In this spot we see beautiful, CGI, mechanical butterflies made from individual components of the all-new Ford Focus Active hatching out of chrysalis to come together in a stunning kaleidoscope to form the new vehicle. The ad uses the butterflies to symbolize the beauty that can emerge from change.
The Ford UK commercial was directed by Steve Cope at 2AM Films for agency GTB UK. Visual effects house on the job was Electric Theatre Collective.
Neil Scholes, VFX supervisor at Electric, said: “It was a blast working on this new Ford film. The director, Steve Cope, wanted to enjoy the mechanical nature of these butterflies, and to see all the different car materials from red glass to white metallic paint. The challenge was keeping the animation playful and realistic but also making sure all the different tones and colors combined correctly whilst forming the car. We’re really happy with the end result.”
Credits
Client Ford UK/Ford Focus Active Agency GTB Paul Yull, Adrian Birkinshaw, executive creative directors; Ash Prentice, James Child, creatives; Romila Sanassy, Aaron Clark, producers. Production 2AM Films Steve Cope, director; Nick Crabb, managing director/exec producer; Chris Cable, producer. VFX Electric Theatre Collective, London Jon Purton, producer; Neil Scholes, VFX supervisor/3D lead; Tobin Brett, FX lead; Iain Murray, 2D lead; Alex Prod’Homme, Christian Block, Alex Grey, Aitor Arroyo, Daniel Manning, 2D artists; Gareth Bell, Thanos Topouzis, Ryan Maddox, Patrick Krafft Conor Ryan, Nicolas Lebas, Max Johnson, Stephane Renaldi, Quentin Dubois, Tom Di Stasio, Thanos Kousis, Eddy Martinez, Nick Turner, Kristopher Gropatsakis, 3D artists; Luke Morrison, colorist (Toolbox: Flame, Nuke, Maya, Houdini)
Comcast and Xfinity have released this short, “Stay Connected to Your Dreams,” to celebrate the November 22 release of Universal Pictures’ feature film Wicked.
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, based on the generation-defining blockbuster stage musical, stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. This short follows their journeys from childhood to present day, where they take on the iconic roles of Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. Along the way, Wicked fans will be delighted by Easter eggs, including props from the film and Broadway show, and will experience emotional, real-life moments featuring the two stars. The short film was unveiled today (11/12) on Erivo and Grande’s social channels and can be viewed across television, social media and on an Xfinity site.
“Stay Connected to Your Dreams,” which is directed by Wicked DP Alice Brooks, ASC (via production house Superprime) in collaboration with Wicked director Jon M. Chu, taps into the power of connection, friendship and achieving your dreams. It begins with Grande and Erivo’s childhoods, and how Wicked fueled their love for music and film. It then moves through their teen years and into adulthood where Grande shared the fateful tweet in 2011 that playing Glinda in Wicked would be her dream role. The short film concludes with the actual footage from the videoconferencing call back in 2021, where both women learned they’ve been cast in the coveted roles of Elphaba and Glinda.
In addition, the short film will be the first-ever 4DX spot shown across the country. Theater-goers will feel the magic of Oz, complete with an immersive cinema experience combining on-screen visuals with synchronized motion seats... Read More
