Our quarterly 2018 VIsual Effects & Animation Chart is headlined by a tongue-in-cheek Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom-esque document short exploring the mating habits of an armadillo in the age of computer dating.
Among other entries in the Chart mix are: Budweiser's spot lighting up the FIFA World Cup, a poignant PSA which shows the impact of plastic pollution in our oceans, and a music video putting artist Sigrid in "Focus."
So have a look at the best VFX and animation fare this past quarter has to offer..
1: Top Spot of the Week: HouseSpecial’s Kirk Kelley Directs “Armor del Amor” Indie Short
Animation Production HouseSpecial Kirk Kelley, director/creative director; Lourri Hammack, executive producer; Karly Richter, producer; Cam Wiliams, editor; Rex Carter, Flame artist. CG Beavan Blolcker, Greg Kyle, animators; Karl Richter, technical director; Josh Tonnesen, Kendra Philips, modeling artists; Nikie Monteleone, texture artist; Matt Reslier, lighting artist; Terence Jacobson, John Lally, rigging artists; Karl Richter, Walter Behrnes, VFX; John Corbett, Nuke compositing; Tyler Bay, intern texture artist; Johnny Nam, intern lighting artist. Live Production Kirk Kelley, director; Eric Edwards, DP; Rex Carter, VFX supervisor; Elliot Freeman, line producer; Noel Adams, 1st assistant camera; Gee Staughton, art director; Clay Conally, Jake Hauswirth, grips. Fabrication Katie Mello, Margaret Meyer, prop fabrication; Rob Melchior, set fabrication. Stage John Nolan, DP; Jake Hauswirth, swing/electric/grip; Rob Melchior, wrangler; Erica Johnson, fabrication/stage dept. manager. Design Stephen Bodin, title/credits artist; Alan Cook, graphics artist; Olga Sokal, graphics intern. Postprdouction Rychelle Bedalov-Valde, assistant editor; Dino Coons, tape room op; Alvaro Cubillas, COO. (Toolbox: Nuke, Flame, PTGui, Maya with Arnold, Houdini, Mari, Substance Painter, ZBrush, Mudbox) Music Dave Depper (Death Cab for Cutie), writer/performer
2: Budweiser’s “Light Up The FIFA World Cup”
Visual Effects/Animation: Blacksmith, New York Iwan Zwarts, VFX supervisor/2D lead; Tom Bussell, VFX supervisor/CG lead; Charlotte Arnold, exec producer; Bindy St. Leger, VFX producer; Olivier Varteressian, Tuna Unalan, Henning Ko, Sam Crees, Carlos Sandoval, Jordan Blit, Rick Walia, Hassan Taimur, CG artists; Nick Tanner, Aaron Baker, Jay Lee Hieu Phan, Jacob Slutsky, Robert Bruce, compositors; Rob Petrie, designer; Bryan Coleman, Nick Freeman, designers/AE animators. (Toolbox: Flame, Nuke, Houdini, Maya, Massive). Agency: Anomaly, New York; Production: RSA Films, bicoastal/international; Jake Scott, director
3: Top Spot of the Week: FF New York, Alkemy X Form “Plastic Ocean” For Sea Shepherd
Client Sea Shepherd Agency FF New York Fred & Farid, chief creative officers; Laurent Leccia, creative director; Michael Hess, associate creative director; Amanda Van Caneghem, executive producer. Animation Alkemy X, New York Geoff Bailey, director; Dave Zeevalk, CG supervisor, 3D artist; Brendan Fitzgerald, 3D lead; Adam Stockholm, Pete Hamilton, 3D artists; Matthew Robinson, Alejandro Monzon, compositors; Lucas Andrei, VFX editor. (Toolbox: Houdini, Maya, Nuke, Adobe AfterEffects, Photoshop, Illustrator) Music Tuesday Collective Vida Ventura, Hallie Bonnar, music producers; Scarlet Lastrapes, vocal talent; Theo, creative director/composer.
