbow''

Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, New York

Animation: Calabash Animation, Chicago, IL
Animation Director: Wayne Brejcha
Executive Producer: Sean Henry

Post house: Optimus, Chicago

About Calabash Animation:

Led by Creative Director Wayne Brejcha and Executive Producer Sean Henry, Calabash Animation, Inc. (www.calabashanimation.com) is the Chicago, IL-based animation production studio, known for its award-winning cel, 3D and stop-motion animation for the advertising and entertainment industries. Calabash Animation is perhaps best known for their creative development of some of America’s most beloved brand icons. In addition to working on some of today’s top advertising the company has also produced several acclaimed short films. It’s 2002 short ‘’Stubble Trouble’’ was nominated for an Academy Award in 2002. Its most recent “Botnik” will hit the festival circuit in Fall 2008.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

ClickFire Media Creates Facebook Games to Help Little Tikes Save Sea Turtles

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 11:19:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

2011 marks the 33rd anniversary of the iconic Little Tikes Turtle Sandbox.

The company marked the occasion by teaming up with the Sea Turtle Conservancy to raise awareness about the plight of sea turtles and rally people to the cause of preserving them. To promote the partnership - which includes sponsorship of a turtle in the annual "Tour de Turtles" and donations from a designated donation page - Little Tikes tapped ClickFire Media to design a pair of games, Go `n Grow Turtles and Go Turtle Go, as well as the Facebook page.

ClickFire Media - with an assist from sister sound studio Sounds Like Click - ran with the challenge. They created a Facebook campaign that evokes the famous Little Tikes toys while raising money for the Sea Turtle Conservancy through games, social apps, sweepstakes, turtle-naming activities, donation information, and up-to-date news and information about the efforts.

"We looked at their toys directly and found that one of the most identifying features of Little Tikes is the plastics they use in their products," stated ClickFire Media CD Nick Adgerian. "Creating a look that could evoke memories of the plastic's tactile qualities was a really good way to make the game feel authentic. This created a special challenge in that we couldn't use a lot of transparencies even though the videogame portion of this promotion took place underwater - but where is the fun if there are no challenges?"

The main Facebook page, features a hub, designed in the bubbly plastic spirit of a Little Tikes toy, that gives visitors the option to donate money; buy T-shirts and other gear; play an educational video on the partnership; use a "Turtle Player"; and play the Go 'N Grow arcade-style turtle game, in which players select from seven species of sea turtles and help it grow and migrate by finding fresh air and food and avoiding predators and pollution.

For the videogame portion of the page, ClickFire Media poured considerable resources into creating turtles and other animals that looked like they were made of Little Tikes plastic without losing their defining characteristics. Using renderings of different sea turtle breeds, the team crafted computerized versions that looked like toys.

"By contrast to the Go 'N' Grow game, the Go Turtle Go game is not a videogame," noted Adgerian. "The way it works, is that you pick and name a turtle, and then send it to friends." The mileage between those friends on Facebook determines the eventual total of miles logged, with the goal being to have your turtle make the longest trip.

According to producer Ephraim Kehlmann, the biggest challenge of the two-month job wasn't so much an artistic and visual one as it was, "nailing down all the specific details and how it'd work with Facebook and any of their restrictions. How do you track each turtle? How does the mileage add up? And we also developed different leader-boards, so there was a lot to figure out in terms of the user experience."

The team used Google Maps and the Google Map API within the game. "We always love doing mash-ups, whatever we're doing," he added. "It's one of our strengths, and a lot of projects we have around here involve similar sorts of mash-ups."

Since its release at the start of the July 4th holiday, the game has attracted a growing following. Ultimately, the page in general, and the Go 'N Grow game in particular, may be a harbinger of the sort of work ClickFire Media will focus more on in the future. "We are finding ourselves pitching more and more game concepts recently," said Adgerian. "Since we were already pitching really solid social media campaigns, I felt like this project dovetailed nicely into our sweet spot. For a while it seemed that games as advertising were a played-out idea, but I think that there is a new perspective on gaming straddling the real world and the digital world, and it's opening up the possibilities of interactive again. That may a lofty statement, but it's not in the grander scheme of this project and other projects like it that we are involved with. It wouldn't seem like such a lofty statement if you could see behind our curtain right now. Trust me, there's a party going on back there."

