Backyard director Chace Strickland gives tech-obsessed kids a real-life California adventure in the stylish and exuberant new :60/:30 “Kids At Play” for Visit California—California’s Official Tourism Board—out of Mering Carson, Sacramento, CA. The spot features a gaggle of youths engaging in the natural, outdoor equivalents of texting, gaming, downloading and more. The takeaway: ditch the digital world and head west. nnStrickland and team covered numerous major recreational destinations in the Golden State and got authentic performances from kids of all ages. Says the director, “This was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had directing. All of the kids were great to work with and our production team was remarkably efficient and nimble.” nn”Kids at Play” opens on a boy luxuriating in a chaise lounge by a pool. He says, “You think kids don’t get out and play enough?” Next we see a girl riding a San Francisco trolley and another soaring down a zip-line through an old growth forest declaring, “We’ll just be online the whole time.” Trips to Sea World, rollercoasters “downloading,” forested rivers “streaming” and soccer on the beach “constantly gaming” follow. A group of kids on horseback, trotting under the Hollywood sign say, “Maybe kids should get out and play more,” followed by Modern Family’s Rico Rodriguez at Disneyland confidently stating, “But where… right here.” The Visit CA logo and tag “Find yourself here” close out the spot, enticing families to plan their play time in California. nn
nnAn expert at directing kids, Strickland gives young performers room to be themselves. Continues the director, “For me, it’s all about casting; that’s where the heavy lifting happens. You can pretty quickly see if the kid is magnetic and if they’ll be able to handle the challenges of production. On set, I try my best to make them feel completely comfortable, let them improv a bit and generally allow them to be kids.” nnAdds Backyard executive producer Eric Bonniot, “Chace is an exceptional collaborator. He makes everyone, including the performers, feel like they have a say. People love working with him; essential for a challenging shoot like this.”nnThe genesis of the creative was to take the tongue-in-cheek content of past Visit California campaigns and adapt it for families and kids. “We had a strong, relevant concept. Then we essentially tried to create a beautiful and realistic documentary,” says Strickland. Shot on the ARRI Alexa, Strickland employed a lot of handheld, technocrane and even a remote helicopter for challenging terrain and overhead shots.nnCreditsnClient: Visit CalifornianTitle: “Kids at Play” :60/:30nAirdate: currently airing nWhere shot: San Francisco, San Diego, L.A. and AnaheimnAgency: Mering Carson, Sacramento, CAnCreative Director: Greg CarsonnArt Director: Rob PetirenAgency Producers: Liz Ross, Janelle OkamotonProduction Company: Backyard Productions, BicoastalnDirector: Chace StricklandnDP: Kris KachikisnProducer: Kelly AmatonExecutive Producer: Eric BonniotnEditorial Company: Union Editorial, L.A.nEditor: EinarnMusic Company: Mophonics, Venice, CAnMusic Producer: Michael Frick nnWho is BACKYARD?nWe are Backyard: a trusted production company, defined by genuine talent and driven by a commitment to deliver inspired creativity beyond expectations.nnBackyard is led by President/Partner Blair Stribley, Partner Tom Duff and his Partners at Optimus, and new Partner Chris Zander.
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Goldcrest Post Speeds Delivery of “Severance” Season Two
The New York Times recently wrote that the just-released Season Two of Severance will “blow your mind”—and we couldn’t agree more. Created by Dan Erickson and Ben Stiller, the Apple TV+ drama is smart, spellbinding, distinctly original and packed with surprises. For those who aren’t already devoted fans, the show centers on Mark Scout (Adam Scott), leader of a team at Lumon Industries, whose employees have undergone a “severance” procedure that surgically divides their memories between their work and personal lives. Goldcrest Post provided post services for both seasons of the show, including picture editorial support, sound editorial, ADR and sound mixing. Editorial for Season One began in 2020. Due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, Goldcrest supplied both onsite production offices and edit suites, and remote editing systems for individual editors, with everything linked to a central server. "Mixing at Goldcrest with our team has been a great experience,” says Stiller. “Bob and Jacob are in sync with our creative process and so good at what they do that the experience is always one where it's about how we can enhance the creative vision, with a baseline of knowing everyone is totally committed to making something as good as it can be." Diana Dekajlo, the show’s co-producer, says that the arrangement worked so well, they chose to continue the hybrid approach for Season Two. “We’re a remote friendly show,” she explains. “Whether we’re at Goldcrest, our studio in the Bronx or at home, our workflow is seamless. I conduct remote daily meetings with my immediate staff, and weekly meetings with editorial and VFX, and we talk to each other as if we were just down the hall. It makes for great staff... Read More