Content creation/production company BODEGA, with bases of operation in NY and San Francisco, teamed up with Discovery Channel to launch an all new season of the reality series Naked and Afraid with a promo commercial directed by Haley Geffen. Discovery VP, creative Pablo Pulido and sr. writer/producer Luke Aeschliman worked with Geffen to visualize the mentally and physically disarming act of stripping away the most basic form of bodily protection: clothing. The spot is a departure from the series’ historically clip-based promos and shows a man and a woman suited up for outdoor adventures, both removing layers of clothing until they are left with only their satchels and the dirt on their skin.
"We focused on how to remove clothes in a stylized way that enhanced our concept," noted Geffen. "We didn’t want the act to look silly or even sexy. On the show there’s nothing sexy about being naked. So we choreographed their actions and focused on specific motions that added energy to the visuals and uniquely branded the promo without sensationalizing the nudity."
The spot was cut by Northern Lights editor Mark Tyler, who worked seamlessly with the VFX team to incorporate the effects. SuperExploder mixers Ted Gannon and Ted Marcus augmented the promo with sound design that tied together the visual transitions.
MPEG To Honor Benson With Service Award
The Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG), Local 700 IATSE, will honor member Lillian E. Benson, ACE, with its prestigious Fellowship and Service Award on Saturday, April 8, at a dinner at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles. The Fellowship and Service Award was established 10 years ago by the Guild’s Board of Directors to recognize an individual who embodies the values the Guild holds most dear: Professionalism, Collaboration, Mentorship, Generosity of Spirit and a Commitment to the Labor Movement.
"Lillian E. Benson has a had a long career editing influential and socially conscious films, and has been long active in working to increase minority participation in the filmmaking process," commented Alan Heim, ACE, president of the Editors Guild. "In addition, she has been an active member of the Board of Directors for the American Cinema Editors [ACE] as Secretary and Co-Chair of the Diversity Committee. I am honored to have even a small part in presenting her with this richly deserved award."
Previous recipients of this distinguished honor include Joseph A. Aredas; Donald O. Mitchell; Don Hall; Carol Littleton, ACE; IATSE International President Emeritus Thomas C. Short; Dede Allen, ACE; and Donn Cambern, ACE.
People On The Move...
Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary studio Golden—headed by founder/EP Matthew Marquis and founder/director/creative director Jake Banks—has signed Ross Cooper, formerly known by the directing moniker OneInThree. After winning two Silver D&ADs in interaction design and architecture for the live video installation The Last Clock, Cooper began shooting videos for bands like Two Door Cinema Club, Wild Beasts, and The Teenagers. Cooper earned assorted nominations at the Music Video Awards, including for Best New Director, Best Art Direction, and Best Budget Video. He then ventured into spotmaking with a re-creation of his VV Brown video for the song "Leave!" made for French bank BNP Paribas. Cooper has also crafted ads for brands such as Ford, O2, Trident and Betway....