Sonixphere, a global resource for everything connected to music and sound, literally had a blast teaming with Olson Agency, Minneapolis, and Optimus/ONE, Chicago, adding complex sound design and music to a pair of slice-of-life spots for US Bank that position the bank as a sure thing in a world rife with risk. nnHyper-realistic soundscapes, created by the award-winning team at Sonixphere, add another dimension to the action raising the tension level within the storyboards. Original music at the back ends of both spots punctuates the irony-injected dialog and provides an upbeat ending. Airing nationally, the campaign depicts two bold US Bank customers who have high-risk jobs, but take no risks when it comes to their banking.nn”Sonixphere really helped these spots come to life,” says Vince Beggin, Group Creative Director for OLSON. “The sound design is very authentic and layered, and the music brought a whole new edge to the work.”n n”The creative team from Olson was very specific with what they wanted,” says Sonixphere CEO and Creative Director Greg Allan. “Our creative conversations inspired our perfectionist sound design team to create a theater of the mind by heightening the sonic reality throughout the spots through digitally-enhanced, authentic sounds that were meticulously detailed out by our lead sound designer David Van Slyke, who is based in L.A.”nnThe sonic wizardry created for U.S. Bank by Van Slyke, known for his long-running work on CSI, as well as trailers and feature films,includes an assortment of customized explosions for “Concert,” and industrial sounds for “High Rise,” all of which add impact and a sense of realness to the viewer experience.nnIn “Concert,” a producer pauses during a pyrotechnics rehearsal, looks into the camera and states, “I don’t like excitement while plumes of flames and geyser-like sparklers detonate behind him. Sonixphere created an epic feel to the storyboard by creating a series of sonically-enhanced explosions that were synchronized with the fireworks, and then layered in ADR background voices and multiple reverbs for energy.nn”When the music kicks in over the slow-mo shot at the end,” explains Allan, “we combined real sounds with slow-motion sound design to release the tension that builds throughout the spot.”nn
nnIn “High Rise,” the sister spot to “Concert,” a steel worker strides across an I-beam suspended high in the sky. Sparks from a blow torch sizzle up towards his feet as he says “I don’t like risk,” adding, “US Bank has shown me safe is the real thrill.” nn”The creative brief from the agency was to transform the predominantly VFX action of this spot into a super-sized real setting and ramp up the tension through the sound design,” says Allan. nn
n nVan Slyke elaborates on their approach. “Using sound design to simulate the feeling of height in the construction scene was very important to our clients,” he says. “By layering in city sounds, construction realism, and winds, we created the feeling of openness. We also enhanced the industrial sounds– like the pile driver – to make them resonate throughout the city below.”nnThe sound design team also detailed out many implied off-camera construction sounds to keep the industrial sounds consistent throughout the entire spot.nn”We reinforced the sonic branding of the campaign by making the spots musically consist
