SHORT CUTS
Rhinoceros Visual Effects and Design (RVED), New York, worked on AT&T's "Solid," for Young & Rubicam, New York. The :30 features the familiar blue and white AT&T logo appearing as a huge sphere against a stark white background. A small, silhouetted figure attempts to dislodge the sphere by poking, pushing and lassoing the object, all to no avail. With a time constraint of about two weeks, CGI was unable to be used on the commercial. RVED director Harry Dorrington and the rest of the RVED team decided to send in the clowns-literally. They auditioned about 50 potential performers--including mimes and traditional clowns-eventually settling on artist Rob Lok. In the meantime, RVED's art department set about building a 15-foot-high sphere out of wood, which was then padded to absorb the various stunts. Lok was then dressed in a black costume and mask, and was filmed against a white background while launching his assault on the sphere. For one shot where the figure uses a lever to pry the sphere loose only to have the man sail off the screen, a wire expert was brought in to rig the artist for his take-off. The spot also used Inferno work, mainly to create shadows and reflections. And the sphere evolved into a 3-D object thanks to a treatment in Maya and Final Gathering in Mental Ray. Maya was also employed to track in certain props, and in the final scene where the entire environment-except the sphere-collapses around the hapless fellow. Additional RVED credits include partners/executive producers Michael Miller and Rick Wagonheim, live action producer Terrie McGinnis, live action production manager Kristen Ames, production manager Linda Gallagher, post producer Gary Suskin, editor John Starace, Inferno artist Ronan Sharabani, and art director/designer Ken MacLeod.
New York-headquartered wild(child) editorial recently ventured away from cutting commercials and lent their expertise to support two independent features that made their debut at the 2002 Tribeca Film Festival. Editor Cecil Hooker handled online editorial duties for Hip Hop Hope, a documentary from first-time feature director Darrell Wilks, and Washington Heights, helmed by Alfredo De Villa, a producer with Young & Rubicam, New York. Wilks, also from an advertising background, is a former VP at J. Walter Thompson, New York, who currently freelances as a creative director and art director.
Spots BME, a post/editorial boutique in Chicago, has launched an AMS-driven audio suite featuring an AMS Neve Libra Post console and a AMS Neve AudioFile SC. In addition, the company's AudioFile digital audio workstation has been upgraded to and AudioFile SC, the latest generation, high-speed audio editing system. Spots BME's Sonic Science-powered sound effects library has also been expanded with the purchase of several new collections. The new room now features a large voiceover booth and an ISDN patch for links to studios nationwide, and has been wired for 5.1 surround. The suite will be manned by the company's audio engineer/sound designer Bill Reis.
MUSIC NOTES
Damien Heartwell of Spank! Music and Sound Design, Chicago and Santa Monica, created music and sound design for Aquafina's "I Know," an animated :30 featuring actor/comedian Damon Wayans. Created by Element 79 Partners, Chicago, the :30 was directed and animated by Christoph Simon of Bermuda Shorts, London. Executive producer for Spank! was Greg Allan.
Big Foote Music's Chris Jordao composed a track for USGA's "Tribute" via BBDO New York. Directed by David Cornell of bicoastal Headquarters, the :30 celebrates the people who play America's public golf courses. The spot, which features a voiceover by Bill Murray, points out that the U.S. World Cup match will be held at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y. Paul Seymour was Big Foote's producer.