We open on a desolate country road, a truck parked off to one side in the immediate foreground. But it is what’s in the background that captures our attention.
Off in the distance, a twister comes into view. The tornado steadily, inevitably makes its way closer to us. Telephone poles are sent flying like tooth picks. Power lines unfurl. Farmland is uprooted. A picket fence along the other side of the road is turned into splinters.
As we witness this destruction, a voiceover relates:
“She doesn’t care whether you’re rich or poor.
“Young or old.
“She doesn’t know about your hopes and dreams.
“Your plans for the future.”
The twister picks up the truck as if it were a toy. It joins the other debris in a twisting whirlpool as the world seemingly turns upside down right before our eyes.
After the twister leaves the scene, we’re left with a pile of rubble. Except for the truck, it’s difficult to determine what many of the objects were originally before the tornado tore them asunder.
The voiceover concludes, “You see Mother Nature doesn’t discriminate.”
An end tag identifies the spot’s sponsor, Alfa Insurance.
Titled “Coming For You,” this spot is currently airing regionally in the Southern U.S.. It was directed by Paul Santana via Sparks Productions, Toronto, for agency Lewis Communications, Birmingham, Alabama. (Sparks reps Santana in Canada. The director is available in the U.S. through Subliminal Pictures, Burbank, on a nonexclusive basis.)
Andy Crosbie executive produced for Sparks, with Tim Kramer serving as line producer on the :30. The DP was Greg Daniels.
The Lewis creative ensemble consisted of creative director Spencer Till, copywriter Stephen Curry and producer Jenny Burton.
The spot was edited by Santana and Joe Laffey, who’s with Laffey.tv, St. Louis. Laffey also multi-tasked as the animator, compositor and modeler. Teaming with him on the job was freelance modeler Mike Myers.
Santana found a barren stretch of land on the outskirts of Birmingham for the shoot, noting that it was necessary “so that the 2D film would mesh right with the 3D elements.”
The telephone poles, fence and other objects were 3D computer graphics, but the truck in the foreground was real. The movement of the tornado’s dust path was created by a whirring helicopter rotor. Once the truck slides towards camera, the action was a combination of real debris propelled by high speed blades, and special CG programs written by Laffey to simulate the objects being picked up, spun around, and then slammed down by the tornado.
Colorist was Clark Mueller at R!OT, Santa Monica. Audio post mixer was Barry Brooks of Brooks Audio Production, Birmingham.
Sound designers were Chuck Lovejoy, Ravi Krishnaswami and Peter Rundquist of Sacred Noise, New York. Rundquist also served as engineer. Michael Montes was creative director for Sacred Noise, with Jason Menkes serving as executive producer
