Never before has the storied Halo game franchise allowed its characters to be taken from their fictional sci-fi world and dropped into ours. In a new campaign for the RTS (Real Time Strategy) game, Halo Wars 2, Xbox and 343 Industries partnered with 215MCCANN and director Randy Krallman of Smuggler to do just that.
The campaign imagines its two major characters, the alien giant General Atriox and heroically human Captain Cutter, engaged in a War of Wit–in relatable, real-life comedic situations in which the two use their strategic military minds to fight it out over the ownership of an airplane armrest and the price of a used car.
The latter, titled “The Sale,” has the two larger than life protagonists haggling over the price of a car–General Atriox being the used car salesman, and Captain Cutter as the prospective customer.
The key to victory, as strategy gamers will appreciate: Know your enemy.
The series of films will appear globally in a variety of owned and paid channels (UK broadcast, online and social) with bespoke Snapchat and YouTube bumper executions that tease the films. The 215 team even partnered with the real-life car dealership in one of the films, arranging for General Atriox to be featured as a somewhat alarming employee on their actual website, further blurring the line between the sci-fi game, marketing, and real worlds.
Client RTS (Real Time Strategy)/Halo Wars 2 Agency 215MCCANN Scott Duchon, chief creative officer; Neil Bruce, creative director; Alper Kologlu, sr. art director; Kyle Davis, copywriter; Brandon Romer, executive producer; Sarah Sweeney, producer; Brian Wakabayashi, director of strategy; Ryan Ouyoumjian, brand strategist. Production Smuggler Randy Krallman director; Patrick Milling Smith, Brian Carmody, Shannon Jones, exec producers; Andrew Colon, COO; Ian Blain, line producer; Darko Suvak, DP. VFX Electric Theatre Collective (ETC), Santa Monica, Calif. Kate Hitchings, exec producer; Scott Boyajan, producer; Eric Mason, lead Flame; Gretchen Capatan, Kevin Jones, Dave Damant, 2D artists; Adam Singer, graphic animation. (Toolbox: Flame, Nuke, After Effects). Editorial Cartel Andy McGraw, editor; Matt Berardi, assistant editor; Meagen Carroll, head of production; Lauren Bleiweiss, exec producer; Marc Altshuler, managing director. Telecine Company 3 Dave Hussey, colorist; Ashley McKim, exec producer; Liza Kerlin, color producer; Jim Harmon, color assistant. Sound Design Brian Emrich, sound designer. Audio Post Lime Studios Jeff Malen, mixer; Susie Boyajan, exec producer
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limbo depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, “Our film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,” they continued. “The stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a target—the red tail lights—just within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the family’s never-ending quest for justice.”
“We used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More