SEDELMAIER LETS OUT SHOUT FOR SHRM SPOT
White Plains, N.Y.-headquartered animation studio J.J. Sedelmaier Productions (JJSP) has wrapped a Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) TV spot, “Most Important Asset,” that marks the animation debut of noted Milan-based illustrator Alessandro Gottardo, a.k.a. Shout. The agency for SHRM, The Glover Park Group, New York and Washington, D.C., presented Sedelmaier with not only a storyboard for consideration but also the work of Shout, whose work has appeared in such publications as The New York Times, Esquire, Wired and Le Monde. The illustrations favorably impressed director/designer J.J. Sedelmaier who then sought out Shout to collaborate on the commercial.
“My initial idea, when I first saw the boards, was to work with outline, not too many descriptive details and few colors,” said Shout. “In this way I thought was easier and faster for everybody to work on the animations of my drawings, by essentially keeping the drawings simple.”
Sedelmaier said when the initial tests began to take shape, the agency began to explore even more detail in the work. The result is a departure from the business-to-business message norm as “Most Important Asset” has a gentle, flowing quality that speaks directly to the human side of human resources. We see employees walking out of a building at night and then wanting to return in the morning thanks to an attentive human resources program. They’re guided up an escalator, presumably to figurative greater heights while the same human resource management professionals help executives navigate their way through a maze representing such challenges as daunting healthcare costs and talent recruitment.
In addition to Sedelmaier and Shout, JJSP credits include: executive producer Patrice Sedelmaier, animator Andy Friz and digital production artist “Zero.”
The Glover Park team consisted of creative director Susan Armstrong, art director Mark Driscoll, copywriter Michael Vines and producer Annie Onda.
The spot is currently running during CNN’s election coverage and on selected Fox Business Channel programs….
SOC RECOGNIZES GENESIS The Society of Camera Operators (SOC) will present Panavision Inc. with a Technical Achievement Award for the design and development of the Genesis© Digital Camera System. Panavision executive VP Joe Dunton will also be honored by the SOC with its Lifetime Achievement Award. The SOC Awards ceremony is slated for this weekend (2/16) at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood, Calif.
The Genesis system enables cinematographers to shoot in the digital realm without compromising depth of field, portability, sensitivity, or dynamic range or color. Genesis was designed to operate with the same proven controls, lenses and accessories as Panavision’s film cameras….
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Colorist Dave Francis has joined Filmworkers Club, Dallas. He arrives from Company 3, New York, where he did final color work on spots for such clients as GMC, Wendy’s and Chanel. His credits also include the TV series Sex and the City and the indie feature The Tourist…..David Smith has been promoted from senior VP/creative director to executive VP/exec creative director at Rubin Postaer and Associates, Santa Monica. He reports to Larry Postaer who held the exec creative director title and will remain exec VP/director of creative services….
