This quarter's standout visual effects and animation work is headlined by the poignant Born Free Foundation piece, "The Bitter Bond," from Zombie Studio in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The animated tale shows us how a lion cub is set up to be killed when it reaches adulthood due to the practice of canned hunting.
Also in the mix of stellar Chart entries are: a heartfelt Psyop-produced Chick-fil-A holiday spot calling for families to spend quality time together; an animated PSA from the Hornet studio for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, showing how the human spirit can triumph over even the most devastating disease; and an ILM spot for Microsoft Xbox which sheds light on becoming a Star Wars Jedi.
So take a gander at SHOOT's final quarterly Chart of 2019 for the best VFX/animation fare that debuted over the past three months.
1: Blinkink, Zombie Studio, Engine UK Team On “The Bitter Bond” For Born Free Foundation
Client Born Free Foundation Agency Engine UK Paul Jordan, executive creative director; Steve Hawthorne, Katy Hopkins, creative directors; James Hodson, Jason Keet, creatives; Stefanie Forbes, producer. Production Blinkink, London Zombie Studio, Sao Paulo, Brazil Animation/VFX Zombie Studio, Sao Paulo, Brazil Daniel Sallees, Paulo Garcia, directors; Bart Yates, Natalia Gouvea, exec producers; Lucas Barreto, cinematography; Antonela Castro, Marcio Lovato, producers & set production; Leticia Harumi, producer; Yohann da Geb, CGI lead & lead compositor; Wallan Oliveira, technical supervisor, CG; Anna Caiado, Estevão Teuber, Feppa Rodrigues, Marcelo Fahd, Marcelo Garcia, concept artists; Saulo Brito, storyboard & animatic; Mauricio Sampaio, lead modeler; Danilo Gerard, Tiago Oliveira, modelers; Bruno Monteiro, animation director; Bruna Berford, Bruno Santos, Christian Weckl, Conrado Testa, Francisco Catão, Hannry Pschera, Jonathan Edward, Leonardo Felix, Leonidas Maciel, Marcos Elias, Michel Denis Da Silva, Rodrigo Dutra, animators; Heber Conde, Wallan Oliveira, VFX artists; Adriana Cardozo, Guilherme Sarinho, Wallan Oliveira, compositors.
(Toolbox: Photoshop, SoftImage XSI, ZBrush, Substance Painter, Maya, Houdini, Arnold Render, ThinkBox Deadline, Nuke, After Efects, DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere) Color Grading Psycho n’ Look Marcio Pasqualino, colorist. Sound Design Jungle Ben Leeves, sound designer. Musical Intro Alex Wilson-Thame. Music Song: “Born Free” performed by Matt Monro licensed by Soho Music
2: Top Spot of the Week: McCann, Psyop Open “Time Shop” For Chick-fil-A
Client Chick-fil-A Joe Bridges, chief marketing officer; Joe Saracino, SVP, brand strategy, advertising & media. Agency McCann New York Eric Silver, chief creative officer, McCann North America; Devika Bulchandani, president, McCann NY; Sean Bryan, Tom Murphy, co-chief creative officers, NY; Veronica Bertran, managing director, NY; Larry Platt, EVP, executive creative director, NY; Danny Rodriguez, EVP executive creative director, NY; Geoff Bentz, Nic Howell, creative directors, NY; Kathy Love, SVP, executive integrated producer, NY; David Mashburn, executive design director, NY; Scott Kaplan, copywriter; Chuck Tso, art director; Julia Yu, jr. designer; Josh Race, jr. copywriter; Luzdivina Ruiz, jr. art director; Eric Johnson, SVP executive music producer, integrated production, NY; Dan Gross, integrated music producer; Julianna Katrancha, SVP group strategy director; Justin Luk, strategy director; Rachel Aronson, social strategist. Agency Momentum Donnalyn Smith, president, North America; David Chamberlin, SVP, executive experience director, North America; James Gavigan, VP, director of production; Cameron Templeton, creative director; Madison Schumacher, sr. 3D design experience designer; Muoi Le, associate 3D design director; Marina Negrao, sr. producer; Miranda Saucedko, Charles Hunter, producers; Donna Meredith, sr. integrated producer; Maddie Demas, associate integrated producer. Production/VFX/Animation Marie Hyon, director, designer, matte painter; Justin Booth-Clibborn, executive producer; Suzie Cimato, sr. producer; Simone Miller, associate