4: Top Spot of the Week: Director Noam Murro, TBWAChiatDay, The Mill Go On The Hunt For Eastbay
Client Eastbay Agency TBWAChiatDay NY Chris Beresford-Hill, chief creative officer; Robert Rutherford, group creative director/copywriter; Darren Borrino, group creative director/art director; Brent Singer, creative director/art director; John Doris, head of production; Jason Souter, Matt Flaherty, executive producers; Dieter Lebbe, executive producer (post). Production Biscuit Filmworks Noam Murro, director; Shawn Lacy, partner/managing director; Jeff McDougal, exec producer; Mercedes Allen, Rachel Glaub, heads of production; Ahnee Boyce, producer; Rachel Slayback, production supervisor; Stephanie Lovell, assistant production supervisor; Billy Jones, 1st AD; Michael Parziale, 2nd AD; Simon Duggan, DP. Editorial Work Edit Neil Smith, editor; Brandee Probasco, producer; Marlo Baird, exec producer. VFX The Mill LA Anastasia Von Rahl, exec producer; Erin Hicke, sr. producer; Mary Mondrus, Alana Giordano, Anuraj R., Supreetha Murthy, production coordinators; Phil Crowe, shoot supervisor/executive creative director; Tom Graham, shoot supervisor/3D lead artist; Chris Knight, shoot supervisor; Martin Karlsson, 2D lead artist; Jacob Bergman, lead animation supervisor; 2D Artist: Adam Lambert, Tom Van Dop, Matthew Dobrez, Dylan Strieff, Rakesh Venugopalan, Amit Kambli, Nehal Desai, Siam Shukoor, Venuprasath D., 2D artists; Matthew Fuller, Nole Murphy, Alessandro Baldasseroni, Chris Goodrich, Shaun Comly, Andrez Aguayo, Peter Agg, Jeremy Ramirez, Jason Kim, Katie Yoon, Omar Taher, Monique Espinoza, Freddy Parra, Walker Kennedy, Katie Yancey, Andrez Aguayo, 3D artists; Jae Joon Yi, Daniel Soo, Mahmoud Elragheb, FX; Ed Laag, matte painting; Mike DiNocco, Jeffrey Lee, Juan Zavala, Katie Yancey, Justin Tirado, Blake Guest, Bridget Warrington, Wim Bien, Matthew Williamson, Oscar Carambano, Sauce Vilas, animation; Victor Jory, Natalie Wozniak, VFX editorial; Marcus Park, design; Michael Lori, Danny Garcia, Alice Panek, Elizabeth Hammer, Senthil Murugan Balasundaram, Abhishek Kumar, Giri Prasath S., Gokul Navaneethan, Karthick Karuppaswamy, Manoj Ravi, Murali Krishna Reddy, Raj Kumar M., Spandana Battula, Sunil M.M., Tarun Kumar, Sendil Kumar J., tracking; Gregory Reese, colorist; Liza Kerlin, EP, color; Diane Valera, color producer. (Toolbox: Flame, Nuke, Maya, Houdini, Arnold) Music Squeak E Clean Rob Barbato, creative director/composer; Danielle Toporoff, producer.
