Buster, a conceptual design studio that specializes in motion graphics for the advertising and broadcasting industries, was retained by FOX Broadcasting Company (FOX) to develop, animate and produce an on-air teaser campaign behind FOX’s upcoming Fall 2008 TV series "Fringe." Buster is a division of Stun Creative; Stun Creative co-presidents Mark Feldstein and Brad Roth made the announcement.
NOTE: to view this work, please visit: http://www.busterdesign.tv.client/fox/fringefinals.html
For the on-air tease animation promotion for "Fringe," Buster worked from the initial graphic symbols found in nature that had been developed by the internal design team at FOX. These symbols are key points for viewers to key into, and to tap into the show’s science and nature themed premise. Buster developed a number of 10-second on-air tease animations which have been seen on FOX Television since mid June.
Says Jonas Morganstein, Buster’s Executive Creative Director and Executive Producer, “When Michael Vamosy and Justin Owens from FOX showed us their print campaign for ‘Fringe,’ we knew their approach would translate well to on-air. The print campaign features a series of elements found in nature, like a leaf or an apple, that appear to look normal at first. But after closer inspection, you realize there are incongruous elements in the imagery – a geometric pattern in the leaf and two human embryos inside the apple. To translate these concepts into a series of 10-second teaser promos, we decided to create that same sense of surreal discovery, by opening the visuals on a normal (though eerie) scene, and then slowly revealing a tweaked/unusual detail. Our challenge was to amp up the show’s promise of mysterious storytelling, while keeping the imagery subtle enough for the viewer to say, ‘Woa– did I just see what I think I saw?”
Michael Vamosy, Senior Vice President, Design, FOX, “Buster did a great job of bringing our ‘Fringe’ icons to life. We’ve been using these icons in an interesting and mysterious way to lure viewers into the show with a visual puzzle. By seeing these elements move and listening to the sound design that Buster created for us, our viewers get a chance to react to them in a whole new way.”
Said Justin Owens, Director, Broadcast Design, FOX, “Buster took the already intriguing and mysterious icons from ‘Fringe’ to a whole new level. They pushed past the expected and delivered, well, the unexpected. They not only helped to graphically build the entrance to the rabbit hole, but helped send viewers right down it as well.”
Kurt Spenser, Buster Creative Director & Head of Production, adds that, “Michael Vamosy and Justin Owens always stand at the forefront of exciting new promotional ideas. It’s an honor to be right there with them on this campaign. The new ‘Fringe’ franchise will no doubt break new ground not just on television, but across all media, and it’s awesome to be part of that creative team at the early stages.”
BUSTER CREDITS:
Jonas Morganstein, Executive Creative Director & Executive Producer
Kurt Spenser, Creative Director & Head of Production
Brandon Pleus, Line Producer
ABOUT “FRINGE”
FOX’s upcoming drama series "Fringe" is produced by Warner Bros., and centers around a female FBI agent who is forced to work with an institutionalized scientists in order to rationalize a brewing storm of unexplained phenomena.
Described as a cross between “The X-Files,” “Altered States” and “The Twilight Zone,” “Fringe,” like Abrams’ previous TV shows, will have an overarching mythology. “Fringe” is scheduled for a two-hour premiere on FOX on September 9, 2008 at 8:00 p.m. The show stars Anna Torv, Christopher Britton, Joshua Jackson, Charlotte Rampling, Kirk Acevedo, Lance Reddick, Mark Valley, John Noble, Blair Brown and Jasika Nicole.
ABOUT BUSTER:
Launched in 2004 by co-presidents Brad Roth and Mark Feldstein as a division of their noted advertising agency Stun Creative, Buster is a conceptual design studio specializing in original animated content for the advertising and broadcast industries. Led by Executive Creative Director Jonas Morganstein, Buster provides its clients with a one-stop solution, by developing and delivering dynamic ideas driven by innovative imagery that always tells a story.
Buster’s core services include design, animation and live action direction for TV commercials, TV show opens and network packages. The studio’s work has become renowned internationally for its “Sometimes Dramatic, Sometimes Quirky, but Always Intriguing” style.
Among Buster’s clients are HBO, Food Network, Bravo, HGTV, MTV, Discovery Channel, ESPN, FX and AMC to name a few.
Buster is located at 5757 Wilshire Blvd, Suite # 600, Los Angeles, CA, 90036. The phone is 323/460.4035, and the web is www.busterdesign.tv.
ABOUT STUN CREATIVE:
Launched in 2000 by co-presidents Mark Feldstein and Brad Roth, Stun Creative is an award winning, Los Angeles-based advertising agency and production company that specializes in writing, directing and producing spots and
campaigns for cable and broadcast networks as well as the major studios.
Stun also boasts a motion graphics design and animation studio, Buster, which creates show opens, promo packages, and consumer brand advertising.
Stun’s most recent clients include TBS, TNT, FX, Bravo, ABC, Discovery Channel, Disney Channel, Sundance Channel, 20th Television, to name a few. The Stun most recently produced the web series “The Writers Room” for Sony Pictures Television.
Stun Creative is located at 5757 Wilshire Blvd, Suite # 600, LA, CA, 90036. The phone is 323/460-4035 and the web is www.stuncreative.com.
