A mesh of animated illustrations and sketches with live-action still images creates a sort of leap-off-the-drawing-board feel to this Toyota Prius spot, providing viewers with the creative spirit behind the genesis of the hybrid vehicle.
Conceived by Mexico City agency Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi, “Impossible” is largely black and white, with elements recalling architectural blueprints and the photography of Eadweard Muybridge. The theme of evolution is prevalent throughout the commercial, beginning with the animation of an early creation myth of a tortoise that carries the earth and sky on its back. This scene dissolves into a live rendering of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man–the classic drawing of a man with arms and legs akimbo in a circle, which illustrates the proportion of the human form. The man leaps off his circle and morphs into a bird taking flight, recalling Da Vinci’s bird-like flying machines. Blueprints of early automobiles transform into the Prius, which emits colorful flowers instead of smog.
London-based John Robertson (a.k.a. Flea Circus–part of the talent roster at Curious Pictures, New York) directed “Impossible.” For the spot, he melded live-action still images (captured by Mexico City house Cuatro y Medio and directed by Norman Christianson), with drawings and scans composited in After Effects.
“After the ‘live’ sequences were assembled from stills shot in Mexico, we used individual frame hard copy printouts registered to animation pegs to create the drawings,” explained Robertson. “These were then assembled as animated clips and comped back over the live sequences.”
The car in the final section was built and animated in 3D Studio Max. “The vehicle transition sequence was animated by using layers of hand animated morphs and transitions comped together,” added Robertson.
Robertson’s support team at animation house Curious included head of production Meridith Brown, executive producer Mary Knox and producer Mike Turoff. At Cuatro y Medio, the executive producer/producer was Ramiro Cruz.
Luis Ribo was the creative director for Nazca Saatchi & Saatchi. Agency producer was Euridice Casasola.
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More