The latest creative assignment for Filmworkers was like a license to print money. A team of artists from the facility created visual effects for a new campaign for the Illinois Lottery and Energy BBDO in which people are inundated by showers of coins and cash.
In one spot, an announcer reads winning numbers in the Illinois Lottery’s Mega Millions game while members of an office pool react first in shock and later in raptures of joy as coins and currency rain down on them in greater and greater proportions. Two men stare in awe as the car they are riding in is pelted by thousands of quarters. Back in the office, workers cover their heads or duck under desks to escape an even greater storm of money. Upon realizing they have won, the lucky workers explode in celebration.
A portion of the raining money was shot practically, but the vast majority of the tumbling loot was created in post production by the team from Filmworkers. Visual Effects Director Rob Churchill led the team as 3D artists created CG models of coins and bills that were then composited into the background environments by VFX Artists. To view the work click here.
“We initially shot test footage of cars passing on the street,” Churchill recalls. “To that we added thousands of CG model coins and bills to test our animation ideas. Ultimately the CG money proved to be so realistic, it was indistinguishable from the real stuff.
“That test was a great reference both for our artists and for Dante Ariola, the director; it helped give all of us a feel for how bills fall and helped Dantes team by having a previsualization to refer to on set.”
The animation of the computer-generated money was orchestrated to add to the fun of the story. “Dante and the agency team wanted to see a progression,” Churchill notes. “It starts with a few coins, then we add more and more. Ultimately, it almost becomes a hazard as a windshield breaks and a car is nearly hit by a train. Ultimately, people are practically waist deep in money.”
Credits
Agency: Energy BBDO, Chicago. Dan Fietsam, Chief Creative Officer; Brigette Whisnant, Head of Production; Liz Zorek, Senior Producer; Mike Roe, GCD/Copywriter; Frank Dattalo, GCD/Art Director; Grant Tennison, Creative Director; Anna Bleers, Ryan Hallquist and Aly Sander, Account Persons.
Production: MJZ. Jeff Scruton, Executive Producer; Dante Ariola, Director; Natalie Hill, Line Producer; Toby Irwin, Director of Photography.
Edit: Peepshow Post, New York. Andrea Macarthur.
Music: Spank Music
Audio: CRC. Michael Mason, Mixer.
Sound Design: Secret Frequency. Jeff Van Steen, Sound Designer.
Post: Filmworkers. Todd Freese, VFX Set Supervisor; Rob Churchill, VFX Director; Fred Keller, Colorist; Rick Thompson, VFX Artist; Todd Kumpf and Charlie Peterson, CG Artists; Mary O’Gara, Eexecutive Producer.
