Filmmaker Kasra Farahani, known for his creative work as a concept artist on movies like Marvel’s Black Panther, Allegiant, Insurgent, and Alice in Wonderland, directed this spot for the Square Enix game Final Fantasy XV out of agency Omelet. Titled “Stand Together,” the commercial features Florence + The Machine’s cover of the song “Stand By Me” and encourages the spirit of adventure as four young “David” insurgents tackle an intimidating “Goliath”-like foe.
Farahani directed the commercial through production house Chromista.
Credits
Client Square Enix Agency Omelet Grant Holland, chief creative officer; Josh Smutko, Clemente Bornacelli, creative directors; Tiffany Lam, art director; Ernesto Campabadal, copywriter; Dan Ruth, chief production officer; Caitlin McBride, producer. Production Chromista Kasra Farahani, director; Ross Emery, DP; Sandy Haddad, Ted Robbins, exec producers; Kev Cahill, on-set VFX supervisor. Music “Stand By Me,” Florence + The Machine. Editorial Work Editorial Stewart Reeves, Arielle Zakowski, Keith Hamm, editors; Mario Baird, exec producer; Erik Vogt-Nilsen, assistant editor. Telecine Company 3 Siggy Ferstl, sr. colorist; Matt Moran, exec producer. VFX Luma Pictures, Santa Monica, Calif. Jay Lichtman, managing director; Steven Swanson, sr. VFX producer; Kevin Souls, VFX supervisor; Michael Perdew, production supervisor; Raphael A. Pimentel, animation supervisor; Alexandre Cancardo, 2D supervisor; Catherine Hughes, digital production manager; Andrew Kalicki, Timothy Bond, digital coordinators; Daniel Kepler, technical coordinator; Claire Pereira de Souza, Flame artist; Alex Khan, Eddie Porter, Gian Ignacio Lombardi, Joey Sila, Joe Censoplano, lighters/compositors; Cameron Sorgi, jr. lighter/compositor; Federico La Tona, jr. compositor; Mathieu Aerni, lead character artist; Anthony Grant, lead model/texture artist; Schiller Jean-Louis Jr., Stchen Zhang, Tadao Masuyama, model/texture artist; Marcos D. Romero, character rigging TD; Monika Gelbmann, technical animator; Ari Flesch, Annie Jan, Erica Robinson, John Trudgian, Jeroth Diggenden, Meg Grube, Justin Brunett, Nicolette Kiss. Ross Novak, Tiffany Wang, animators; John Cassella, sr. effects TD; Karl Rogovini, effects TD; Tom Allen, effects artist; Christian Salvador, Meagan Green, Michael North, roto/paint artists; Lenny Gordon, lead tracking/matchmove artist; Ambrose McDuffy, Dominic Francis. tracking/matchmove artists. (Toolbox: Maya, Zbrush, Mari, Nuke, Flame, ftrack, SynthEyes, PFTrack) Music/Sound Barking Owl Kelly Bayett, creative director; Houston Fry, music editor; Michael Anastasi, sound designer; KC Dossett, producer. Audio Post Lime Jeff Malen, audio mixer; Lisa Mermelstein, audio assistant; Susie Boyajan, exec producer.
The Ad Council, partnering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and AdoptUSKids, launched a public service campaign, created pro bono by Edelman, which aims to inspire prospective parents to consider adopting a teen from foster care.
This centerpiece PSA titled “The Rewards”--directed by The Hudson Dusters (Michael Kuhn and Niles Roth) via Greenpoint Pictures--spotlights real adoptive families who have personally experienced the mutual benefits of adoption. This longer form PSA (and cutdown versions) begins with a touching display of openness and vulnerability as adoptive parents reflect on their adoption journeys and their initial questions and hesitations about adopting a teen. Then, in a deeply emotional turn, the adoptive parents witness their children recounting the profound rewards of adoption in their lives. The teens speak of the love they share with their parents and how the decision to become a family is reciprocal. The campaign directs viewers to the AdoptUSKids website to learn more about adopting a teen from foster care.
