A Hyundai Sonata hugs the road while other vehicles and objects all around it tumble through the air. The upheaval begins almost imperceptibly as we see a Sonata driving along a city street–the environment around it seems to be slowly moving. Then it becomes evident that the world is turning upside down. People, furniture, bicycles and other vehicles are thrown about as the Sonata keep zipping along what is now a topsy-turvy thoroughfare. As the car drives off, upside down, toward the horizon, a graphic appears reading, “Rethink Everything.”
“World on Its Head” was directed and shot by Gerard de Thame via bicoastal HSI Productions, for The Richards Group, Dallas. Visual effects were produced at Riot, Santa Monica.
Riot was involved in the production of the spot from pre-production design through final delivery. Members of the studio’s creative team accompanied helmer de Thame on a scouting mission to downtown Los Angeles and took numerous photographs that were used to reconstruct several square blocks of the city in CG. Artists then used the CG environment to previsualize the entire spot and to indicate shot selection, the hero car’s movement, camera placement, camera movement and, most importantly, how things were going to fall.
“We placed low-rez digital people and tons of digital debris into the previz,” explained RIOT executive creative director Andy MacDonald. “We had sliding cars, things toppling and people hanging onto stuff. We wanted the director and the agency to see what things looked like when they moved. It’s hard to grasp how things are going to behave until you see it–or where the creative opportunities are to tell a story.”
Once the previz was complete and approved, Riot used it to produce a document that served as a menu for the production, detailing such things as the shot list and lens choices, as well as talent, prop and miniature requirements.
The production included an exterior shoot in downtown Los Angeles and a four-day stage shoot for visual effects elements. On stage, a 20′ by 20′ motion platform was used to simulate tilting floors and streets and to cause people, furniture and vehicles to slide. Additionally, stunt men were shot diving off rafters onto thick air bags, 25 feet below.
“The people were shot in slow motion so that, when they were composited into background plates that were shot at normal speed, they appeared to cover a long distance,” MacDonald said. “We shot each person from multiple angles so that, in the edit, we could maintain continuity in the actors’ performances as they progressively moved from scene to scene.”
Many of the vehicles, including a large SUV that tumbles through the background near the top of the spot, were shot as miniatures. Other elements, including some of the people, were digital characters.
Naturally, there were a tremendous number of details to manage. Each of the hundreds of bits of debris needed to move with the same relative motion. When people were falling, their hair and clothing needed to be fluttering in the right direction. “We took that into account in our previz and during production we brought along a couple of computers to do temp composites,” MacDonald observed. “Everything had to move at the same velocity; the shadows and reflections had to be consistent.”
Despite the hubbub going on around it, the car had to be the focal point of the spot. RIOT colorist Siggy Ferstl made sure that attention remained fixed on the product by subtly manipulating its color. “We isolated the car and colored it separately from the background,” he explained. “We made the background quite warm, but kept the car neutral and that helps it to pop out of the scene. The car makes a statement.”
The creative team at the Richards Group consisted of brand creative group head Steve Levit, art director Bob Brihn, copywriter Tina Johnson and producer J.R. Dixon.
Directors Amy+Pilar and Jose Antonio Prat Join Reform School
Boutique content production company Reform has added comedy directing duo Amy+Pilar (Amy York Rubin and Pilar Boehm) and award-winning multicultural director Jose Antonio Prat to its roster for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded entertainment.
Partners in both life and art, Amy+Pilar are know for their sharp wit and comedic timing. Their synchronicity is evident in a body of work across TV, film and commercials. Prior to joining Reform School, Amy+Pilar had been repped in the ad market by production company Knucklehead.
Amy has directed high-profile comedy sketches featuring stars like Amy Schumer, Kate McKinnon, and Sarah Silverman. On the episodic front, Amy has helmed for series such as Fresh Off the Boat, Casual, Superstore and Angie Tribeca--as well as the pilot for the hit Netflix comedy Dead to Me.
Before joining forces with Amy behind the camera, Pilar was a psychotherapist, a background that informs her ability to create fascinating characters and stage irresistible, nuanced performances. Amy and Pilar’s shared passion for comedy brought them together. Their collaboration began with a Synchrony Bank campaign, starring cult-comedy favorite Maribeth Monroe (Workaholics), and they went on to direct the pilot of the Hulu series Love, Victor. Amy+Pilar’s ad fare also includes spots for Uber’s “Go-Get” campaign and “Shift,” starring Martin Starr.
“We have been fans of Amy and Pilar for a long time,” said Ryan Ennis, executive director at Reform School. “They excel at capturing comedic performances and dialogue. Coming from the TV and L.A. comedy scenes, they’ve built a strong following and collaborated with some of our favorite funny people.... Read More