producer. Victorior Wanchana Intrasombat, Pedro Lavin, designer, matte painter; Samantha Ballardini, Felipe Hansen, Robin Joseph, Andrew Serkin, Dionisius Bangun, designers; Ben Chan, storyboard artist; Briana Francheschini, lead TD, modeler, look dev/lighter and groom FX; Pat Porter, Nick Dubois, Doug Litos, previz artists and 3D animators; Eric Cunha, Ieva Callender, modelers and groom FX, look dev/lighters; David Soto, Anne Yang, Chris Santoianni, Pedro Conti, Kevin Ferrara, Ryan Kirkwood, Casey Reuter, Krista Albert, modelers; Brian Kim, modeler and look dev/lighter; Aldrich Torres, additional modeling; Nitesh Nagda, additional modeling (Leonstudio, Basilic Fly); Thao Dan Nguyen Phan, Anne Yang, Kwan Au, Susie Hong, look dev/lighters; Zed Bennett, lead rigger; Ohad Bracha, rigger; Daishi Takishima, rigger and cloth/hair sim.; Chris Santoianni, groom FX; Eban Byrne, VFX; Jordan Harvey, Scott Hubbard, cloth/hair sim.; Matthias Bauerle, 2D lead, compositor and look dev/lighter; Aaron Baker, Herculano Fernandes, Manu Gaulot, Lane Jolly, Tingting Li, Carl Mok, compositors; Felipe Hansen, matte painter; Loren Christiansen, editor. (Toolbox: Maya, Houdini, Nuke, After Effects, Photoshop, Substance Painter, Yeti)
3: Top Spot of the Week: Director Dougal Wilson, adam&eveDDB, Untold Studios Bring Us John Lewis/Waitrose’s “Excitable Edgar” For Xmas
Client John Lewis/Waitrose Agency adam&eveDDB, London Richard Brim, chief creative officer; Matt Gay, creative director; Simon Lloyd, creative; Sally Pritchett, film producer; Hayley Carter, integrated producer; Chris Battye, digital producer; Claire Peacock, assistant digital producer; Jessica Taylor, head of content; Ben Sharpe, Cave Ellison, heads of integrated production; Martin Beverley, executive strategy director. Production Blink Dougal Wilson, director; Joost van Gelder, DP; Ewen Brown, producer; Andy Kelly, production designer; Katie Giovanni, home economist; Ellie Britton, production manager. Editorial Final Cut Sound Factory Studios VFX Untold Studios, London Diarmid Harrison-Murray, creative director VFX; Alex Gabucci, Amir Bazazi, VFX supervisors; Tim van Hussen, animation supervisor; Ian Berry, exec producer VFX; Neil Davies, ECD; Nell Lloyd-Malcolm, producer VFX; Michael Diprose, asset lead; Aaron Hopwood, Daniel Kmet, Joffrey Zeitouni, Nicolas Seck, Sauce Villas, Jakub Krompoic, animation & rigging artists; Denis Krez, Doruk Saglam, Gustavo Ribeiro, Luke Massingberd, Matthew (Wispy) Clarke, Thiago Vilas Boas, Julie Cruette, comp artists; Amandine Comes, Andreu Lucio, Annie Rowland, Ardahan Sernaz, Baptist Jaquemet, Cindy Libbrecht, Daniel Longe, Emre Sumer, Kenny Ip, Manon Cauzid, Marc Picco, Marcel Ruegenberg, Platon Filimonov, Ran Manolov, Simon Legrand, Yaz Raji, CG artists; Andrew Brooks, Aurelian Ronceray, Fabio Santoro, Lino Khay, Therese Larsson, DMP/concept artists (Toolbox: Flame, Nuke, Photoshop, Houdini, Maya, Zbrush, Mari, Substance, Arnold)
4: Director Garth Davis, 215 McCann, Xbox, EA Come Together To “Become a Jedi”
Client Microsoft Xbox/Electronic Arts/Respawn Entertainment/Lucasfilm Ltd. Agency 215 McCann Scott Duchon, chief creative officer; Nichole Geddes, creative director; Gabe Sherman, sr. copywriter; Shawn Raissi, sr. art director; Mandi Holdorf, director of integrated production; Gabby Gardner, sr. producer; Christina Chin, producer; Brian Wakabayashi, director of strategy. Production RESET Content Garth Davis, director; Dave Morrison, managing director; Deannie O’Neill, Jen Beitler, exec producers; JP Colombo, head of production; Megan Moore, line producer; Matthew Libatique, DP; Jay Pooley, production designer; Christine Kohut, makeup; Adelle Gaudet, costume designer; Tom Struthers, stunt coordinator. Editorial Cartel Edit Leo Scott, editor; Matt Berardi, cutting assistant; Collen McKay, assistant editor; Lauren Bleiweiss, exec producer; Samantha Axelrod, producer. Music Blake Robinson, composer; Steve Kaplan, mixing; Gordy Haab, Carl Rydlund, orchestration. Audio Mix/Sound Design Skywalker Sound Steve Boeddeker, sound designer/re-recording mixer; Jana Vance, Foley artist; Frank Rinella, Foley mixer; Dusty Jermier, engineering