A new national advertising campaign for the U.S. Census, directed by Bully Pictures‘ Fredrik Callinggard for IW Group/Draft FCB, makes its point about the importance of completing the government’s census form through the use of some remarkable cinematic magic. Each of the eight spots employs the same premise: a man crosses a street with his young daughter to deposit his census form in a mail box. As he does so, the camera performs a graceful 360 degree pan around him, while revealing that the street behind him—which had been deserted—is suddenly filled with people applauding his action.
Callinggard pulled off the clever illusion practically. The 360-degree camera move was performed by a Steadicam operator. Hundreds of actors were choreographed to step into place as the camera sweeps by to complete the miraculous tableau. The same scenario was shot eight times with different principals representing different ethnic groups. (To see the work click here.)
“The Steadicam move had to be executed perfectly as people and even vehicles were moving into place,” explains Bully Pictures executive producer Jason Forest. “At the same time, a drivable crane was following behind the Steadicam operator. The operator stepped into it at the end of the move and it lifted him in the air to reveal all the people.”
Callinggard directed a second spot for the U.S. Census that consists of a series of storytelling vignettes built around different iterations of the number “10” (the number of questions on the census form). Representations of the number appear as a pen and a coffee cup, balloons and signs on a delivery truck, among other things.
The U.S. Census is not the only advertiser to recently make use of Callinggard’s visual storytelling skills. He also just shot a spot for Suzuki and Siltanen and Partners launching the new Kizashi. The spot offers dynamic views of the sporty car on a stage bathed in laser lighting and driving through a desert environment. Bully Brothers Post handled post work for both the US Census and Suzuki work.
Callinggard has also recently directed a campaign for Sun Life Financial (where vignettes involving people with various financial needs are woven seamlessly into a single, circular camera move), and winter Olympics spots for Samsung and Coca-Cola.
Other directors on the Bully Pictures roster have also been active. Franco Marinelli directed a campaign for Microsoft in which a family tries out the new Natal gaming system (which does away with the controller). Daniel Kaufman, meanwhile, created a viral video for electronics manufacturer LG’s Live Borderless campaign. Involving a chipmunk and Dubai’s Burj Khalifa Tower, the world’s tallest building, it has generated more than 3 million hits. In a second project for Suzuki, Bully Pictures produced running footage for its full 2010 line. The ambitious 7-day shoot involved numerous locations, including rural, mountain, urban, and desert landscapes. Bully Pictures produced a similar package of running footage work for Cadillac and the Martin Retail Group.
Credits
Client: U.S. Census
Ad Agency: IW Group/Draft FCB
Production Company: Bully Pictures
Director: Fredrik Callinggard
DP: Adam Marsden
Executive Producer: Jason Forest
Post Production: Bully Bros. Post
Visual FX Supervisor/Artist: Kiki Chansamone
Post Producer: Gaelon Swift
Client: Suzuki
Ad Agency: Siltanen and Partners
Production Company: Bully Pictures
Director: Fredrik Callinggard
DP: Jordan Valenti
Executive Producer: Jason Forest
Post Production: Bully Bros. Post
Visual FX Supervisor/Artist: Kiki Chansamone
Post Producer: Gaelon Swift
Post Production: Syndicate Entertainment
Visual FX Supervisor/Artist: Bjorn Benckert
About Bully Pictures
Bully Pictures was formed in 2004 by Executive Producer Jason Forest as a full-service TV commercial, internet viral, short film, and international production service company. The company represents directors Fredrik Callinggard, Gaute Hesthagen, Daniel Kaufman, Christian Lyngbye, Franco Marinelli, Jeroen Mol, and Craig Tanimoto. For more information, write info@bullypictures.com.
