When Smith Brothers Agency landed the national launch of Red Bull’s first-ever new flavors, they turned to Animal, Inc for help. With a small team, and an even tighter deadline, the Animal team, led by director Samm Hodges, designed a :30 & :15 to announce Red Bull’s three new flavors: cranberry, lime and blueberry.nnThe only creative mandate was to use the new cans – and those cans only – to tell the story. nnThe idea of flight in some ways is a straightforward choice for Red Bull, who of course, “gives you wings.” Characterizing that flight as something unique and compelling on a crazy tight turnaround was a little less straightforward. Animal‘s Samm Hodges said, “We immediately came to the conclusion that we didn’t want to have the cans form any man-made object like planes or jet turbines. Instead, we took cues from nature, especially the flocking of birds and fractal patterns to communicate flight in a more abstract way. It took a little custom coding and a lot of trial and error, but we ended up with something everyone involved was really proud of.”nnThe cg team, headed up by lead cg artist Lenny Wilson, had about four weeks to make more than 40,000 cans take flight. nn
nView ‘Flight’ here. nnMedia placement includes massive YouTube and Spotify preroll buys, ESPN and MTV website takeovers, NBA playoff banners, and massive outdoor LCD screens at Penn Station and Victory Park.nnCreditsnAd Agency Smith Brothers Agency, Pittsburgh, PAnCo-Chief Creative Officers Lindsey & Bronson SmithnExecutive Creative Director/Digital Brian MoorenCreative Director/Writer Cathy BowennArt Director Geoff HoskinsonnAccount Supervisor Kelly McCormicknAssociate Director of Production Sam KesslernProduction Company: AnimalnDirector: Samm HodgesnCreative Director: Michael KillennExecutive Producer: Kathy DziubeknCG Lead: Lenny WilsonnAnimator: Carver KoallanAnimator: Marcin ZeglinskinAnimator: Julio ClavijonAnimator: Hannes WeikertnEditor: Steve HoovernColorist: Allan Stallard nProducer: Nathan VoltznAssociate Producer: Ally OleyniknnAbout AnimalnFounded in 2001 by director and vfx artist Michael Killen, vfx artist Jim Kreitzburg and Executive Producer Kathy Dziubek, Animal operates as a lean, multi-disciplinary studio, partnering with national and international brands and advertising agencies to deliver world-class visual effects and transmedia for the broadcast, broadband and feature film worlds.nnAnimal interweaves post production and production, providing creative and technical involvement at the conceptual stage, as well as on set supervision and custom-tailored services across the range of offerings from both studios, including motion graphics, visual effects and CGI, color grading, finishing and compositing.nnFor more information, please visit www.animaleast.com
Kathy Dziubek Animal 412-566-5656 Contact Kathy via email
Who Needs Los Angeles? We Do.
One doesn't have to be a statistician to know that there are fewer commercials being shot in the U.S. today for the American market than ever before, and a dramatic decrease in L.A. in particular. In the last five years, as reported by FilmLA (the office tasked with issuing permits), L.A. commercial production has dipped 31 percent. But here’s the thing: This doesn’t mean that L.A. has lost its importance as the production center of the world. Production in L.A. is vital. It is the go-to. It’s where you can count on access to exemplary crews, a support infrastructure second to none, varied location and backlot options, a large population of on-screen talent and (fairly) predictable weather. The fact is, with overall decline and now the devastation of the fires, we’re on the brink of losing this mainstay resource. Without employment opportunities and now many without homes, talented and trained crew are bound to leave either the industry or the LA area for other opportunities, unless there are enough job opportunities to sustain a solid living. Now is the time when we ALL must support and bolster this community. Production is needed in L.A., now! Of course, advertising is a business, and marketers’ money should be spent as efficiently as possible, BUT we have to think beyond each production and know that if we lose the incredible resource of L.A. production as we know it, then marketers, agencies and the industry loses in the long run. Over the past several days, some agencies have issued directives to production companies that are unilaterally pushing upcoming production options out of L.A. The fact is L.A. is a large area, and many sections of the city and county are not directly impacted... Read More