Sondock via Riff Raff Films directed this mysterious music video for Nick Lengโs new song โBeetlebugs.โ The story follows a young beetle who seeks the help of Leng himself, playing a private investigator for creatures, to find her missing partner Blu Bug. As they delve into the investigation, they exhaust all leads, navigating a world of shadows and secrets. The tension builds with each clue, leading them to a shocking revelation.
โFilming this video was like going to summer camp for a week,โ shared Sondock. โNick and I had already made a video that was a great success (for his song โMorning / Midnightโ) and this project was an opportunity to really go in a totally different direction. While โMorning / Midnightโ was an ethereal, highly technical one-shot performance video, โBeetlebugsโ was exactly the opposite–it was a super narrative, world-building goofy/psychedelic adventure video. It ended up being a five-day shoot with multiple locations a day and a cast of Zebras, Emus, Hamsters, way too many beetles and even an ex-congresswomen (one of our impromptu extras, incidentally). I owe the world to the entire cast and crew, especially producers Alex and Amy, DP, Gus Bendinelli, and 1st AD/beetle wrangler Josh Montes. Everyone was deeply invested in the project and process, and endured creaky twin beds and long rambling road trip rants as we made our way around Northern and Central California.
โPost on this video, quite literally took a year,โ continued Sondock. โDid it need to? Probably not. But damn, Iโm so proud of what we made. Gwen Ghelid brought an incredible eye to the edit, taking it from a maybe 3/10 to a full A++, not to mention dealing with all my tiny tweaks for months on end. And HOLY SHIT–Kohana Wilson, our animator, is genuinely such a treasure. They hand-drew what is probably my favorite part of the video: the Freaky-Friday narrative climax (the inspiration for which I owe a lot to fellow Riff Raff director David Wilson).
โDuring the post process, I even got to spend time turning thousands of black drinking straws into a โpractical bugs-eye effect for some of our endoscopy camera footageโ (yes you read that sentence correctly). All in all, this was one of those special projects you get to the end of and think: โwow, even if nothing comes of this, Iโm so glad this project happened the way that it did.โ But lucky us, we also made a really fun video–and I think you will agree.โ
Client/Artist Nick Leng Production Riff Raff Films Sondock, director; Amy Teboul, Alex Advocaat, producers; Matthew Clyde, Romy Jo Waller, Precious Mahaga, exec producers; Matthew Fone, company owner. Production Service Company 2x2=5 Gus Bendinelli, DP; Josh Montes, 1st AD/beetle wrangler; Steve Fitzpatrick, 1st AC; Lindsey Hartman, costume designer; Steven Lewer, drone DP; Ava Jones, production designer. Editorial Gwennael Ghelid, editor. Animation Kohana Wilson, animator. Color Ethos Studios Dante Pasquinelli, colorist; Nat Tereshchenko, color producer. Animal Wrangler Joeie & American-Made Miniatures. Sound Design Nikolay Antonov. VFX & Retouch Black Kite Studios Brendan Regan, Jonny Freeman Special Thanks To: The Leng Family, Kode Media, Motion Picture Film Stock, Aube Perrie, David Wilson, Jason Sondock, Robert Cardwell.
Top Spot of the Week: Director Jake Scott, Paramount Brand Studios “Make Your Gameday Epic” In “Gladiator II”-Inspired Pepsi Spot
Nearly 20 years after Pepsiโs โRoman Empireโ made its mark on pop culture, the brand is returning to the arena with a colossal Gladiator-themed campaign titled, โMake Your Gameday Epicโข.โ Celebrating the start of the 2024 NFL season and the highly anticipated release of Paramount Picturesโ Gladiator II in theaters on Nov. 22, this short film--directed by Jake Scott via RSA Films for Paramount Brand Studio features Megan Thee Stallion, as Empress Megan, leading a legion of NFL superstars turned Gridiron Gladiators, including Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce, locked in an epic battle with ice-cold Pepsi at the heart of the action. A brand-new gameday anthem from three-time, Grammy award-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion soundtracks the campaign. The unmistakable โboom, boom, clapโ from Queenโs epic track โWe Will Rock Youโ is featured on a fresh sample with cutting new lyrics from Megan. The new track became available on all major music streaming platforms, and ahead of Megan hosting the 2024 MTV VMAs last night (9.11), where the track and music-video inspired spot were heard and seen throughout the show. โIโm honored to follow in the footsteps of the legends who appeared in this Gladiator campaign 20 years ago and proud to have carved my own new legacy,โ said Megan Thee Stallion. โPepsi really brought the worlds of music, sports and entertainment together in a powerful way to set off the new NFL season.โ The spot opens with Lamorne Morris and Jake Lacy peering into a can of Pepsi Zero Sugar as it transforms into a colosseum. Empress Megan calls the shots, and the royal roster of NFL players are at her command as they all vie for her favor and a sip of an ice-cold Pepsi... Read More