Kevin Ward of bi-coastal Original has directed a new, action-driven campaign for CASIO in which extreme athletes test the ultimate toughness of the company’s new G’zOne Commando™ wireless phone. Conceived by The Richards Group, the campaign comprises six spots and features elite athletes from surfing, BMX racing, adventure running and other sports.nnIn one spot, a boxer pounds a phone strapped to a heavy bag. It survives. In another, three phones are strapped to the hood and undercarriage of a rally car that then proceeds to roar through a rugged, dirt course. The phones continue to work flawlessly. The spots end with the tagline, “Shock resistant…water resistant…life resistant.”nWard, who began his career as a stuntman and stunt driver, is an expert at staging and recording extreme action. He shot the six spots in four days while utilizing locations ranging from desert mountains to the beach. A variety of cameras were employed to record the action, including compact DSLRs that could be harnessed to the cars and bikes, and a helmet cam worn by the runners.nn
nn”I had an advantage with this campaign in that I have personally participated in all the activities it shows,” says Ward. “I know when an athlete is the real deal and whether a performance is believable.”nnThe production schedule was extremely tight, and the action sequences required careful planning, yet the feeling on the set remained relaxed and improvisatory. “The creative team from The Richards Group was a dream to work with—so confident and comfortable,” Ward recalls. “They let me do my thing and offered incisive input.”nnWard also had praise for the product, noting that even after the cameras were off, the crew continued to try to damage the phones. “The product is badass,” Ward says. “We couldn’t kill it.”nnnnCreditsnTitles: Surf, Rally, Yoga, Fight, BMX, AdventurenClient: CASIOnAgency: The Richards Group, Dallas. Chuck Schiller, creative director/writer; Aaron Thornton, creative director/art director; Paul Nelson, producer; Craig Atkinson, brand manager. nProduction: Original, Culver City, Ca. Kevin Ward, director; Marc Lasko, executive producer.nnAbout OriginalnOriginal is led by executive producers Bruce Mellon, Joe Piccirillo, Marc Lasko and Jeff Devlin, and maintains production offices in Los Angeles and New York City. The company’s post production division, headed by Jonathan Del Gatto, provides editorial, design, graphics and visual effects services. Original is represented on the West Coast by Options, (310) 578-9383; on the East Coast by Jeff Devlin, (212) 832 2271; in the Midwest by KK Reps (312) 533-4047; and in Texas by Jack Reed, (214) 213-8249. For more information, call (310) 445-9000 or (212) 832-2271, or visit www.originalfilm.com.Joe Piccirillo Executive Producer Original 310.445.9000 Contact Joe via email
Contact:Marc Lasko Executive Producer Original 310.445.9000 Contact Mark 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