services; Ivan Piesh, digital editorial support; Jon Null, director of production; Steve Morris, head of engineering; Jon Null, head of production; Josh Lowden, general mgr. VFX Industrial Light & Magic, San Francisco Sherry Hitch, post VFX supervisor; Jonathan Rothbart, onset VFX supervisor; Yimi Tong, VFX associate producer; Jenni O’Byrne, VFX editor; Leandro Estebecorena, CG supervisor; Jill Brooks, exec producer; Delio Tramontozzi, animation supervisor; Philip Barnard, Dave Logan, Nathan Thomas, animators; John Niforos, creature TD; Marla Newell, layout supervisor; Janice Chan, Melissa Mullin, Gurpreet Pannu, Luke Spence Byrd, Xiaoxuan Sun, layout artists; Thomas Bevan, Mihai Cioroba, particle TDs; Shane Roberts, lead generalist-environments; Kevin Page, Adam Watkins, generalists-environments; Kevin Reuter, Yegor Swarovski, lighting TDs. Tigran Badalyan, Michael Conte, Larkin Flynn, Ravi Kasumarthy, YunJung Ko, Alison Lake, Michael Ranalletta, Ronnie Williams Jr., compositors; Michael Van Eps, digital paint and roto supervisor; Beth D’Amato, Robert Dorris, Katie Morris, digital paint & roto artists; Mark Keetch, Mark Marcin, model/texture artists; Katherine Sanchez, associate pipeline TD; Rebecca Norton, Andrew Martin, Lane Howard, Yegor Tesler, coordinators; Jessica Tong, production assistant. FinishingLucasfilm/Lucas Video Production Trisha Brunner, producer/sr. manager, creative content & commercial production; Kevin Parker, sr. manager, technical operations & video asset management; Sean Wells, colorist; Amir Hosseinzadeh, online editor; Janet Lee, coordinator; Rene Castro, production assistant. (Toolbox: Maya, 3dsMax, Nuke) Finishing Lucasfilm/Lucas Video Production Trisha Brunner, producer/sr. manager, creative content & commercial production; Kevin Parker, sr. manager, technical operations & video asset management; Sean Wells, colorist; Amir Hosseinzadeh, online editor; Janet Lee, coordinator; Rene Castro, production assistant.
5: Top Spot of the Week: GS&P, Director Michel Gondry Reimagine a Holiday Classic with “The 12 Days of Real Time” For HP
Client HP Agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners Rich Silverstein, creative co-chairman and co-founder; Will Elliot, creative director; Daniel Righi, Kurt Mills, associate creative directors; Sydney Lindsey, copywriter; Jelena Kolomejac, art director; Ryan Self, design director; Pedro Zuccolini, Nero Chen, designers; Leila Gage, director of broadcast production; Stephanie DeNatale, executive producer; Rachel Saxon, broadcast producer. Bonnie Wan, head of brand strategy; Marisa Perazelli, sr. brand strategist; Briana Patrick, brand strategist. Production Partizan Michel Gondry, director; Raffi Adlan, producer; Lisa Tauscher, managing director/exec producer; Kelly Martin, head of production; Shawn Kim, DP; Maxwell Orgell, production designer; Florence Fontaine, stylist. Production Services Company Division Productions. Editorial Exile Kirk Baxter, editor; Rex Lowry, assistant editor; CL Weaver, exec producer; Michael Miller, post producer. Color/Graphics/VFX/Finishing The Mill LA Glynn Tebbutt, creative director/VFX supervisor; Jason Mortimer, CG lead & CG FX artist; Lenz Kol, Daniel Thuresson, Nicholas Tayler, Roman Yavorsky, Dylan Strieff, Scott Johnson, compositors; Matthew Choy, CG artist; Jacob Bergman, animation supervisor; Andy Wheater, matte painter; Sasha Vinogradova, Maxim Goudin, graphic design/art directors; Adam Scott, sr. colorist; Blake Rice, Jessica Amburgey, color production; Erin Hicke, sr. VFX producer; Dan Roberts, exec producer; Jena Bodel, production coordinator. (Toolbox: Flame, Nuke, Houdini, Maya, Arnold, C4D, After Effects) Music/Sound Squeak E. Clean Studios, Los Angeles & Sydney Sam Spiegel, executive creative director; Lydia Davies, Lucas Cantor, arrangers & composers; Karla Henwood, executive creative producer (Sydney); Christina Carlo, executive producer (L.A.); Drew Fischer, sound designer & mixer; Lena Gabriel, choir director; Chelsea Ramsden, licensing manager; Blade Thornton, producer; Colby Smalzel, production coordinator. Audio Post Squeak E. Clean Studios, Los Angeles & Sydney Drew Fischer, mixer.
