As part of the Burger King campaign promoting Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CP+B), Miami, has developed SithSense.com. On this Web site, one can play a game of 20 Questions with Darth Vader. What are you thinking of: animal, vegetable or mineral?
Once on the site, Darth Vader appears and walks toward the person playing the game. This live action footage is combined with Flash animation and is set on the planet of Mustafar. In his famous, breathy voice, the masked man says he will use the force along with the questions you answer to read your mind. However, specific objects do not concern him, he intones.
If a friend has sent you an e-mail directing you to the site, the leader of the dark side will address you directly; that is, if he recognizes the name your friend entered in the name field. For me, his intimidation tactics began with, “Emily, I hope you’ve come back with a larger brain.” On my next visit he greeted me by saying, “Emily, I thought I was through with you.”
There are approximately 300 audio clips programmed into the site. They are attached to movements, but could be attached to multiple movements, according to interactive creative director Jeff Benjamin. Vader also knows about 600 names, which he will say, and can identify approximately 10,000 things you might be thinking of, which he does not verbalize. Throughout the game, the screen may shake–take that as a warning that Vader is upset with you.
The programming for the game originated with statistician Robin Burgener whose company is 20Q (http://20Q.com). This online game format of 20 Questions was in synch with the creatives’ desire to utilize Vader’s force in a magical way, Benjamin related.
VADER’S VARIABILITY
The footage for the Web site was shot the same day, against the same background, as the :30 commercial “King V. Vader,” which Martin Granger of bicoastal/international Moxie Pictures directed. (Moxie also handled the live action for the Web site, with CP+B’s Benjamin directing.) In the spot, the Burger King mascot faces off with the hostile Star Wars character.
The King also appears in the online game. “The King will come out if you play it enough and whisper an answer into Vader’s ear,” Benjamin said. “That is the big payoff branding-wise for Burger King and it makes a strong tie into the commercial.” There is also a possibility that the Subservient Chicken or Storm Troopers may make special appearances.
One of the challenges involved with the production was getting the actor’s voice (Scott Lawrence) to sound like the intimidating and legendary leader of the Dark Side, Benjamin shared. The team was able to overcome this hurdle in post along with another problem they encountered. After shooting the live action, the creators realized that the actor didn’t move into the exact same spot with each take. To eliminate the subtle movements, they morphed him into position in post.
Additional credit at CP+B goes to Alex Bogusky, executive creative director; Andrew Keller and Rob Reilly, creative directors; Paul Johnson and Larry Corwin, copywriters; Rahul Panchal, designer; Rob Tripas, executive producer/interactive; Matt Bonin, integrated senior producer; and Darren Himebrook, integrated interactive producer. Firstborn, New York, served as a development partner.