SHORT CUTS
Vinton Studios, Portland, Ore., has completed six commercials for ThermaCare and agency D’Arcy, New York. "Pre-Launch" (:15), "Walk/Don’t Walk" (:30), "Pedestrian" (:30), "Worker" (:30), "Runner" (:15) and "Sleep" (:30), feature a combination of CG and live action, both directed by Vinton’s Gayle Ayers. ThermaCare’s character, "Icon Guy," and his female counterpart appear on universal signs, such as a crosswalk, a pedestrian crossing, and a slippery when wet sign. The characters come to life through CG when they are struck with pain. After the ThermaCare heat wraps are applied, the characters leap from their signs and interact in live action situations. Additional Vinton Studios credits include executive producer Zilpha Yost; producer Mary Jane Wood; art director/character designer Robin Ator; storyboard artists Brian Ormiston and Tom Price; "Pre-Launch" animator and CG model builder Shawn MacInerny; "Walk/Don’t Walk" animator Travis Knight; "Pedestrian" and "Worker" animator Allan Steele; "Runner" and "Sleep" animator Chris Ohlgren; CG model builders Kerry Pierce and Charlie Ramos; animation editor Cam Williams; assistant animation editor Steve Briske; "Pre-Launch," "Walk/Don’t Walk," "Pedestrian" and "Runner" technical director Adrian Grey; "Worker" and "Sleep" technical director Clay Connally; "Pre-Launch" and "Walk/Don’t Walk" Flame artist Rebecca Bowen; "Pedestrian," "Worker," "Runner" and "Sleep" Flame artist Tom Burney; Flint artist Phil Guzzo; production assistants Deanna Rizzo, Billy Halkinrude, David Cole, Nick Childs and Louanne Moldovan. Blue Highway, Portland, and Circle Productions, Vancouver, B.C. combined on the live-action portion of the ads.
Phoenix Editorial, San Francisco, edited "Take Off," for Amtrak via agency Glass McClure Advertising, Sacramento, Calif. The :30 encourages Californians to "take off" and discover the best of the state by traveling on Amtrak. The spot features stock footage from Getty Images, Seattle, and existing scenes from Amtrak’s library. Phoenix’s Robbie Proctor cut the ad, with Sheila Smith producing. John Crossly was Smoke/online editor for Phoenix.
New York-based Charlex teamed with agency Draft Worldwide, New York, to construct a series of animated 3-D spots for CIT, based on the concept of "the new bottom line." The :30s were originally conceived by the agency as 2-D, but after conferring with Charlex, they decided to go with the 3-D technique. In the spots, the animated blue line accompanied by sound effects, moves continuously from frame to frame in one long "take," showing different business concepts, and changing into different forms that illustrate the kinds of business CIT works with, including a manufacturing production line, a city skyline, and a highway. At Charlex, each of the phases in the transformation of the line was created and rigged, to control the way it moves, using Maya and Shake software. Charlex credits include executive creative director Alex Weil, CG supervisor Bryan Godwin, designer/director Colin McGreal, lighting technical directors Karl Coyner and Mike Sparber, 3-D artist Bill Watral, animators Jeff Chavez and Sam Crees, Flame/Smoke artist Alan Neidorf, sound designer Jason Trammell, executive producer Amy Kindred, senior producer Steve Chiarello, and producer Katie Haser.
MUSIC NOTES
Mitch Dorf of POP Sound, Santa Monica, completed the final mix for MTV’s Aerosmith tribute special, Icon, which premiered recently on the music network. The show featured documentary and historical footage of the band, as well as a live performance with Kid Rock, Pink, Train, Papa Roach, Shakira, and the X-ecutioners, all singing Aerosmith songs such as "Janie’s Got a Gun" and "Last Child." Dorf collaborated with MTV producer Michael Dempsey and music supervisor Larry Shure on the project.
West Hollywood-headquartered 740 Sound Design recreated the sounds of the Winter Olympics for a :60 honoring Home Depot’s sponsorship of some of the Games’ athletes. Conceived by The Richards Group, Dallas, and directed by Ray Dillman of bicoastal Gartner, "Snow Portraits" features sleek slow-motion scenes of skeleton, snowboarding, slalom, hockey, cross-country skiing and speed skating events. Titles appear identifying the athletes, who include Gold Medalist Derek Parra, and the the departments they work in at Home Depot. 740’s Michael Johnson designed sound for the commercial, recreating the signature sound of each event. In addition, Johnson made original recordings and drew numerous elements from 740’s proprietary sound design library. Additional 740 crew included Scott Ganary and Dane Davis, executive producers; Matt Hedges, associate producer; John Fasal, field recordist; and John Roesch, Foley walker.
