Full-service production company Iron Claw brings the chills in a powerful opening sequence for EA Sports’ blockbuster video game “Madden NFL 13” featuring Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Ray Lewis. In the two-minute piece, Lewis sits in a dark locker room sharing his battle-tested insights into what it takes to be the best, and to build a legacy in the NFL.nnnTo view the opening sequence online click here.n n"The crew at Iron Claw was instrumental in this project," says Jean Adams, EA Sports "Madden NFL 13" Creative Director. "They captured the emotion of the NFL and created a piece that describes our product better than words could convey. The community loves this piece and describes it as the best intro in sports games. They get chills every time they see it and for the first time, refuse to skip it before going in game."n n"As a video game brand, Madden represents the best NFL interactive experience," adds Jeremy Wabiszczewicz, Iron Claw Art Director, who directed the live-action opening sequence. "It has a mass dedicated following. Our challenge to engage the player in an unexpected way from the moment the game boots up for the first time. This sequence was all about legacy. Ray Lewis has a tremendous ability to motivate people, and gives off this indefinable savage energy. I wanted to exploit that visually. From there, the concept wrote itself."n nThe boot flow or opener for "Madden NFL 13" differs from the more traditional motion graphics piece for "Madden NFL 12," which Iron Claw also created. This time around, the client gave Iron Claw a canvas to create a true narrative. Wabiszczewicz says the user has a more personal role in the game, developing teams and players, and connecting to friends and others through the hub of the game experience.n n"EA wanted to focus on Lewis and his career along with some key additions to the Madden game itself," explains Wabiszczewicz. "They were implementing the Infinity Engine, which inserts physics into the game for more organic movements of the football players. This more or less changes the core feel of the game, and the in-depth depth career mode is like a role-playing game for Madden players. It was up to us to create a piece that encompassed these elements, and build a story out of it."n nIron Claw produced the shoot in Los Angeles, using the increasingly popular RED Epic camera. The team jumped immediately into post, augmenting the live-action shots with CG using Maya and composited with After Effects.n n"Ray Lewis played a big part, beyond just being the feature of the piece," concludes Wabiszczewicz. "He’s clearly a creatively-minded guy and understanding of the process of a visual effects-heavy piece. It was great to collaborate with Jean Adams, [Executive Producer] Anthony Stevenson and [Post Production Director] Steve Brooks. The kernel and vision started with these guys, and we just took the ball and ran with it. EA has been a fantastic client through the years and offers a lot of creative latitude. The gaming industry has really created a new landscape for the visual narrative."n nCreditsnProject: EA Sports “Madden NFL 13” Opening SequencenAirdate: August 28, 2012 n nClient: Electronic ArtsnCreative Director: Jean Adams nExecutive Producer: Anthony StevensonnPost Production Director: Steve Brooksn nProduction Company: Iron Claw Los Angeles, CAnDirector: Jeremy Wabiszczewicz nDP: Stacy Toyama nExecutive Producer: Greg TalmagenProducer: Carmen BosleynWhere shot: Los Angeles, CAn nEditorial Company: Iron ClawnEditor: Davon Ramos nAssistant Editor: Anthony Golibersuchn nVFX Company: Iron ClawnExecutive Producer: Greg TalmagenCreative Director: Jeremy WabiszczewicznProduction Coordinators: David Thomas, Judy Bowersn3D Animators: Brendan Eddy, Kevin Lim, Tim Ryann2D Animators: Ryan Levitus, Ramzi Hogan, Link Huang, Adam Smith, Luis Vegan nAbout Iron Claw www.ironclaw.comnIron Claw is a boutique full-service production company that specializes in design and visual effects for the film, television and video game industries. Recent clients include NBC Sports, ESPN, EA Sports, Toyota, and Suzuki. Iron Claw is represented by iartists.
Michele Lu Kumar Priya PR 310.922.0464 Contact Michele via email
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