6: Hornet Delves Into Coping With A Cancer Diagnosis In Leukemia and Lymphoma Society PSA
Client Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Agency Oberland, New York Production Hornet, New York Natalie Labarre, director, storyboard artist, character designer, environment designer; Hana Shimizu, exec producer; Kristin Labriola, development producer; Matt Creeden, producer; Anita Chao, editor; Riley Spencer, production coordinator; Sarah Litzenberger, storyboard artist, lead animator; Sami Healy, lead animator; Josh Brennan, Tyler DiBiasio, Ty Enos, Natalie Labarre, Seongjin Yoon, Hazel Zheng, animators; XiaoXiao Tang, lead compositor.(Toolbox: Photoshop, Toon Boom Harmony, After Effects, Premiere) Audio “Limited Wisdom,” written by Taubenblau, courtesy of Extreme Music. Jen Lawson, voiceover artist.
7: Directors Levy, Gluck Team With Anomaly, MPC To Intro “The New Kid” For DICK’s Sporting Goods
Client DICK’s Sporting Goods Agency Anomaly New York Mike Byrne, chief creative officer; Seth Jacobs; group creative director; Bryce Cline, creative director/art director; Jeremy Straight, creative director/copywriter; Alex Thompson, art director. Production Pacific Rim Films, Santa Monica, Calif. Shawn Levy, Will Gluck, directors; Claudio Miranda, DP; Annie Johnson, exec producer; Bryan Mitchell, head of production; Denny Kennedy, line producer. VFX Moving Picture Company (MPC), New York Ashley Bernes, creative director, VFX supervisor; Rob Hodgson, VFX supervisor; Matthew Loranger, exec producer; Chris Connolly, producer; Katherine Miccio, production coordinator; Angela Lupo, managing director; Tobey Lindback, 2D lead; Chris Bernier, 3D lead; Graeme Revell, animation lead; Renato Carone, Ruairi Twohig, Julien Aucouturier , Yashvardhan Jain, Lawrence Merrill , Chris Green, Esther Song, 2D team; Andrew Ortiz, Dan Fine, Lucy Choi, Ash Yee, Roberto Maki, lighting team; Wesley Schneider, rigging; Jemmy Molero, modeling; Jacob Fradkin, Mike Lombardo, Ross Scroble, Anthony Travieso, Joerg Volk, Yarim Machado, animation team; Roger Hom, Tyler Gibb, Andrew Brooks, Morgan Schweitzer, concept design; Neela Kumuda, Quentin Martin, Stephanie Mollett, Mark Driscoll, Salil Thapa, additional production support; Santosh Gunaseelan, Raju Ganesh S, Mark Robinson, Brendon Echsner, additional 3D support; Andre Monteiro, Vaibhav Gupta, Mohammad Asif, Sandeep B K, GopikaPriya M, Kalaiarasu Puhalendhi, S Shashi Kumar, Ullas. Thunga K, Sunil Manohas Mohapratra, Alexandre Corcoy, Helene Frery, Anbarasu Elangovan, assets; Subbaiah A, Kuntal Kanti Bera, Yeshwanth Garlapati, Gretchen Asmar, Alexandre Sauthier, rigging; Ganael Chevallier, Cedric Jeanne, Geoffroy Barbet-Massin, Andrew Price, Samir Patel, Venkatesan D, animation; Pierre Jury, Guillaume Parra, lighting; Mahendra Natha Reddy, Sugumar S, Bhushanam Mukkala, Ajeet Pratap Singh, Suresh Pitchuka, Maniraj G, Gokulakrishnan M G, Likin Ganapathi C P, additional 2D support; Ganesh Kumar S, Anirudh Kurve, Tejashwini N, Showber Shadik, Shridhar Bhat, Suhas N, Ankit Dheraj Toppo, tracking; Kris Smale, colorist. (Toolbox: Maya, Houdini ZBrush, Photoship, Illustrator, C4D, After Effects, Nuke, Flame, RealityCapture, Substance Painter, Baselight) Editorial Arcade
8: Top Spot of the Week: J.J. Sedelmaier, Gallegos United Team Up To “Know the Facts” About Milk
