Thierry Poiraud via Paranoid Paris (he is also repped by Independent Films, London), directed this spot for Réseau Ferré de France (RFF), the company responsible for managing the French national railway network. Charged with promoting RFF and its ongoing modernization of the rail network, the commercial will air on terrestrial and cable/satellite channels and is already proving to be a hit online.
Although the film was shot traditionally using ARRI Alexa cameras, Poiraud employed a variety of techniques including model making and 3D animation to create a world that marries real life and the magic of miniature railway. With an up tempo score by Metronomy, this 45-second spot takes the viewer on a whimsical and exciting journey across France that captures the full scale of RFF’s day to day operations.
We see the role the RFF plays in people’s everyday lives, transporting them as well as products along the railway network–with the occasional intervention of a giant human hand that modernizes the railway infrastructure as it continues going about its daily business.
A voiceover relates the slogan, “Building tomorrow’s network while running today’s.” An end tag carrying the RFF logo also contains the message, “Tomorrow on track today.”
Poiraud observed that working on the RFF film “reminded me of shooting my first animated films when I was a kid. We shot all over France for a month at locations I’d heard of but never visited using only a small crew. After the shoot, we recreated most of the locations as small-scale models, which my son is now playing with at home and I had the chance to put Sergio Leon’s comment that Cinemascope was invented to shoot trains into practice.”
Britt Nolan Named CCO For McCann Worldgroup, North America
Britt Nolan has been hired as chief creative officer at McCann Worldgroup, North America. He will report to Javier Campopiano, global chief creative officer of McCann Worldgroup and McCann.
Nolan will work directly with the network’s creative leadership in the U.S. and Canada to lead the development of ideas that solve clients’ business challenges, guided by the creativity of the network’s founding philosophy of “Truth Well Told.” Key to this effort will be fostering collaboration across capabilities and agencies, leveraging the network’s talent and expertise in strategy, design, commerce, branding and production to bring its best-in-class offerings to bear for each client.
“Britt is without a doubt a leader and a point of reference for excellence in our industry,” said Campopiano. “He has led some of North America’s very best work in recent years with incredible range--creating eye-catching, smart, authentic, and funny ways of connecting brands with people. He has a rare track record of success across both creative and business, with a unique understanding of how they power each other. And most importantly, we share a common belief that brand-building is right now more important than it ever was, and the only way to do it is through radical creativity based on human truths. He embodies the very essence of our Truth Well Told philosophy.”
Most recently president and chief creative officer of Leo Burnett Chicago, Nolan comes to McCann Worldgroup with a track record of creative achievement and business impact, both for his clients and the agencies at which he’s worked. Over the years, his work has won Grand Prix or Best in Show at every major international award show, including over 50 Cannes Lions, as well as recognition... Read More