Ad agency AKQA teamed with VFX/post studio MPC and director Paul Hunter of production house PRETTYBIRD on this film that tells the world about the grand makeover at Palms Casino. In this cinematic piece, we see the old hotel being physically destroyed to make way for the new.
The spot shows the hotel being demolished by a group of people in an epic fashion, along to the soothing soundtrack of Sasha Distel’s “La Belle Vie.”
MPC handled all VFX for the film, which was graded by MPC’s Ricky Gausis, including the raging inferno that destroys the hotel kitchen, flying debris that scatters in slow motion across the screen and placing a full-sized shark in the tank behind the bar.
Toya Drechsler, MPC’s VFX supervisor, commented on the collaboration process: “From the beginning, it was clear that Paul Hunter and AKQA wanted to achieve an intense, filmic look. The collaboration with them started before the shoot, as we had the opportunity to give our input on the creative decisions around the VFX-heavy shots. We worked closely with the team throughout the process, attending the shoot, the editing sessions and continuously communicating with AKQA to make sure we were achieving their vision while ultimately pushing the look a step further.”
Credits
Client Palms Casino Agency AKQA Portland Alice Chiapperini, sr. art director; Matteo Capaldi, sr. copywriter; Aaron Seymour-Anderson, creative director; Carlos Bernal, Benjamin Parisot, associate design directors; Riaad Merwe, associate creative director; Dustin Freeman, executive producer; Carlos Matias, international design director; Antoine Christian, art director; Terry Lee, designer; Chris Lopez, associate designer; Felipe Yamaoka, designer. Production PRETTYBIRD Paul Hunter, director; Linus Sandgren, DP; William Green, line producer; Ali Brown, VP, exec producer; Kerstin Emhoff, co-founder/exec producer. Editorial Cabin Editing Company Sam Ostrove, Randy Baublis, editors; Doug Scott, assistant editor; Remy Foxx, head of production; Carr Schilling, managing partner. VFX MPC LA Rob Hodgson, creative director; Toya Drechsler, VFX supervisor; Elexis Stearn, exec producer; Jamie Loudon, VFX producer; Dylan Brown, Rodrigo Jimenez, Kelsey Napier, Rob Ufer, Andre Arevalo, Gustavo Bellon, Jon Rogala, Joshi John, Akhil KP, Ankit Dheraj, Rahul Verma, Manideep Setty, 2D team; Ricky Gausis, colorist; Rebecca Boorsma, producer, color; Meghan Lang, exec producer, color. (Toolbox: Nuke, Nuke Studios)
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 filmโs 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 childโs 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 โ Preventive Programs, the founding organization of the โBullying-Free Schoolsโ program, which has been equipping institutions with resources to combat school violence for 12 years.
โResearch indicates that stains on a uniform can... Read More