Credits:

Client: Little Tikes
Launch Date: July 2011

Interactive Design Studio: ClickFire Media
Creative Director: Nick Agderian
Art Director: Andrew Hess
Production Artist/Designer: Adam Aharon
Lead Developer: Jason Tordsen
Flash Developer: Christopher Pappas
Server Side and HTML Developer: Matt Wilber
Producer: Ephraim Kehlmann
Audio Post: Sounds Like Click
Senior Sound Designer: Brian Scribinico
Music: "The Click 3X Cartoon Jazz Band"; Brian Scibinico (kazoo, beatbox), Jeremy Bauman (kazoo), Nick Agderian (bass), Kirsten McCord (cello)

About ClickFire Media:

ClickFire Media is an interactive design studio specializing in multi-platform, media-rich creative campaigns. CFM partners with agencies and entertainment industry clients in the conceptualization, design and development of fully-integrated, consistently branded experiences. Through insight and innovation, CFM combines that latest interactive technologies with the best design, video, animation and live action skills from Click 3X to deliver integrated solutions in the ever-developing media landscape.

More info: TRUST | NYC 646.452.3388 | LA 310.451.5153 |

Permalink | Leave a comment »

BIGSMACK Opens New York City Office; Adds Andrew Kobliska

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:14:00 -0700

BIGSMACK Opens New York City Office; Adds Andrew Kobliska as Head of Marketing/Business Development

Company Also Relaunches Corporate Website

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Demonstrating their commitment to expansion and greater creative challenges, BIGSMACK, the award-winning full-service creative agency and entertainment marketing company led by Creative Director Andy Hann, announced the addition of Andrew Kobliska as Head of Marketing & Business Development. Additionally the company has opened a New York City office, based in the heart of the Flatiron creative district and re-launched their website, which focuses on the their distinct and diverse work.

Click here to see the new BIGSMACK website.

''Clients today are looking for companies they can partner with creatively and lean on to navigate the increasingly complex, multi-screened media landscape,'' Hann says. ''It’s not enough to create a great concept or execute a cool motion graphic sequence, clients need to reach their audience at every consumer touch-point with a consistent message. The addition of someone as talented and respected as Andrew, coupled with a New York office close to our clients, says a lot about the growth of BIGSMACK and where we are heading.''

Andrew Kobliska

For Kobliska, who will work out of the New York office, joining BIGSMACK represents a homecoming of sorts. He and Hann partnered in the mid 1990s at the Los Angeles-based creative boutique SMOG, which Kobliska co-founded. A few years later they both moved to the renowned entertainment marketing agency Pittard Sullivan where their team created and managed some of the company’s most well known projects, including the launch of the Fox Family Channel, Game Show Network and Fox Kids International.

''It’s great to work with Andy again -- we share a similar creative philosophy and respect for clients and their needs,'' Kobliska says. ''We know it’s not enough to create a campaign that looks beautiful, it has to be effective and meet the client’s goals. Andy instinctively understands this -- it’s just one of the reasons why BIGSMACK has been so successful, and why I’m excited to be a part of the team.''

Kobliska brings to BIGSMACK an array of experience on both the client and the vendor sides of the industry. He got his start as a producer at J. Walter Thompson, Los Angeles, leaving a few years later as Head of Broadcast Production to launch his own creative and production studio GRAVY, which was acquired by a large ad agency and became SMOG.

Following Pittard Sullivan, Kobliska served as the President of Entertainment at IF! International, before being named President of the Entertainment Division at Vagrant Records, where he managed the company's production and creative assets. In 2004 he joined DIRECTV as their Executive Director of Creative Services and On-Air, where he oversaw a division that created and produced advertising, promos, on-air spots, interactive media, and print for the satellite service provider.

''BIGSMACK is one of only a handful of creative shops that offer full-service strategy and integrated marketing solutions that touch all media. Our clients are advertisers, agencies, and entertainment brands,'' Kobliska adds. ''We have the agility of a creative boutique, and the production fire power of one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive post houses on the east coast. We have the tools and talent in-house, there really isn’t any creative idea that we can’t execute.”