Client California Milk Processor Board Agency Gallegos United, Huntington Beach, Calif. Harvey Marco, president/chief creative officer; Andrew Delbridge, president/chief strategy & engagement officer; Dino Spadavecchia, executive creative director; Sharon Cleary, creative director; Aaron Onsurez, associate creative director/art director; Jeb Quaid, associate creative director/copywriter; Harry Lowell, head of production; Valeria Maldini, sr. producer; Catarina Goncalves, director of strategy. Production/Animation J.J. Sedelmaier Productions, Inc., White Plains, NY J.J. Sedelmaier, director/designer/producer; Andy Friz, animator/additional design; Todd Cronin, Ryan Cunningham, David Mason, Danielle Mutispaugh, Kaycee Nwakudu, Chris Parker, animation artists; Patrice Sedelmaier, exec producer. (Toolbox: ToonBoom Storyboard Pro, ToonBoom Harmony 17, Adobe Photoshop, Procreate (iPad), Apple Final Cut Pro, pencil & paper) Music & Sound Design Steven M. Gold, Adam Schlesinger, compositions. Performers Billy West “Milky” voice
9: MJZ’s Juan Cabral Directs “Read Yourself Better” For The Wall Street Journal, The&Partnership
Client The Wall Street Journal Agency The&Partnership New York Justin Ruben, executive creative director; David Tomkins, art director; Simon Philion, copywriter; Veronica Jeronimo, designer; Kevin Wilson, head of integrated production; Niki Polyocan, producer; Colm Murphy, chief strategy officer. Production MJZ Juan Cabral, director; Emma Wilcockson, exec producer; Roman Vasyanov, DP. Production Partner Labhouse Flora Fernandez Marengo, managing director; Natalia Mussolana, producer; Patricia Rzeznik, production manager; Esteban Gomez, 1st AD; Micala Saeigh, Maria Battaglia, art directors; Florencia Tellado, stylist. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Mikkel EG Nielsen, editor; Alex Liu, assistant editor; Eve Kornblum, managing director. VFX Framestore Murray Butler, executive creative director; Jordi Bares Dominguez, VFX supervisor; Sarah Hiddlestone, director of production; Raul Ortega, 2D lead; Greg Gaskins, Kieran Walsh, Flame team; Steve Drew, Zavier Mojica, Matt Pascuzzi, Nick Tanner, Terner Thompson, Brad Moon, compositing team; Sue McNamara, sr. VFX producer; Beau Leon, colorist; Andy McLintock, sr. color producer; Evan Reinhard, Nabil Moo, color assists. (Toolbox: Photoshop, After Effects, Maya, Flame, Nuke, Baselight) Sound Wave Studios NY Chris Afzal, Aaron Reynolds, sound designers/mixers; Vicky Ferraro, exec producer; Eleni Giannopoulos, associate producer. Music Mort Garson, “Plantasia” Voiceover Boyd Holbrook.
10: Director Rodrigo Garcia Saiz, a52 Open Piggy Bank For Walmart, Cossette Toronto
Client Walmart Agency Cossette Toronto Carlos Moreno, chief creative officer; Craig McIntosh, Jaimes Zentil, executive creative directors; Julia Morra, Anthony Atkinson, creative directors; Clair Galea, producer. Production Frank, Toronto Rodrigo Garcia Saiz, director; Federico Cantini, DP; Jeff Schwartz, live-action producer; Danielle Kappy, exec producer. VFX a52 Urs Furrer, VFX supervisor; Andrew Romatz, CG supervisor; Adam Flynn, 2D lead; Joe Paniagua, Michael Relth, Evan Mayfield, Jaemin Lee, Michael Bettinardi, Joe Chiechi, Eevee Saucedo, 3D artists; Margherita Premuroso , character design; Sam Kober, John Valle, online editors; Stacy Kessler-Aungst, producer; Patrick Nugent, Kim Christensen, exec producers; Jennifer Sofio Hall, managing director. (Toolbox: Flame, Maya, Vray, Photoshop, Zbrush, Substance Designer) Color The Vanity Andrew Exworth, colorist; Kayla Baster, color producer; Stephanie Pennington, exec producer. Editorial Saints Editorial Stephen Sora, editor; Kelsey Dale-McGrath, assistant editor; Stephanie Hickman, producer; Tory Osler, Michelle Rich, exec producers.