SHORT CUTS
Santa Monica-headquartered The Finish Line (TFL) provided graphic design, visual effects and final conform on three :30s for Wild Vines wine and Suissa Miller Advertising, Los Angeles. "Kissing," "Perfect Thighs" and "Bad Hair" feature a group of women in a living room setting discussing various "female" topics. Directed by Stephen Kessler of Promiseland, Hollywood, the ads show the women transitioning from live action to animated outlines, which then grows into a flowery design, and eventually morphs onto the artwork on the bottle’s label. TFL graphic designers Teri Yarbrow and Max Almy created the line art, which they then animated frame-by-frame in Mac/After Effects. The project was then turned over to TFL visual effects artist James Bygrave, who morphed the line art onto the bottle.
Broadcast Video Group has added an URSA Diamond with daVinci DUI color corrector to its Coconut Grove, Fla., facility. The Diamond complements the company’s existing, state-of-the-art film-to-tape transfer systems, including the Sony Vialta with daVinci 2K color corrector.
Dave Louria of Dallas-based Easyway Editorial cut the one-hour documentary George & The Rhino for Panthera Productions, which is slated to air on the Discovery Channel. The film focuses on the real-life story of George Phiri, a game scout and tracker who dedicated his life to protecting the endangered black rhinoceros in Africa. Since footage of Phiri tracking the rhinos was shot without sync sound, Louria also designed the subtle sounds of the South African bush: footsteps, wind, rustling leaves and insects, using sound effects from previous Panthera projects.
MUSIC NOTES
Hest & Kramer, Minneapolis, composed music for two back-to-school spots via agency Peterson Milla Hooks, Minneapolis. Steve Kramer and James Weber composed the tracks for Target’s "Kids", and Mattel/Barbie’s "Livin’ Large." Matthew Badger of New York-based Nocturnal Commercials directed "Kids," and Jason Farrand of Atlas Pictures, Santa Monica, helmed "Livin’ Large." Hest & Kramer partner Bob Hest was executive producer for the ads.
615 Music, Nashville, Tenn., produced new promotional theme music for NBC’s Today Show. "Only on Today" features slow, medium and up-tempo versions for use in a variety of promotional situations. 615 Music president Randy Wachtler produced the tracks.
STOCK SHOTS
Sekani, New York, has been selected by the Goodwill Games to produce and license exclusive footage of the 2001 event in Brisbane, Australia.
