What opens as a pleasant, fairly mundane slice of family life takes an R-rated turn, facilitated by the speed, power and stylized design of the 2015 Type-R Honda Civic. Directed by Kirby McClure of Radical Friend via production house Kream for agency Karmarama, the teaser trailer transitions to an apocalyptic city featuring demon-eyed wolves, samurais and super humans.
VFX supervisor Leo Weston of Rushes, London, oversaw assorted effects for the film, including neon lit set extensions of futuristic cityscapes, falling rain effects, exploding speed cameras, beauty work on female androids, plus adding their black android eyes, glowing wolf eyes, and bringing in the exploding CG crystal.
The rotating black crystal was sculpted in ZBrush and shattered into hundreds of fragments using Houdini’s procedural modelling capabilities. Although the crystal explosion was initially driven using a particle system, the need for creative control meant that the majority of the pieces ended up being hand animated.
Credits
Client Honda Agency Karmarama Jenny O’Connell, producer; Rachel Holding, Daniel Leppänen, creatives; Emily Samways, business director; David Killick, planning director. Production Kream Kirby McClure of Radical Friend, director; Eddie Marshall, exec producer; Jon Harvey, creative partner; Mikey Levelle, producer; Matt Fox, DP. Editorial Speade, London. Ellie Johnson, editor. VFX Rushes Kristy May Currie, exec prducer; Simon Sanderson, producer; Simone Grattarola, colorist; Leo Weston (supervisor), Matt Jackson, James Dooley, Mark Ford, VFX; Andy Nicholas, Craig Travis, David Drese, Nimesh Patel, Mark Woodcock, Andrea Scibetta, CG; Matt Lawrence, Guy Hancock, Barry Corcoran, Fraser Macedo, MGFX; Noel Harmes, Sarah Breakwell, Nuke.
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
