Produced by Nexus Studios in collaboration with agency Johannes Leonardo, this handcrafted animation piece titled “The Last Mile” serves as a farewell tribute to the Volkswagen Beetle, looking back on its 80-year lifespan. Director FX Goby of Nexus takes us through the decades, telling both a personal and cultural history of our relationship with the beloved Bug, which has been a counterculture, pop and political icon.
The ;90, which will be shown at Times Square on New Year’s Eve as well as airing on NBC, CNN and ABC before the ball drops, is set to a rendition of “Let it Be” by the Pro Musica Youth Chorus children’s choir.
Rostoscoped using a traditional hand-drawn technique, the spot conveys the warm affection held for the Bug by owners and enthusiasts. Goby said, “The film has a limited color palette, evocative of a warm, nostalgic feel. We wanted the film to feel warm and tactile, as if every frame had been printed, keeping the slight happy accidents of overlapping colors and paper textures.”
CreditsClient Volkswagen Agency Johannes Leonardo, New York Jan Jacobs, Leo Premutico, chief creative officers; Jimm Lasser, executive creative director; Laura Longstaff, creative director/art director; Chris Luu, art director; Brandon Holliday, copywriter; Charles Watlington, design director; Austin Haas, jr. creative; Loren Lee, sr. project manager; Maria Perez, head of integrated production; Benton Roman, group executive producer; Rebecca O’Neill, executive producer; Mary Bakarich, group strategy director. Production Nexus Studios, London and Los Angeles FX Goby, director; Chris O’Reilly, executive creative director; Juliet Tierney, exec producer; Cindy Burnay, sr. producer; Rebecca Archer, line producer; Manshen Lo, art director; Pierre Rougemont, Fanny Hagdahl Sorebo, Signe Cold, design; Louis Kynd, storyboards; Antonin Derory, Lea Arachtingi, 3D; Michael Firkowski, animation supervisor; Diego Porral, animation lead; Alex Bernas, Alex Potts, Alex Dray, Emma Wakely, Flora Caulton, Guillaume Pochez, Iris Abols, Nelly Michenaud, Sim Marriott, animation; Bethany Levy, Dylan White, Elliott Kajdan, Leo Bubani, Paul Rice, composite; Thomas Heleta, Dave Slade, Joe Eckworth, edit, Live Action La Productora, service company. Jame Lloyd, exec producer; Diego Gregorio, line producer; Fernando Lorenzale, DP; Carlos Hoffman, assistant director; Cecilia Guerriero, art director; Mercedes Kicelian, costume stylist; Pablo Riera, editor. Music Human Justin Hori, arrangement of “Let It Be”; Justin Hori, Andrew Bloch, creative lead; James Dean Wells, exec producer; Pro Musica Youth Chorus, choir. Sound Design/Mix Sonic Union Steve Rosen, sound designer; Pat Sullivan, producer; Justine Cortale, studio director. Music Supervision Groove Guild Al Risi, music supervisor.
Director Gia Coppola Teams With Mejuri For “A New York Minute”; 1st Episode Takes Us To The Grocery Store
Mejuri, known for turning fine jewelry into an everyday luxury, has partnered with director Gia Coppola (The Last Show Girl, Palo Alto) and The Directors Bureau in Los Angeles, for the first time reimagining the brand’s story as episodic content. In a series of microfilms, co-created by Coppola and premiering following New York Fashion Week, Mejuri eschewed a typical celebrity campaign and cast us as voyeurs to a group of aspiring young women--real people, not actors--at the crossroads of their adult lives against the backdrop of New York City.
Titled “A New York Minute,” the series features five real-life friends, who include one perfectly imperfect heroine named Emma. The women celebrate ordinary moments and interactions which reveal, sometimes retrospectively, the extraordinary within the mundane. Adjacent to the brand’s own community, the 30-something year old cast includes Laura Love (Emma), Rebecca Ressler, Natalie Vall-Freed and Rozzi Crane. Mejuri’s jewelry makes an appearance as the best supporting actor.
“When I met with Gia and The Directors Bureau team, there was instant creative and personal chemistry and a natural alignment on the desire to push and blur the lines between marketing, storytelling, and the construct of what a ‘campaign’ could be,” said Jacob Jordan, chief brand officer, Mejuri. “Gia was able to push that idea into something that truly feels new and artful, with a realism and relatability that almost feels jarring. Gia was such a perfect collaborator and partner, someone I had complete trust in to be a catalyst for Mejuri’s values of celebrating women as their truest selves. I can’t wait for us to continue to tell the next chapters of this story.”
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