The artists and producers from international production company and design studio www.BrandNewSchool.com.>Brand New School (BNS) are very proud to announce that their latest project work in conjunction with advertising agency RPA, a national broadcast/web spot for the 2011 Honda CR-V, will debut in selected regions across America throughout Fox’s official broadcast coverage of Super Bowl XLV on Sunday. nnBy using artful graphic design, seamless visual effects, flawless finishing and the lighthearted visual storytelling that BNS is known for, the finished :30 spot conceived by RPA‘s creative team and directed by BNS director Ben Go offers a refreshing, eye-catching take on traditional commercials showing vehicles being driven. The agency’s creative brief called for Ben and his colleagues to use the storytelling framework of a five-day weather forecast to demonstrate the CR-V’s driving capabilities under different conditions. “Another important part of the idea was to tease viewers with mysterious, giant type, that’s only partially visible in the sky, while the CR-V drives from one set of weather conditions to the next,” Ben explained. “In the end, we reveal that the type is part of the weather forecast graphics.”nnnn”This time of year, people all over the country are sitting there looking at some pretty miserable weather forecasts. We wanted to take them inside the world of one of these forecasts and literally show that the CR-V can handle whatever nature offers – a timely and pertinent message,” said Jason Sperling, SVP, Group Creative Director at RPA. “BNS created a beautiful blend of real environment and graphic forecast elements. And did it on a production calendar not much longer than a five-day forecast.”nnWith a background in design, painting, photography, and a degree from Otis College of Art and Design, Ben joined BNS when the company was starting out 10 years ago. Over the past decade, his impeccable eye and fine arts aesthetics have impacted high-profile projects for many prominent television networks and other consumer brands. nnFor this project, Ben and his colleagues, including director of photography Bill Bennett, planned out a very ambitious single-day live-action shoot in and around California’s Santa Ynez Airport. “We really wanted to grab the audience’s attention instantly with the beauty and sophistication of the spot,” Ben began. “To achieve that, we opted for a look that’s both real and graphic, both stylized and photoreal… a good mixture of fact and fantasy. On location, we wet down the road, and had practical snow on it as well… then we composited partly realistic and partly graphic rain and snow in the finished shots. The sunny environment in the original plate we shot was also replaced with different CG environments to match the different weather conditions.”nnOn location, the BNS team used the ARRI Alexa digital camera system to capture HD source footage. Also, a crane car called The Edge System from Performance Filmworks allowed the crew to capture the moving vehicle from various angles as it appeared in different situations at and near the picturesque airport. nnFor BNS VFX supervisor Vadim Turchin and many studio artists, the first steps in post were to track the live-action scenes and rotoscope the background and the CR-V. A matte painting was created for the background, which was projected onto 3D geometry in Maya. All the elements were then put together in After Effects, along with additional plates, particle effects, and initial color correction. Final color was handled in Autodesk Flame.nnFor RPA, credits go to chief creative officer David Smith, group creative directors Joe Baratelli and Jason Sperling, senior art director Hobart Birmingham, copywriter Perrin Anderson, executive producer Gary Paticoff, and producer Phung Vo. nnAlong with Ben Go and Vadim Turchin, the BNS team also included West Coast executive producer Jason Cohon, line producer Jane Van Dyke, production supervisor Kenia Gutierrez, VFX producers Amy Russo and Josh Wakefield, production designer Jeff Higinbotham, matte painters Andrew Park and Eric Urquhart, designers Tiffany Dantin, Kris Wong, Ken Quemel, Patrick Hruby, Sakona Kong, Wakako Ichinose and Ugo Nonis, 3D/VFX artists John Sadler, Emil Nilsson, Ryan Kirkwood, lead compositor Ergin Kuke, Flame artist Matt Lydecker, production coordinator Italia Piefederici, and assistant editor Brenden Mendez.nnThe spot features "Rescue Song (RAC Remix)" from Mr. Little Jeans. nnFor more information on Honda, please visit www.shophonda.com.nnAbout www.BrandNewSchool.com.>Brand New SchoolnWith offices in New York, Los Angeles and London, www.BrandNewSchool.com.>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 www.BrandNewSchool.com.
Roger Darnell DWA for www.BrandNewSchool.com.>Brand New School Contact Roger via email +1.828.264.8898
The Light and BIEN Form Creative & Strategic Alliance
Production company The Light and motion design studio BIEN have forged a strategic alliance that nurtures inclusivity and sustainability throughout the life cycle of every project.
The Light Founder/CEO Becky Morrison and BIEN Co-Founder Ricardo Roberts were first introduced by a mutual client who recognized their parallel ethos. Both Morrison and Roberts are advocates for industry change, and have built successful companies that demonstrate the benefits of human-centered and sustainable production in live action and motion design, respectively.
“I admire the thoughtfulness, specificity, and artistry with which BIEN produces animation and design and their attention to representing the full spectrum of humanity,” notes Morrison. “Their work behind the scenes to foster a diverse creative community is equally impressive. It feels like the perfect moment to partner with another mission-driven company who cares so deeply about creative excellence and social change.”
“I immediately hit it off with Becky and love that she has so many ideas that are tactical, scalable and make a powerful difference,” adds Roberts. “She challenges the status quo while producing beautiful, world-class content. With this partnership, we can better serve our clients and carry our mission forward together.”
The Light is a production company guided by the principle that an emotionally healthy environment is paramount for creativity and high performance. From its inception in 2014, The Light has centered under-represented talent, with equity and sustainability as key pillars to delivering creative projects for... Read More