Moving Up the Turnpike

A big part of BIGSMACK’s continued growth includes the launch of their New York office. Hann stressed that the New York office is a full-fledged creative outpost housing key design, production and management talent.

''Our clients wanted greater access to us, and that meant being in New York,'' Hann adds. ''This is an exciting time in the evolution of BIGSMACK, and I know when clients see what we’re building in New York, coupled with our talent and technology in Philadelphia, they will be blown away.''

About BIGSMACK:

Lead by Creative Director Andy Hann, BIGSMACK is a full service creative agency specializing in entertainment marketing. From their offices in downtown Philadelphia and New York City, BIGSMACK creates, produces, designs and posts image and promotional campaigns for the world’s leading entertainment providers. Recent clients include Discovery Channel, A&E, Nat Geo, OWN, HBO, Comedy Central and Sundance, among others. For more information contact: Andrew Kobliska (andrew@bigsmack.tv), 917-592-2998) or go to http://www.bigsmack.tv

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Vicon Introduces Mobile Mocap at 2011 SIGGRAPH

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:56:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

Oxford UK (August 9, 2011) -- Vicon, developer of motion capture systems for the entertainment, life science and engineering industries, will introduce a future technology, “Mobile Mocap” at SIGGRAPH 2011 being held at the Vancouver Convention Center.

This and other new technologies will be previewed in the Vicon booth, #694 from August 9-11 during show hours.

Moving mocap out of the lab and into the field, Vicon's mobile motion capture (Mobile Mocap) solutions tap several new technologies, many years in the making. At the heart of Mobile Mocap is a new, very small lipstick-sized camera that enables solutions applicable to automotive ergonomics testing, the medical industry, eye tracking, military surveillance, and entertainment for less obtrusive, more accurate facial animation data. The small and powerful new cameras capture 720p (1280X720) footage at 60 frames per second. In addition, a powerful processing unit synchronizes, stores, and wirelessly transmits the data, all in a tiny wearable design.

Vicon sees many possible future uses for the technology.

The minute cameras can, for example, be embedded into a car to move ergonomics testing out of a test lab and onto the road to capture authentic data of how a driver interacts with a car in real world conditions. Up to twelve cameras can be synchronized to simultaneously deliver data that can also be combined with external metadata such as GPS, miles per hour, traffic patterns and more.

Utilizing a head-mounted camera device (HMC), the technology can also reliably capture both the nuances and contours of facial activity for signature performances applied to digital characters for games, film and television. In development for over four years, prototypes of this technology were used for facial capture with Jim Carrey in Disney’s A Christmas Story and for Jeff Bridges’ performance in Tron Legacy.

Alternatively, the cameras could be used during sports performance for detailed understanding of how an athlete’s gaze may be affecting their performance.

“Mobile Mocap represents a huge development leap, enabling new ways to unobtrusively capture highly accurate performance and movement data for the entertainment, medical, military and engineering markets,” said Doug Griffin, VP/Product Manager at Vicon. “Eliminating the restrictions and confinements of a motion capture stage opens up a world of possibility as to how the technology can help uniquely solve business and design problems for artists and engineers.”

In addition to Mobile Mocap, Vicon is also previewing the newest version of their motion capture pipeline processing software, Blade 2.0. Aimed to support performance and creativity, the technology features new core architecture and algorithms to consistently capture the most detailed motion possible, reduced interference with the natural movement critical in any entertainment venue, and accurate, real time playback that facilitates communication between directors and actors. By changing the experience on the mocap stage with the integration of a virtual camera, studios can increase efficiency; the director can now focus on creativity and the live action shot, the technician does not have to worry about system failures and the actor receives visual reference for real time feedback on their performance.

About Vicon

Academy Award®-winning Vicon, a subsidiary of OMG (Oxford Metrics Group - LSE: OMG), plc., is the world’s largest supplier of precision motion tracking systems, and match moving software. It serves customers in the CG animation industry, film, visual effects, computer games, and broadcast television, as well as engineering and life science industries. Vicon operates in four offices worldwide, including its Los Angeles-based Entertainment headquarters: a 26,000 square-foot facility equipped with three performance capture stages for Vicon’s motion capture and animation division, House of Moves.

