Everyone imagines being a Jedi. Running around swinging makeshift Lightsabers and using the Force to save the galaxy. To celebrate the launch of the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Xbox and Electronic Arts came together to bring that dream to life in “Become a Jedi,” a live action spot that brings this universal truth to life and celebrates both the love of play and Star Wars.
The spot, developed by 215 McCann, tells the story of a young girl with a wild imagination who succeeds in getting her father and his coworkers to put work aside for a moment and find a real connection in the ultimate Star Wars fantasy.
In Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Order 66 has just been executed and gamers take on the role of Cal Kestis, a Jedi Padawan on the run, fighting for his survival. Paralleled in the live action spot, our young hero— a nod to Cal’s character—uses her imagination to transform her father’s workplace into the planet of Bracca while on the run from workers-turned-Stormtroopers.
The story embodies Xbox’s brand ethos of “Jump in,” a celebration of the gaming community as a whole and their shared love of gaming, inviting everyone to join in on the fun.
The cinematic spot was directed by RESET Content’s Garth Davis, who’s known for the Oscar-nominated feature Lion, and DP Matty Libatique whose filmography includes Black Swan, A Star is Born, and Requiem for a Dream. The Star Wars world was brought to life through visual effects and sound design and audio mix by Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound respectively, who have both done all the Star Wars movies.
Credits
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.
Stain remover Vanish presents this emotional short film--created by BETC Havas, Sao Paulo, and produced by LOBO--that explores the profound consequences of bullying and highlights the importance of open conversations between parents and children. Titled The Bully Monster, the animated film premiered at the Maquinaria Festival in Rio de Janeiro on February 15 in a special edition featuring family-focused programming.
The film’s protagonist is a boy who experiences bullying at school but keeps silent about his suffering. Isolation turns sadness into insecurity, creating invisible emotional scars that only grow in the absence of dialogue. When his mother notices stains on his uniform, these marks become the starting point for a revealing conversation. As words find space to make themselves heard, the stains begin to fade.
This initiative aligns with the Vanish Saves Your Uniform campaign, which, for the past three years during the back-to-school season, has engaged with parents by positioning the brand as a trusted partner in preserving school uniforms. This year, Vanish decided to broaden the conversation, bringing bullying into the debate as the real stain that can impact a child’s life.
The Bully Monster is being screened as preshow material in movie theaters starting February 20 and will also be available on streaming platforms and digital channels. In addition to the film, the campaign will include out-of-home activations and school initiatives through a partnership with Abrace – Preventive Programs, the founding organization of the “Bullying-Free Schools” program, which has been equipping institutions with resources to combat school violence for 12 years.
“Research indicates that stains on a uniform can... Read More
