DTS Digital Entertainment enlisted director Ross Ching of Los Angeles-based A Common Thread to create a visually arresting and engaging video for this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which convened last month in Las Vegas. “The Painted Orchestra” 1:20, in 3D debuted at CES and now featured online, utilizes in-camera effects to speak volumes about DTS’ Neo-X 11.1 immersive surround sound system.
The video opens with a young conductor, on a concert stage addressing his orchestra. As he prepares to conduct the symphony, the maestro reaches down and activates a DTS receiver. The shot widens to reveal a stage full of large metallic drums, resembling oversized organ pipes. The conductor raises his baton and as the music comes up, we learn that the pipe-drums are actually custom-built cylindrical speakers, arranged as individual instruments. As each of the speakers play their notes, we see vibrant colors bursting from their tops, in synchronization with the composition. The music swells, colors splashes fill the screen and the viewer is immersed in the experience. The crescendo concludes on ‘DTS’ formed in the paint, which morphs into the DTS logo, closing out the video.
CREATING AN ORCHESTRA
One Plus Two creative director James McNutt approached A Common Thread (ACT) to create a promotional video for CES, to showcase DTS’ latest surround sound technology. ACT and director Ching wanted to stimulate all the senses with the visuals, employing 3D, Hi Def, and High Speed to heighten the overall experience. Says Ching “We wanted it to be memorable, like witnessing a live symphony. That become the driving force: what if we replaced a regular orchestra with speaker heads? With paint on top?”
The production assembled an ‘orchestra’ of 40 fabricated sono tubes, embedded with speakers and covered with industrial latex rubber. To capture the action of the paint, the team shot at 500 frames per second, so the paint needed to fire within .02 seconds of each other. In preparation to control the paint firing and minimize human error, a series of 20-100hz tones was created in Pro Tools and lined up in .001 seconds intervals; this allowed the production team to time precise ‘firing’ of the paint. The tones were channeled from Pro Tools to the mixing board, which routed each tone to the correct amplifier; the amplification of the signal caused the vibration of the latex film on top of the speaker, sending the paint shooting into the air.
The crew employed two IDT Y5 HD Diablo cameras, the same type used in making of the Academy Award-honored films, The Hurt Locker and 127 Hours. The cameras were configured on a 21st Century 3D BX3 rig, and mounted on a Technocrane to capture all angles on the one-day shoot. Upon completion, Brickyard did finishing in the Flame, adding the concert background and enhancing the 3D effects.
About A Common Thread
Since 2004, Executive Producers J. P. McMahon and Tristan Drew have lead A Common Thread with a shared vision of high production values and straight-forward communication. Their collaborative approach fosters trusting, strong, and lasting relationships with both agencies and clients alike. The micro studio is consistently building its reputation for creating content that surpasses all expectations, working with such brands as Pepsi, T-Mobile, McDonald’s, SC Johnson, Colgate-Palmolive, and KIA
Credits
Client: DTS Digital Entertainment
Airdate: currently online
Title: “The Paint Orchestra” 1:20
Production Company: A Common Thread, Los Angeles, CA
Director: Ross Ching
DP: Jim Matlosz
Producer: Carl Hampe
Exec. Producer: J.P. McMahon, Tristan Drew
Advertising Agency: One Plus Two, Inc. Los Angeles, CA
Creative Director: James McNutt
Editorial Company: A Common Thread Los Angeles, CA
Editor: Darren Roark
Visual Effects Company/Telecine: Brickyard, Santa Monica, CA
VFX Supervisor/ Lead Artist: Mandy Sorenson
VFX Artist: Patrick Poulatian
VFX Artist: Chris Sonia
Executive Producer: Jeff Blodgett
Audio Post Company: DTS
Sound Mixer: Fred Maher
Composers: Diego Stocco and Patrick Leonard
