This New York Lottery spot takes us to medieval times as a small band of warriors learns that they will be going up against a well-armed force of 200,000 to 300,000 fighters.
One of the over-matched men flees immediately upon hearing the news. The leader of the remaining group then goes over their options. They can fight or they can instead take leave and play the New York Lottery’s Take 5 game where they have a 1 in 9 chance of winning.
Given the odds, they exit for Lotto time.
Tom Kuntz of MJZ directed “Medieval” for McCann New York. The spot starts out as a dramatic cinema style scene, a misdirect that gives way to comedy that allows our band of merry men to escape a dire situation.
Credits
Client New York Lottery Agency McCann New York Eric Silver, North American chief creative officer; Sean Bryan, Tom Murphy, chief creative officers, NY; Mat Bisher, Dan Donovan, executive creative directors; Jason Ashlock, Dominick Baccollo, creative directors; Johan Leandersson, sr. art director; Andy Sciamanna, sr. copywriter; Nathy Aviram, chief production officer; Tamara Lecker, sr. producer; Eric Johnson, SVP, executive music producer; Dan Gross, music producer; Laura Frank, VP strategy director. Production MJZ Tom Kuntz, director; David Zander, president; Eriks Krumins, sr. executive producer. Editorial Rock Paper Scissors Carlos Arias, editor; Eve Kornblum, executive producer; Maria Lee, assistant editor; Taylor Colbert, producer. Conform, VFX EightVFX Music Cavalry Audio Post Heard City Telecine Company 3
FCB Health New York, an IPG Health company, and SAFE Project have joined forces to create “The Snowball,” a short film that spotlights winter as a common catalyst for dangerous increases in alcohol consumption. In collaboration with creative studio LOBO, “The Snowball” combines a compelling visual metaphor with cutting-edge animation and a haunting soundtrack from Billie Holiday.
As millions embrace “Dry January,” the onset of colder, shorter winter days still leads to an uptick in alcohol misuse, which can lead to liver cirrhosis and other medical maladies and dangerous consequences for one’s life. Speaking to casual drinkers, “The Snowball” visually illustrates how anyone is at risk of becoming addicted to alcohol during this time of year when external climate variables can lead to excess consumption, even if the drinker does not immediately realize it.
Making good on the metaphor, the film follows one man as a quick liquor run gradually devolves into a full-blown addiction as a snowball gradually grows beside him, engulfing his whole life and eventually causing his demise. Set to the tune of Billie Holiday’s “Everything I Have Is Yours,” the film’s pathos is drawn from the sonic integrity of Holiday’s original recording maintained in the sound design as well as the singer’s tragic battle with substance abuse.
This entirely animated film was created using a hands-on, collaborative process rooted in traditional animation techniques, with every aspect of the artwork creation, design, and craftsmanship crafted entirely by human hands. AI-driven tools and processes were brought in during the animation rendering stage, helping the film achieve a distinct visual style that would have been difficult to achieve through... Read More
