By Theresa Piti
SHORT CUTS
So! Animation, New York, produced a :30 for Babybel and Alcone Marketing, Darien, Conn., showcasing the cheese’s new animated mascots. "2 Fresh World Tour" Co-directed by So! Partners Lauri Salladay and Rob Cazin, the ad shows the mascots-two individually wrapped Babybel cheese discs with arms, legs and facial features-singing a hip-hop tune and performing in concert. The commercial also features a skycam fly-in on the stage over an animated audience, jumbotron screens behind the stage which broadcast live-action footage of parents and their children enjoying Babybel, and the characters’ reflections along the stage’s surface as they sing and move across it. Softimage XSI was used to create the 3-D characters, environment and light show.
Bruce Ashley of New York-headquartered 89 Editorial cut a series of PSAs for Population Services International (PSI)/Artists Against AIDS. Directed by Earle Sebastian, the spots features such recording artists as Justin Timberlake (*NSYNC), Destiny’s Child, Alicia Keys, Shaggy, Nelly, Eve, Shabba Ranks and Jermaine Dupri promoting abstinence, HIV testing and condom use. The PSAs will be used to influence the behavior of young people vulnerable to the AIDS virus in PSI AIDS prevention programs in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the United States.
Blur Studio, Venice, Calif., produced a 3-D computer-animated simulator ride film based on the DC Comics character, Batman. The Batman Simulator Ride Film will debut at Six Flags’ new theme park in Madrid, Spain, "Warner Bros. Movie World." It will also appear in the Warner Bros. "Movie World" Australia theme park. Credits for Blur include creative director Tim Miller; visual effects supervisor Aaron Powell; lead animator Richard Bluff; visual effects producer Sherry Wallace; animators Neil Blevins, Jeremy Cook, Brandon Davis, Tom Dillon, Jon Jordan, Asier Lavina, Noel McGinn, Kirby Miller, Tim Wallace, Jeff Weisend and Bill Zahn; motion capturer John Bunt; and concept artist Chuck Wojtkiewicz.
MUSIC NOTES
Chicago-based Rhythm Cafe has been keeping busy with numerous projects. Recently signed composer/producer Frayne Lewis worked on a package of soulful commercials for Verizon Wireless via Burrell Communications, Chicago. Lewis, along with Brando Triantafillou, also produced music for an adidas campaign introducing the SLII shoe. "Privileged" features an Indian-inspired hip-hop track, while "It’s Coming" showcases a skate-punk track with vocals. Those spots were also created by Burrell. Steve Zoloto composed a haunting brass chorale for a VFW public service announcement entitled "Every War Has An End." The spots, created by The Royal Order, are airing on network television and in theatres. Zoloto also wrote a ’70s cop-show inspired instrumental track for Sunkist’s "Battle of the Supermodels/Rev." The :30, via FCB Chicago, features supermodels duking it out over a bottle of the beverage. And Lewis and Triantafillou again teamed up to compose an unplugged rhythm and blues track for Tide Clean Breeze’s "Spring," for Burrell.
Roger Wojahn and Scott Wojahn of Santa Monica-based Wojahn Bros Music composed the music for 7-Up’s "Calendar," a :30 out of Young & Rubicam, New York. Directed by Joe Public of bicoastal Headquarters, the ad shows the 7-Up spokesman taking photos of the beverage’s out-of-shape truck drivers for a promotional calendar. Dara Norris produced for Wojahn Bros Music.
Eleanor Adds Director Candice Vernon To Its Roster For Spots and Branded Content
Director Candice Vernon has joined production house Eleanor for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. She has already wrapped several jobs at Eleanor, which waited to announce her until they had a body of work together.
Via Eleanor, Vernon made history as the first Black director on a Febreze commercial. The “Small Spaces” campaign marks a major departure from Febreze’s typical blue-and-white world. The home of the “Revolving Door” commercial is a beautiful array of bold sunset hues, African prints, and African art.
Vernon said, “I asked myself, what feels right to me? What feels new? I wanted to bring an essence of not just Black Americans but the full diaspora. I wanted to make a statement that we’re not a monolith.”
Following the success of the “Small Spaces” campaign, Febreze brought Vernon back for a comedy-infused trifecta exploring the hilarious situations that call for an air freshening hero.
Febreze Brand VP Angelica Matthews said, “About two years ago, we realized the consumers that were the most loyal to Febreze were the African American consumers. And the more we learned, the more we realized the richness that we were really missing. So we said we have to go beyond just Black casting, we need to get Black directors that truly understand the culture that truly understand how to bring authentic performances out on screen. We really looked around the industry and noticed there’s actually a shortage of African American directors who have experience doing commercials. When we all saw Candice’s reel, we could all tell the passion for the craft, passion for really trying to help us from where we are to where we’re trying to go.”
Vernon brings a unique lens to... Read More