A man just says the word and his wishes come true in this Mercedes-Benz spot directed by Noam Murro of Biscuit Filmworks for Merkley + Partners, New York.
Blacksmith, New York, and ATK PLN, Dallas were the primary VFX houses on the visually ambitious spot simply titled “Say The Word.”
Client Mercedes-Benz Agency Merkley + Partners, NY Andy Hirsch, chief creative officer/partner; Chris Landi, EVP/group creative director; Kirk Mosel, creative director; Gary Grossman, director of broadcast production; Alex Kobak, sr. producer. Production Biscuit Filmworks Noam Murro, director; Shawn Lacy, partner/managing director; Jeff McDougall, exec producer; Simon Duggan, DP. Editorial Bug Editorial Andre Betz, editor/owner. VFX Blacksmith, New York Iwan Zwarts, VFX supervisor, 2D Flame lead; Daniel Morris, VFX supervisor; Oliver Varteressian, Tuna Unalan, CG supervisor; Charlotte Arnold, EP; Bindy St. Leger, VFX producer; Jacob Slutsky, Robert Bruce, Yebin Ahn, compositors; Joey Deady, Flame compositor; Vitaliy Burov, CG generalist; Sauce Vilas, CG animator; Rick Walia, Junle Jegede, Mitch Deoudes, FX artists. (Toolbox: Maya, Houdini, Zbrush, Substance Painter, Mari, Flame, Nuke) Character Animation ATK PLN, Dallas Patton Tunstall, VFX supervisor; Jon Speer, technical supervisor; Justin Skerpan, producer; Darrell Vasquez, animation. (Toolbox: Maya, Houdini, Nuke, Arnold) VFX BOT VFX, Chennai, India PJ Torrevillas, character/creature effects (CFX) supervisor; Rawan Alhosani, CFX artist; Daniel Ries, model/surfacing; Tony Fan, TD; Jim Riche, TD. VFX Yannix Studios, Bangkok, Thailand rotoscope & tracking. Music Elias Audio Heard City Phil Loeb, mixer/sound designer. Color Company 3 Tom Poole, colorist.
When dozens of Klick Health team members said they wouldn’t be able to hug loved ones over the festive season, the agency turned to AI and other magic to orchestrate a series of sentimental, surprise reunions captured in its “Holiday Hugs” video. The heartwarming four-minute video, benefitting the D.C.-based Foundation for Social Connection (F4SC), parallels recent findings from a Maru/Blue Public Opinion survey commissioned by Klick. The poll found 74 percent of Americans and Canadians won’t be able to hug at least one person they wish they could over the holidays. And like those in the video, survey participants cited geographical distance and loved ones having passed away as the leading factors preventing their hugs. “I just wish I could really squeeze her right now,” says teary-eyed New York Klickster Kari Bocassi watching her AI-generated hug with her sister Marlene, moments before she bursts onto the set for a long in-person embrace. The siblings have spent the past 14 years caring for their mother since her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, but haven’t been together for the holidays since Marlene moved to Virginia. Similarly, Toronto’s Fred Duarte gets the bear hug of his life when his brother Rico, who lives in Brazil, walks into Klick’s production studio for their first holiday reunion in seven years. Directed by James Cooper via Cooper Films, “Holiday Hugs” also taps into the fact that hugs don’t just make people feel better emotionally, they also have numerous health benefits. According to the National Institutes of Health, hugs can lower blood pressure and boost the immune system. “There’s nothing quite like the warmth and reassurance of a heartfelt hug,” said Klick’s chief creative officer Rich Levy. “With ‘Holiday... Read More
