Peter Berg via Pony Show Entertainment directed this launch trailer for Activision’s third release of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare in which viewers are instantly dropped into an intense action sequence with Taylor Kitsch, best known for his role in NBC’s Friday Night Lights and star of the coming season of HBO’s True Detective with Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn. Together, the viewer and Kitsch discover how the technology of Advanced Warfare radically transforms combat as they journey through a battle taking place in 2059.
Created by agency 72andSunny, the trailer was shot from a first person perspective, making it feel as if you are an advanced soldier, actually operating the gadgets, throwing the grenades and free-falling from building tops, all the while experiencing how the new weapons, future technology, and gear might work in the game.
A new era for the franchise, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare was built on an expanded three-year development cycle by Sledgehammer Games, the first new studio leading Call of Duty development in a decade. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare jolts players forward in a groundbreaking experience that’s ripped-from-the-headlines-of-tomorrow, envisioning a future where both technology and tactics have evolved to usher in a new era of combat for the franchise.
This is the second time that Emmy-nominated Pony Show director Peter Berg worked on the Call of Duty franchise, having previously directed the live action trailer for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 starring Jonah Hill and Sam Worthington. The spot includes VFX from MPC LA, including heavy CG effects, carefully rigged pyrotechnics, and meticulously timed and choreographed stunts. Berg was also reunited with Kitsch, whom he previously directed in Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor and Battleship.
Credits
Client Activision/Call of Duty Agency 72andSunny John Boiler, CEO; Glenn Cole, chief creative officer; Frank Hahn, group creative director; Rey Andrade, creative director/designer; Josh Fell, creative director/writer; Will Lindberg, designer; Matt Spicer, writer; Tom Dunlap, chief production officer; Sam Baerwald, director of film production; Dan Ruth, executive film producer; Stanton Hill, sr. film producer; Michael Quinones, Alissa Stevens, film production assistants; Mike Parseghian, group brand director; Elaine Chu, sr. brand manager; Justin Gonzaga, brand manager; Brian Kim, brand coordinator; Matt Jarvis, chief strategy officer; Bryan Smith, co-director of strategy; John Graham, strategy director; Daniel Teng, strategist. Production Pony Show Entertainment Peter Berg, director; Greig Fraser, DP; Susan Kirson, Jeffrey Frankel, exec producers; Helga Gruber, producer. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Angus Wall, editor; Austyn Daines, jr. editor; Dave Sellars, exec producer; Lauren Wilson, Angela Dorian, producers. VFX MPC LA Asher Edwards; Mike Wigart, deputy head of production; Paul O’Shea, VFX supervisor; Andy Boyd, 3D lead; Jake Montgomery, 2D lead; Ashley Greyson, production coordinator; Benoit Mannequin, Michael Vaglienty, Matt Trivan, Flame; Brinton Jaecks, Brady Doyle, Toma Bowen, Dylan Brown, James Steller, Nuke; Eric Mattson, Rocco Grioffre, matte painting; Jonahan Ficcadenti, motion graphics; Aaron Hamman, modeling supervisor; Steven Browning, Nobu Sasagawa, BGRL, modeling; Jennifer Kim, Brian Broussard, Hayley O’Neill, texture; Steward Burris, Ian Wilson, Yvian Gnarbo, animation/rigging; Corinne Deorsay, Kristen Eggleston, JT Lawrence, Nate Lapinski, lighting; Jonathan Vaughn, FX supervisor; Zach Dimaria, Nate usiak, Arrev Chentekian, FX; Michael Lori, tracking supervisor; Lee Mar, tracking. MPC Bangalore, India Anbarasu E, Bibin Balan P., Kunal Sarkar, Manjunath Ramakrishnaiah, Inigo Vimal Roy, Pritesh Krishnappa Kotian, Raju Ganesh SDMP: Bakiyaraj P., Radhakrishna Rethinasamy, Sachin Sureshroa Dhapodk, Gowri Shankar Velusamy D., Swarup Kumar Panigrahi, asset build; Dheeraj Hebbar, Earnest Victor, Elangovan Ganeshan, Ganesh Kumar S, Leela Sankar Miriyala, Jacob T. Oommen, Prashanth Parasivam, Ranajoy Kar, Sathya Narayanan, Sindhuja B., Sumesh Chammanch, matchmove; Alex J., Anupam Kumar, Dileep Kumar Neerla, Gaytree Dhangar, Lokanath Sahu, M D Karthikeyan, Pankaj Chaudhary, Roy Nukala Srikrishn, S. Samson Samuel, Shashi Kant Kamal, Stalin Balan, Vamsi Krishna Reddy, roto prep. Post MPC LA Mark Gethin, colorist. Audio Lime Studios Rohan Young, mixer; Jeff Malan, assistant. Sound Design The Formosa Group Per Hallberg, MPSE, supervising sound editor; Philip D. Morrill, 1st assistant sound editor. Previsualization Unit 11 Steve Yamamoto, previsualization artist; Jill Ambrosino, previsualization supervisor. Music “Salute Your Solution”-The Raconteurs. Specialty Costumes and Weapons Legacy Effects John Rosengrant, Shane Mahan, supervisors; Rob Ramsdell, Mike Manzel, Jeff Jingle, Trevor Hensley, Greg Smith, Wonil Song, Darnell Isom, Brian Claus, Kourtney Coats, Jim Charmatz, Nick Seldon, David Monzingo, Alan Garber, Jesse Gee, James Springham, Derek Rosengrant, Jamie Grove, John Cherevka, Ken Cornett, key artists; Jeff Deist, Chris Cheatham, Cory Czekaj, Chris Grossnickle, A.J. Venuto, Antonio Contreras, Jason Lopes, Kristen Sanchez, Tracy Roberts, Dawn Dininger, Lon Muckey, Javier Contreras, Dan Driscoll, Lou Diaz, Allan Holt, Nathan Fritges, Rodrick Khachatoorian, Thomas Ovenshire, Marilyn Chaney, Damien Fisher, key technicians.
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.
