Directed by Noam Murro and Tim Godsall for Agency Innocean Americas, Hyundai Campaign Airing on Super Bowl XLIV and Academy Awards Broadcasts
PublicVFX, a recently formed commercial visual effects studio, has launched its new venture with the delivery of visual effects for Hyundai’s latest ad campaign. Four of the 13 thirty-second ads from the package, “Body Pass,” “Paint Sonata,” “10 Years/ Favre” and “Luxury,” debuted during the Super Bowl XLIV broadcast on Sunday, February 7. Additional spots are set to air during the Academy Awards in March, giving the Hyundai campaign the two largest television audiences of the year. Public also worked on the new Dodge campaign directed by Mark Romanek of Anonymous for Wieden + Kennedy, which was also unveiled during the Super Bowl.
The Hyundai campaign, narrated by actor Jeff Bridges, was directed by acclaimed directors Noam Murro and Tim Godsall of Biscuit Filmworks for Innocean Americas, Hyundai’s Irvine-based agency.
To illustrate the quality and hand-built ethos of the Hyundai line, “Body Pass” was shot at the manufacturer’s plant in Montgomery, Alabama, one of the most technologically advanced in the world. Dozens of workers are seen tenderly carrying a Sonata โ a perfect CG replica generated by Public โ down a spiral staircase and through a configuration of office cubicles while Jeff Bridges explains that “having every one of our team members in charge of quality makes it feel as if the all-new Sonata was built by hand.”
Set to classical music, “Paint Sonata” is a visually elegant ode to the robotically based paint process lavished on each Hyundai model at its plant. “10 Years/ Favre” uses computer-generated imagery from Public as metaphors for Hyundai’s 10 Year Protection Plan. Set in the year 2020, a gray-haired and digitally aged 50-year-old Brett Favre accepts the MVP Award in the form of a holographic trophy and hedges about the possibility of his retirement. Bridges’ voiceover reminds us that that “We don’t know what things will be like in 10 years, but we can assure you that your Hyundai will be covered.”
The most broadly comedic spot, “Luxury,” plays off Hyundai’s affordable price point and style and features photorealistic CG elements and compositing by Public. A sleek white yacht, which would be at home in St. Tropez, is parked alongside a modest suburban home. A pick up game of basketball in a gritty neighborhood gets a Vegas-style interpretation with an inlaid marble court, hoop suspended from an ornate column and an haute couture basketball. A downtown environment, spangled with crystal chandeliers, flaunts a red-carpeted pedestrian crossing.
Robert Prins, Creative Director at Innocean, said of the agency’s collaboration with Public “From the very beginning they worked side by side with us. No detail was overlooked. They were tireless and worked 24/7. Without the artistic and realistic perfection that Public put into these spots, they would never have worked.”
Public’s co-owner and creative director Tony Smoller, who has extensive live action and digital production experience, provided on set supervision for the campaign’s 12-day Los Angeles shoot, as well as five days at the Hyundai plant in Alabama. “We feel very fortunate to have been a part of this high profile campaign for Hyundai,” said Smoller. “The natural synergy between Innocean and Public resulted in the seamless visual execution of their concepts and has really affirmed our desire for creative challenge and growth.”
Public used a variety of hardware and software on the Hyundai spots, including Autodesk Maya and Flame, Side Effects Houdini and SynthEyes camera tracking and stabilization. The entire campaign was edited by the award-winning editorial company Spot Welders.
Other visual effects credits for Public include “Global Hawk” for Northrop Grumman’s “Minds Behind It All” campaign directed by Jeff Darling of Believe for McCann L.A.; Target “I Got A Feeling” directed by Jonas Ackerlund of Serial Pictures for Wieden + Kennedy; and “Drive One,” the launch of the 2010 Ford Taurus, directed by Mikon van Gastel of A Very Small Office/NY for agency JWT/Team Detroit.
Public also provided finishing services for Yahoo! “Anthem,” directed by Samuel Bayer for Ogilvy; Cisco Systems directed by Peyton Reed of Moxie Pictures for Ogilvy/West; and Ford 2.0, a series of more than 40 television and online commercials directed by The Malloys of HSI for Team Detroit.
About PublicVFX
PublicVFX was founded in late 2009 by Creative Director and VFX Supervisor Tony Smoller and the principals of editorial company Spot Welders, David Glean and Michael Heldman. Their joint venture culminated in the merger of visual effects companies Moving Pixels and Sea Level as a way to leverage the strengths of the newly formed independent studio Public VFX and Spot Welders‘ award-winning editorial talent to produce top-tier work for their clients. Located in the creative hub of Venice, California, in a space designed by noted architect Roy McMakin, PublicVFX specializes in innovative 2D and 3D visual effects, animation, design and supervision for the commercial and advertising industries.
For more information, please visit www.publicvfx.com or call 310-450-6969.
For full credits, approved stills, clips, and further information: Tony Smoller, Creative Director Public VFX 69 Market Street Venice, CA 90291 310.450.6969 Contact by email
Contact:Kim Nagel, Executive Producer Public VFX 69 Market Street Venice, CA 90291 310.450.6969 Contact via email
“ฦvolution” Comes Full Circle At The Chelsea Film Festival
The Chelsea Film Festival, running from October 16th through October 20th, 2024, at Regal Cinemas here in Union Square, is set to host the East Coast premiere of ฦvolution, a thought-provoking experimental micro-short film that proves big ideas can come in small packages and in perfect circles.
In just 1 minute 16 seconds, this cinematic gem by Award-Winning Director Romina Schwedler, with original music by Argentine Composer Ignacio Montoya Carlotto, explores a cycle as old as time: life leads to progress, progress leads to destruction, and destruction, well, leads back to life. But is this vicious circle unbreakable? ฦvolutionย suggests the answer is yes, unless we decide to open our eyes.
Inspired by the overwhelming number of recent events that threaten human existence,ย ฦvolution, possibly the shortest film in this 12th edition of the festival, plays out entirely through the symbolism of circles, cleverly illustrating โin the blink of an eyeโ the repeating patterns of history, and confronting viewers with the uncomfortable truth that our so-called โprogressโ may, in fact, be guiding us to our own ruin.Premiering at the Regal 14 Union Square, New York City, on October 18, 2024, at 11 a.m., Romina Schwedler's micro-short, featuring Leah Young with cinematography by Alan J. Carmona, will be sure to spark conversations longer than the film itself! Forcing viewers to reconsider the true meaning of evolution, not just as a biological process, but as a reflection of our collective journey as humans.
With a string of festival appearances across the globe, including CineGlobe at CERN (Switzerland/France), Oscarยฎ... Read More