The directorial duo Mindcastle–consisting of Danielle Krieger and Casey Warren–from production house Sanctuary has teamed with effects studio a52 on a spot for Microsoft Mesh, which enables presence and shared experiences via mixed reality applications.
This resourceful technology which facilitates meaningful collaboration and connection is showcased in this client-direct commercial, aptly titled “Mesh.”
Client Microsoft David Wolfe, John Nguyen, creative directors; Dave Carleson, concept artist. Production Company Sanctuary, Culver City, Calif. Mindcastle, director; Pat Scola, DP; Noah Thomason, live-action producer; Melissa Myers, production designer; Preston Lee, founder/exec producer. VFX/Animation a52, Santa Monica, Calif. Jesse Monsour, Urs Furrer, VFX supervisors; Kirk Shintani, art director/CG supervisor; Richard Hirst, Andrew McKenna, Matt Sousa, Steven Wolf, John Valle, Michael Vaglienty, Enid Dalkoff, Flame artists; Dustin Mellum, Ariana Ziae Mohseni, Aemilia Widodo, Weiyo Sha, Bryan Cox, Josh Dyer, Jose Limon, Jade Smrz, Joe Paniagua, Mike Di Nocco, Derek Friesenborg, Joseph Chiechi, Mike Bettinardi, Christoffer Bjerre, Haram Jung, Lusine Arakelyan, 3D artists; Jeff Han, design art director; Carlo Sa, Christoffer Bjerre, designers; John Valle, online editor; Niki Love Goodwin, sr. producer; Sara Dotson, production coordinator; Stacy Kessler-Aungst, head of production; Michael Steinmann, head of CG production; Patrick Nugent, Kim Christensen, EPs; Jennifer Sofio Hall, managing director. (Toolbox: Flame, Maya, Vray, SpeedTree, Houdini, Nuke, Photoshop, Substance Painter, Cinema4D, After Effects). Color Primary, Santa Monica, Calif. Daniel De Vue, colorist; Corey Martinez, color assistant; Jenny Bright, color producer; Thatcher Peterson, exec producer. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Ted Guard, editor; Michel Shugarman, assistant editor; Sasha Grubor, producer; Shada Shariatzadeh, exec producer; Dre Krichevsky, head of production; Eve Kornblum, managing director. Music Future Perfect John Connolly, composer/partner; Maxwell Gosling, partner; Nathalie Cordoba, producer.
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