5: AT&T’s “Bus”
Client AT&T Visual Effects/Animation KEVIN, Venice, Calif. Sue Troyan, sr. EP/partner; Tim Davies, executive creative director/partner; Mike Dalzell, head of CG; Jami Schakel, VFX producer; Andrew Cowderoy, VFX coordinator; Anthony Petitti, Marisa Chin, Robert Murdock, Steve Gibbons, Theodore Maniatis , Roger Kupelian, 2D; Andy Byrne, Carl Harders, Delano Athias, Greg Mawicke, Jarrod Avalos, Kris Kelly , Matt Longwell, CG. (Toolbox: Flame, Maya, Houdini) Music/Sound Barking Owl, West Los Angeles Atticus Ross, Jacob Plasse, composers; Morgan Johnson, sound designer; Kelly Bayett, executive producer/creative director. Audio Post Sonic Union, NY Steven Rosen, Mike Marinelli, Paul Weiss, engineers; Justine Cortale, Pat Sullivan, producers. Agency: BBDO Production: Somesuch, London; Anonymous Content, bicoastal; Daniel Wolfe, director
6: Supercell/Clash of Clans’ “Hammer Jam”
Visual Effects/Animation: Psyop, bicoastal Trevor Conrad, director; Neysa Horsburgh, managing director; Amanda Miller, EP; Drew Bourneuf, head of production; Nick Read, sr. producer; Nathan Lueptow, Scott Thomas, producers; Jacob Markson, Jonathan Howard, assistant producers; Ben Chan, Tristyn Pease, storyboards; Samrath Kaur, Paul Kim, Edmund Liang, designers; Jane Byrne, lead TD; Austin Brown, 2D lead; Ryan Hurd, Mathew Rotman, VFX; Liu Holiday, Garrett Oneal, Alan Yang, previz artists; Michael Johnson, Alan Yang, texture artists; Zed Bennett, Nelio Naut, Josh Sobel, riggers; Nelio Naut, Josh Sobel, Lukas Wadya, technical animation; Jane Byrne, Michael Johnson, Ryan Kirkwood, Nitesh Nagda, lighters; Jean-Dominique Fievet, animation director; Ares Deveaux, Bryce Erickson, Will Kistler, Melik Malkasian, Garrett Oneal, Yung Pham, Jean-Leny Sole, Tommy Taylor, Alan Yang, 3D animators; Reuben Corona, matte painter; Austin Brown, Lane Jolly, Ryan Raith, Danny Song, compositors; Kim Stevenson, Flame artist. (Toolbox: Arnold, Maya, Houdini, Nuke, Flame, Photoshop) Agency: Barton F. Graf, New York; Production: Psyop, bicoastal; Trevor Conrad, director. Music/Sound Brian Emrich, sound designer. Butter, bicoastal Andrew Sherman, composer/creative director; ian Jeffreys, exec producer; Kristin Kuraishi, producer. Audio Post Heard City, NY Evan Mangiamele, mixer; Sasha Awn, exec producer.
7: Reel FX Debuts “Fort of Hard Knocks” for Best Fiends, Mobile Entertainment Co. Seriously
Client Seriously Petri Jarvilehto, creative/exec producer; Nikolai Von Keller, writer; Andrew Stalbrow, exec producer; Claudio de la Roca, producer and casting; Philip Hicky, Matt McMahon, associate producers; Heitor Pereira, music; Miguel Francisco, original character designs; Ville Lepisito, creative consultant. Production Reel FX Animation Studios, Dallas Augusto Schillaci, director/art director/VFX supervisor; Nolan Southerland, editor; Rob Zeigler, assistant editor; Scott G. Peterson, digital supervision; Robin Morrison, associate producer; Kasey G. Henley, Constance Levesque, production managers; Casey Braden Barnes, Adrian Walker, production coordinators; Rod Douglas Jacob V. Eaton, story dept.; Nathan Smithson, modeling supervisor; Ben Li, Phoebe Kim, Steve Hilbert, modeling; Kenneth Kanipe, Ryan Porter, Douglas Bell, Daniel McCrummen, rigging; Tobi Trebeljahr, Megan Petasky, Clayton Stillwell, art dept.; David B. Vallone, animation supervisor; Bryon Caldwell, Robert Lazzarini, Ernesto Bottger, Tom Danen, Dorian Soto, Don Dixon, John Durbin, Jason Behr, Monica Aston, Ray Chase, Chris Street, animation; Jessica Hogan, lighting supervisor; Alberto Beguerie Braun, Kelsey Craig, Tyler Delisle, Ed Whetstone, lighting; Doug Hogan, Julie Terrell, lighting support; John Anderholm, technical supervisor; Ryan Bland, Joseph Kiser, Tony Fan, Ted Lebeau III, Michael Jefferies, Seth Schewartz, Logan Kelly, TDs; Jake Rusch, effects; Frank Pittenger, TJ Callaway, Oliver Benavidez, audio engineers; David A. Parrish, head of production; Pete Herzog, exec producer. (Toolbox: Maya, Nuke, INSIGHT)
