Computer Animation Studio Collaborates With Pandemonium Dir. Williams For McDonald's.
The release of a Disney/Pixar computer animation feature film translates into two seeming certainties: box office gold, and a return to the commercialmaking discipline—albeit brief—for Richmond-based Pixar Animation Studios. For the first time in a year, Pixar has produced computer animation for spots—the recently debuted effort being for the McDonald’s tie-in campaign with Toy Story 2. The Disney/Pixar movie has dominated holiday theater receipts, including registering a record-high $80 million-plus over the extended Thanksgiving weekend.
The work for McDonald’s—according to Pixar’s producer on the assignment, Karen Dufilho (who also heads the studio’s short film department)—considted of four core spots: "Up Periscope" and "Remote" out of DDB Chicago; and "Surveillance" and "Toys vs. Candy" from Leo Burnett Co., Chicago. Additionally, Spanish and French-Canadian variations of the DDB Chicago spots were produced, respectively, for Coral Gables, Fla.-based del Rivero Messianu Advertising, and Cossette Communications, Toronto.
A Pixar team, which included three computer animation directors, collaborated on the campaign with live action director Steve "Spaz" Williams of Pandemonium, San Francisco. Williams himself has an extensive visual effects/animation track record which has frequently entailed his meshing live action, effects and animation both in spots and features. His CG director counterparts at Pixar on the McDonald’s fare were Scott Clark, who helmed computer animation for "Up Periscope" and "Remote"; Angus MacLane on "Surveillance"; and Tasha Wedeen on "Toys vs. Candy."
At one time, Pixar regularly produced computer animation commercials, and maintained spot representation throughout the U.S. But the company stopped actively soliciting ad assignments in the summer of ’96 (SHOOT, 7/5/96, p. 1), following the success of its first CG feature, Toy Story. Pixar decided to focus on its short film, longform and related commitments, including the then-pending A Bug’s Life, another joint Disney/ Pixar project.
But per the Disney/Pixar feature promotional tie-in agreement with major advertisers, most notably McDonald’s, Pixar has had occasion to get back into the commercial fray. Last year, Pixar created 60 seconds of original computer animation for a series of McDonald’s commercials tied to the release of A Bug’s Life (SHOOT, 12/11/98, p. 8). Similarly, Toy Story 2 has spawned this latest series of McDonald’s ads, promoting toys based on the movie’s characters that are given away with purchases of Happy Meals. When done properly and with the right product, these tie-ins have generated runs on fast food chains and helped lay the groundwork for mega sales of movie-related toy merchandise at retail, and now e-commerce, outlets. It’s estimated that corporate America is spending more than $100 million in media on promotions for three current holiday blockbusters: Toy Story 2, Pokemon: The First Movie and the James Bond flick, The World Is Not Enough; the last being tied into grown-up toys (i.e. BMW automobiles, Omega watches). Disney has reportedly lined up an estimated $50 million from corporate sponsors for Toy Story 2, with the lion’s share—$35 million to $40 million—coming from McDonald’s.
The commercials teaming Pixar with Pandemonium were designed to convey the charm of the movie. The DDB spots were computer animation-driven, while the Burnett ads had live action play a more central role. But both agencies’ ads artfully mesh CG and live action. For instance, in "Up Periscope," Woody, Buzz Lightyear and their toy compatriots are buried deep within a kid’s backpack. Via a makeshift periscope, they peer at the outside world—which happens to be the interior of a McDonald’s restaurant. Buzz sees a McDonald’s storefront window which, from an inside-the-restaurant perspective, appears with the word "McDonald’s" reversed. He thus concludes that they’ve landed on an alien planet called "s’dlanoDcM." Woody quickly surveys the scene and realizes where they are. The characters escape from the backpack and see themselves on display as toys being given away for a limited time at McDonald’s. Restaurant goers and food offerings are also woven into the spot’s fabric, and segue to a parting scene in which Buzz confronts a giant-sized Buzz Lightyear toy, causing Woody to observe that his friend’s ego is about to grow even larger.
Williams helmed the shooting of live-action background plates for the spot. He also had a backpack cut in half and stuck a lens inside to capture the opening environment, into which the computer animation characters were composited. DP was Don Matthew Smith.
In "Toys vs. Candy," live action was more prevalent. In the spot, a mom tells her son that he’s getting a larger allowance, triggering a dilemma for the youngster. Should he spend the money on toys or candy? Buzz Lightyear and Woody appear in bubbles, trying to influence the lad’s decision. Eventually, Woody’s finger bursts Buzz Lightyear’s bubble.
Williams described collaborating on the campaign with Pixar as being an honor. "It’s the first time they’ve ever put the Toy Story characters into live action [not counting a presentation during the Academy Awards telecast]—the first time they’ve ever needed any plate photography," he related. "I was proud to be a part of that." Williams said that the Pixar computer animation directors took a hands-on approach to the process, collating data on the set to make sure that their characters would meld believably with the live action.
Additionally, Williams directed a third McDonald’s spot for Burnett, "More Play Time," that didn’t involve Pixar. The live action piece, also promoting the tie-in, featured several kids who could yank a pull chord coming out of their dad’s back to make him do their bidding—which included taking them to McDonald’s.
Executive producing the package of spots for Pandemonium were Stelio Kitrilakis and Clint Goldman. Goldman also served as producer.
Edward Berger Envisioned “Conclave” As A Political Thriller–With A Spiritual Dimension
Robert Harris had just completed a trilogy of novels about Cicero when he watched the election of Pope Benedict live on television. As a chronicler of power and its mutations, the scene — the Sistine Chapel smoke signaling a decision, of course, but also the whole, secretive tableaux — fascinated him.
"Just before the pope comes out onto the balcony and reveals himself, the windows on either side fill up with the faces of the cardinal electors who had come to watch him," Harris says. "And the camera pans along the faces — elderly, crafty, cunning, some benign, beatific. And I thought: My god, that's the Roman senate. That's the old men running the whole institution. I thought: There must be stories here."
That stoked Harris to write "Conclave," a 2016 novel that went inside the Vatican to imagine how "the ultimate election," as he calls it — with the added intrigue that the contenders must pretend they don't want to win — might unfold.
As page-turning as Harris made his novel, it might not have seemed the stuff of Hollywood. A bunch of old men in robes sitting inside and picking a pontiff is not your average elevator pitch. But director Edward Berger's adaptation, starring Ralph Fiennes as the cardinal leading the conclave, manages to be that rare thing in today's movie industry: a riveting, thoughtful, adult-oriented drama acted out through dialogue by a sterling ensemble.
"Yeah, we used to have 'em. A lot. We don't really have 'em anymore," says Stanley Tucci, who co-stars as Cardinal Bellini. "You have people who have been doing this for a long time, so it's a very mature film. If you take all of our ages and add them up, well, I don't want to know what the number is."
"Conclave," which Focus Features releases in... Read More