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.
