“These Birds Walk,” a documentary directed by Bassam Tariq and Omar Mullick, recently premiered at SXSW in Austin, after the filmmakers completed the film with Nice Shoes colorist Chris Ryan. The film is an inspirational story of resilience, documenting the struggles of street children in Karachi, Pakistan, as well as those who try to help them.nnBBDO Creative Director Don Schneider, who has worked with Ryan on many GE campaigns over the years, introduced the duo to Nice Shoes. Ryan instantly connected with Tariq and Mullick. “The first night they came in we spent three hours discussing the film and potential color treatments,” said Ryan. “They’re really nice guys. This is their first feature film, but they each have a ton of experience and had an understanding of the tools we have at Nice Shoes to make the film look its best.” nnUltimately they decided to take the color in a natural direction, focusing on bringing out the beautiful moments of the film. “We pushed things a little too far in our first approach, and it may have made the film a bit depressing. The final look of the film really accentuates the theme of hopefulness,” added Ryan.nn
nn”We learned about nuances in the film given certain choices, and Chris’s experience proved invaluable in providing insights, but more specifically balance, as to how far to push certain decisions for the ultimate feel of the movie,” said Mullick. “In particular, the treatment of night time shots that alternated between rescuing information from the shadows and then also punching certain colors in the bustle of the city brought Karachi to life. Equally, the emphasis on a warm but subtle realism in the children’s skin tones and daytime interactions helped make the characters both accessible and human. Chris’s work helped realize a vision of people and a place that was, up to then, just an idea. His work was crucial in bringing the film to completion.”nnWhile Ryan enjoys the variety of working on both commercials and feature films, he often feels a stronger sense of ownership in his long form work. “With a feature, you really have time to live and breathe a project. When I’m working on a film, I get to work with creatives like Bassam and Omar for a long period of time, really getting to know them and the project well. I’m really proud to have been a part of These Birds Walk. It’s a wonderful film, and I can’t wait to work with these guys again.” nnMullick concluded, “Chris brought a rigor and varied skill set to our sessions on These Birds Walk that both expanded on the visual possibilities of the film, and also helped us hone the final choice for how it should look. The process was one the most rewarding collaborations we’ve had.”nnProduction CreditsnTitle: “These Birds Walk”nnDirectors: Omar Mullick, Bassam TariqnExecutive Producers: Daniel Berger, David LaubnProducers: Omar Mullick, Bassam Tariq, Valentina CanvesionCinematographer: Omar MullicknEditor: Sonejuhi SinhannColor Grading: Nice ShoesnLead Colorist: Chris RyannColorists: Gene Curley, Ron SudulnData Wranglers: Tom Tomlinson, Glenn WeidlichnAssistants: Max Hadson, Andrew PandolfinonProducer: Rebecca MitchellnnAbout Nice ShoesnNYC-based Nice Shoes is a full service, artist-driven design, animation, visual effects and color grading studio specializing in high-end commercials, web content, film, TV and music videos. Since its inception in 1996, the studio has prided itself on consistently reinvesting in its talent, technical backbone, and client experience to set the
Paul DeKams Nice Shoes 212-683-1704 Contact Paul via email
Who Needs Los Angeles? We Do.
One doesn't have to be a statistician to know that there are fewer commercials being shot in the U.S. today for the American market than ever before, and a dramatic decrease in L.A. in particular. In the last five years, as reported by FilmLA (the office tasked with issuing permits), L.A. commercial production has dipped 31 percent. But here’s the thing: This doesn’t mean that L.A. has lost its importance as the production center of the world. Production in L.A. is vital. It is the go-to. It’s where you can count on access to exemplary crews, a support infrastructure second to none, varied location and backlot options, a large population of on-screen talent and (fairly) predictable weather. The fact is, with overall decline and now the devastation of the fires, we’re on the brink of losing this mainstay resource. Without employment opportunities and now many without homes, talented and trained crew are bound to leave either the industry or the LA area for other opportunities, unless there are enough job opportunities to sustain a solid living. Now is the time when we ALL must support and bolster this community. Production is needed in L.A., now! Of course, advertising is a business, and marketers’ money should be spent as efficiently as possible, BUT we have to think beyond each production and know that if we lose the incredible resource of L.A. production as we know it, then marketers, agencies and the industry loses in the long run. Over the past several days, some agencies have issued directives to production companies that are unilaterally pushing upcoming production options out of L.A. The fact is L.A. is a large area, and many sections of the city and county are not directly impacted... Read More