This CG spot from Digital Domain, Venice, Calif., for the Honda Fit out of agency RPA, Santa Monica takes us on a wild surreal ride. We open on a gas tanker barrelling down the highway towards a distant cityscape. Off to the side of the road, we see another huge tanker gutted by strange hybrid car/mosquito creatures who are dipping their stingers into the abandoned metal tanker, siphoning gasoline as a mosquito would siphon blood from a person.
The mosquitoes then see their next victims zipping down the thoroughfare–two other large tankers and a quick, nimble Honda Fit. The mosquitoes take flight and the pursuit is on. Some hop aboard the moving tanker and sink their stingers into the vehicle to suck out gas. But several other aggressive mosquitoes go after the Fit. One of the predators gets outmaneuvered by the Fit and winds up crashing on the highway.
Yet its mosquito colleagues continue the chase. From the POV of one of the mosquitoes we see that the 33 mpg-Fit is indeed elusive. Still the mosquitoes are on its tail, veering over and under a maze of highway overpasses–but they cannot get by what looks like a light tower.
The Fit escapes as in the background we see the mosquitoes getting fried in the tower which resembles a giant bug zapper.
Eric Barba and Brad Parker of Digital Domain directed and served as VFX supervisors on “Mecha-Mosquitoes.
The RPA team consisted of exec VP/exec creative director David Smith, senior VPs/creative directors Joe Baratelli and Pat Mendelson, VP/associate creative director/art director Curt Johnson, VP/associate creative director/copywriter Todd Carey, senior VP/exec producer Gary Paticoff, senior producer Shelley Eisner and broadcast production assistant Lyndsey Wilson.
The Digital Domain contingent included: Ed Ulbrich, president of commercials/exec producer; Karen Anderson, exec producer/head of production; David Rosenbaum, creative director; Richard Morton, CG supervisor; Alex Thiesen, VFX producer; Marc Perrera, animator; Andrew Eksner, compositing supervisor/Flame artist; Ron Herbst, CG lead; Brenaton Cottman, matte painter; and Hilery Johnson-Copeland, lead roto artist.
Michael Heldman of bicoastal Spot Welders ecited the spot.
Music composers were Jonathan Elias and David Wittman of bicoastal Elias Arts.
Sound designer was Eddie Kim of 740 Sound Design, Santa Monica.
Apple and Google Face UK Investigation Into Mobile Browser Dominance
Apple and Google aren't giving consumers a genuine choice of mobile web browsers, a British watchdog said Friday in a report that recommends they face an investigation under new U.K. digital rules taking effect next year.
The Competition and Markets Authority took aim at Apple, saying the iPhone maker's tactics hold back innovation by stopping rivals from giving users new features like faster webpage loading. Apple does this by restricting progressive web apps, which don't need to be downloaded from an app store and aren't subject to app store commissions, the report said.
"This technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices," the watchdog said in a provisional report on its investigation into mobile browsers that it opened after an initial study concluded that Apple and Google effectively have a chokehold on "mobile ecosystems."
The CMA's report also found that Apple and Google manipulate the choices given to mobile phone users to make their own browsers "the clearest or easiest option."
And it said that the a revenue-sharing deal between the two U.S. Big Tech companies "significantly reduces their financial incentives" to compete in mobile browsers on Apple's iOS operating system for iPhones.
Both companies said they will "engage constructively" with the CMA.
Apple said it disagreed with the findings and said it was concerned that the recommendations would undermine user privacy and security.
Google said the openness of its Android mobile operating system "has helped to expand choice, reduce prices and democratize access to smartphones and apps" and that it's "committed to open platforms that empower consumers."
It's the latest move by regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to crack down on the... Read More