Lieven Van Baelen of Knucklehead directed this Novant Health spot for BBDO Atlanta, with visual effects from MPC New York.
Titled “Boxing,” the commercial is a visual allegory depicting a woman’s battle against cancer. When we first see the fighter – tattooed, ripped and gripped with a look of steely determination – she’s in a ring by herself, accompanied only by the referee. The bell sounds and she circles an unseen opponent, who quickly starts to exact a toll.
Part way through, at the start of a new round, we see her wearing a scarf to cover her head, having lost her hair during chemotherapy. Her face and body are battered. She’s losing the fight and falls to the mat. The ref begins to count her out but her trainer encourages her to keep on fighting. She comes back with renewed strength and delivers fierce body blows to cancer, her invisible opponent, which falls as the ref declares a KO. We match cut to our fighter, now dressed in street clothes in the hallway of a Novant Health facility. Her arm is raised in triumph and she clasps hands with her trainer, who was her Novant Health nurse all along.
MPC’s team, led by VFX supervisor Alex Lovejoy and lead Flame artist Marcus Wood, added layers of nuance and detail which made the shots more believable as well as impactful. The fight scene effects, which were captured in camera, were accomplished with the use of an air gun that made the fighter’s skin ripple as if she was actually being punched. Beads of sweat and other elements were added in post at MPC, whose artists also performed cleanup on the fighter’s tattoos and gloves. To capture the most realistic performance the woman was hitting an actual punching bag, which was removed from several shots.
“Boxing” was edited by Jeff Jay of Hero Post. Colorist was Billy Gabor of Company 3, Atlanta.
CreditsClient Novant Health Agency BBDO, Atlanta Will Boudreau, EVP, chief creative officer; Mike Hanley, creative director; Scott Biear, associate creative director; Hayley Efird, art director; Emily Miller, copywriter; Jenny Russo Novak, executive producer. Production Knucklehead Lieven Van Baelen, director; Cathleen Kisich, Tim Katz, exec producers. Editorial Hero Post Jeff Jay, editor; Molly Baroco, exec producer; Britt Dunn, assistant editor. VFX MPC Justin Brukman, managing director; Camila De Biaggi, exec producer; Matthew Loranger, sr. producer; Alex Lovejoy, VFX supervisor; Marcus Wood, Amanda Amalfi, Rob Walker, Flame; Tobey Lindback, 2D compositor. Postproduction Company 3, Atlanta Billy Gabor, colorist
Top Spot of the Week: EHRAC, Animation Studio NOMINT Depict Life “In Limbo” As Families Search For Loved Ones
This animated film titled In Limboย depicts the journey of a heroic woman protagonist representing the countless families in the North Caucasus of Eastern Europe (where Chechnya is situated) searching for their forcibly disappeared loved ones. Utilizing theatrical elements, the film highlights the unnatural disruption caused by enforced disappearances and delves into the profound trauma these families endure. It emphasizes their long battles with the domestic authorities as they seek answers. The film also underscores the vital role of community support in helping these families cope and continue their fight for answers, serving as a compelling call to action for justice and human rights.
Through intimate storytelling, In Limbo raises awareness of the ongoing uncertainty that leaves families in a perpetual state of limbo, unable to find closure.
Directed by Afterman--the animation duo consisting of Tsvetelina Zdraveva and Jerred North--and created and produced by London-based animation studio NOMINT, In Limbo was commissioned by the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (EHRAC).
In a joint statement, Zdraveva and North shared, โOur film takes place on a theater stage, highlighting how such tragedies are far removed from ordinary life,โ they continued. โThe stage is circular, resembling an artificial, perpetually spinning obstacle course, with a targetโthe red tail lightsโjust within sight yet never within reach, symbolizing the familyโs never-ending quest for justice.โ
โWe used a limited primary color palette to contrast the two worlds all families are pulled between. Minimalist compositions of starkly silhouetted characters and environments create the ominous atmosphere of a deeply painful and... Read More