8: Top Spot of the Week: Director Paul Hunter, MPC, AKQA Take Palms Casino “From Dust to Gold”
Client Palms Casino Agency AKQA Portland Alice Chiapperini, sr. art director; Matteo Capaldi, sr. copywriter; Aaron Seymour-Anderson, creative director; Carlos Bernal, Benjamin Parisot, associate design directors; Riaad Merwe, associate creative director; Dustin Freeman, executive producer; Carlos Matias, international design director; Antoine Christian, art director; Terry Lee, designer; Chris Lopez, associate designer; Felipe Yamaoka, designer. Production PRETTYBIRD Paul Hunter, director; Linus Sandgren, DP; William Green, line producer; Ali Brown, VP, exec producer; Kerstin Emhoff, co-founder/exec producer. Editorial Cabin Editing Company Sam Ostrove, Randy Baublis, editors; Doug Scott, assistant editor; Remy Foxx, head of production; Carr Schilling, managing partner. VFX MPC LA Rob Hodgson, creative director; Toya Drechsler, VFX supervisor; Elexis Stearn, exec producer; Jamie Loudon, VFX producer; Dylan Brown, Rodrigo Jimenez, Kelsey Napier, Rob Ufer, Andre Arevalo, Gustavo Bellon, Jon Rogala, Joshi John, Akhil KP, Ankit Dheraj, Rahul Verma, Manideep Setty, 2D team; Ricky Gausis, colorist; Rebecca Boorsma, producer, color; Meghan Lang, exec producer, color. (Toolbox: Nuke, Nuke Studios)
9: The Best Work You May Never See: Aardman, The Hive Build Dammy, Tell Cautionary Tale For Ontario Power Generation
Client Ontario Power Generation Agency The Hive, Toronto Simon Creet, chief creative officer; Meghan Kraemar, associate creative director/writer/art director; Steven Preisman, writer; Kirsten White, Sumit Ajwani, producers. Animation Production Aardman Animations, Bristol, UK Magdalena Osinska, director; Sami Goddard, producer; David Sproxton, DP; Adam Cook, focus puller & motion control; Felicie Haymoz, character design; Matthew Walker, storyboard artist; Gregor Forster, Henry St. Leger, concept art; Darren Thomson, Katarzyna Okoniewska, Adam Watts, stop frame animators; Sam Holland, rigger; Magnostone, set build & props; Helen Javes, Claire Baker, Rachel Bennett, set dressers; Sylwia Nowak @ The Puppetmaker, puppet producer in cooperation with Justyna Rucinska, Anna Mroczek, Wojciech Leszczynski; Ewa Maliszewska; Iza Ambroziak; Marcin Zelewski, Maciej Mastalerz, Wojciech Sankiewiczin, puppet artists; Paule Quinton, supervising compositor & grade; Spencer Cross, Graeme Eglin, compositors; Dominic Pitt, Dan Williamson, editors; Jean-Marc Petsas, music editing; Nat Sale, gaffer. (Toolbox: Dragronframe 4, Nuke, Premier) Audio Apollo Studios Ken Whiteley, singer/songwriter
10: Hornet Directors Moth Team With Sigrid To Express Heartache In Animated “Focus” Music Video
Client Island Records/Sigrid Charlie Drinkwater, producer; David Knight, video commissioner; Charlotte Birch, marketing manager. Production Hornet and Moth Studio, Produced, directed and designed by Moth Studio; Russell Etheridge, 2D animation/3D animation; Bianca Beneduci Assad, Mattias Breitholtz, Alex Grigg, Mick O’Sullivan, Stephen Vuillemin and Moth Studio, 2D animation; Jason Pamment and Moth Studio, 3D animation; Daniele Baiardini and Moth Studio, compositing; Charlie Drinkwater, producer. Toolbox: Photoshop, Flash (Adobe Animate), TV Paint, After Effects, Cinema 4D