For more information about OMG and its subsidiaries, visit www.omg3d.com, www.vicon.com, www.vicon.com/boujou, www.2d3.com, www.yottadcl.com, or www.yottamvs.com.

Permalink | Leave a comment »

jumP's Ziegler Knocks out Best Short at Michael Moore's Film Fest

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:38:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

jumP's Terence Ziegler left the seventh-annual Traverse City Film Festival in style this year, waltzing out with the Founders Prize for Best Short Film.

The winning piece, Jesus Was a Commie, is a thought-provoking piece of filmic art, co-directed by Ziegler himself, in collaboration with Matthew Modine, who also starred in the film.

A 15-minute narrative-visual essay, the film blends (courtesy of Ziegler), footage of historical societal upheavals with one man's journey around modern Manhattan, asking viewers to consider Jesus' teachings through the lens of the modern world. How, the film asks, would we classify Jesus if he were alive today, practicing the philanthropic rituals and preaching the lifestyle of his legend? Would we in fact consider him a communist?

Academy Award-winning director Michael Moore founded the Traverse City Film Festival, which in 2011 screened more than 100 films and sold more than 120,000 tickets.

Media: Teaser - Jesus Was A Commie

About jumP:

Bicoastal jumP is an award-winning creative editorial boutique focusing on commercials, features, short films, music videos, and emerging media content. The firm works with a wide-range of top-tier brands, directors, and agencies continually delivering powerful and efficient results for each of its clients. The company roster includes Partner/Editors: Luis Moreno and Michael Saia, Editors: Lin Polito, Troy Mercury, Terence Ziegler, Richard Mettler, Jack Douglas, Nick Lofting, David Trachtenberg, Mark Imgrund, EP Betsy Beale, Head of Production Juliet Conti, and Partner/Managing Director Dee Tagert.

More info: TRUST | NYC 646.452.3388 | LA 310.451.5153 |

Permalink | Leave a comment »

Click 3X Promotes Kiser, Inks Top-Notch VFX Producer O'Hara

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 10:11:00 -0700

See the full gallery on Posterous

Image 1 - Chris Kiser, Image 2 - Jon O'Hara

Click 3X is making big strides with a few changes in the production lineup. Head of Production Chris Kiser was recently promoted to Executive Producer.

Since joining Click 3X, Kiser has produced multi-spot campaigns for Advil, web-based projects for LG and Buick, Rihanna's Rude Boy music video, multiple GEICO campaigns, Lego CG and stop motion projects, as well as visual effects for the upcoming third season of HBO's Bored to Death.

"Moving Chris into the Executive Producer slot was a very organic transition," said Jason Mayo, Click 3X Managing Director and Partner. "Chris has a vast knowledge of the industry and more importantly understands the needs of our clients. He also has great capacity to manage their expectations and deliver above and beyond those expectations. It's been a pleasure watching Chris grow here at Click 3X."

Kiser's promotion comes on the heels of the recent new hire of Senior VFX Producer, Jon O'Hara.

O'Hara is an award-winning producer, who has worked for many well-known brands, including Six Flags, Nickelodeon, Febreze and P&G. He has been nominated for several EMMYs, for projects the likes of Amazing Sports Stories and Terminator Salvation the Ride. He has produced top-notch work for Nash Entertainment- New York City, Ogilvy-New York City, and VMG-Cincinnati.

"We are very excited to bring Jon on-board, and look forward to the expertise he brings to our production team," Kiser said. "Jon has a technical understanding and confidence that is apparent from the moment you meet him. He is going to fit right in here and is a welcome member of the Click 3X family."

About Click 3X:

Click 3X and its interactive division ClickFire Media create engaging film, TV and web content. Positioned at the intersection of entertainment, advertising, and technology, the studios work in tandem or autonomously. Click 3X shoots, edits, designs, animates and creates VFX, while ClickFire Media brings those disciplines into the interactive space. Click 3X operates a full service, 11,000 square foot state of the art studio in Manhattan outfitted with 50 fulltime staffers. In 2010 audio post-production division, Sounds Like Click was launched to provide sound design, mixing and original music services.

More info: TRUST | NYC 646.452.3388 | LA 310.451.5153 |

Permalink | Leave a comment »