Ad agency AKQA teamed with VFX/post studio MPC and director Paul Hunter of production house PRETTYBIRD on this film that tells the world about the grand makeover at Palms Casino. In this cinematic piece, we see the old hotel being physically destroyed to make way for the new.
The spot shows the hotel being demolished by a group of people in an epic fashion, along to the soothing soundtrack of Sasha Distel’s “La Belle Vie.”
MPC handled all VFX for the film, which was graded by MPC’s Ricky Gausis, including the raging inferno that destroys the hotel kitchen, flying debris that scatters in slow motion across the screen and placing a full-sized shark in the tank behind the bar.
Toya Drechsler, MPC’s VFX supervisor, commented on the collaboration process: “From the beginning, it was clear that Paul Hunter and AKQA wanted to achieve an intense, filmic look. The collaboration with them started before the shoot, as we had the opportunity to give our input on the creative decisions around the VFX-heavy shots. We worked closely with the team throughout the process, attending the shoot, the editing sessions and continuously communicating with AKQA to make sure we were achieving their vision while ultimately pushing the look a step further.”
Credits
Client Palms Casino Agency AKQA Portland Alice Chiapperini, sr. art director; Matteo Capaldi, sr. copywriter; Aaron Seymour-Anderson, creative director; Carlos Bernal, Benjamin Parisot, associate design directors; Riaad Merwe, associate creative director; Dustin Freeman, executive producer; Carlos Matias, international design director; Antoine Christian, art director; Terry Lee, designer; Chris Lopez, associate designer; Felipe Yamaoka, designer. Production PRETTYBIRD Paul Hunter, director; Linus Sandgren, DP; William Green, line producer; Ali Brown, VP, exec producer; Kerstin Emhoff, co-founder/exec producer. Editorial Cabin Editing Company Sam Ostrove, Randy Baublis, editors; Doug Scott, assistant editor; Remy Foxx, head of production; Carr Schilling, managing partner. VFX MPC LA Rob Hodgson, creative director; Toya Drechsler, VFX supervisor; Elexis Stearn, exec producer; Jamie Loudon, VFX producer; Dylan Brown, Rodrigo Jimenez, Kelsey Napier, Rob Ufer, Andre Arevalo, Gustavo Bellon, Jon Rogala, Joshi John, Akhil KP, Ankit Dheraj, Rahul Verma, Manideep Setty, 2D team; Ricky Gausis, colorist; Rebecca Boorsma, producer, color; Meghan Lang, exec producer, color. (Toolbox: Nuke, Nuke Studios)
In this Super Bowl :30 for Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cup--directed by Matias & Mathias of Epoch Films for agency Erich & Kallman--a concerned park ranger reports live from the site of an active volcano where Reese’s fans are going to extreme lengths to get their hands and taste buds on the lava flow.
As passion builds, a team of park rangers rein in the mayhem--saving grandma from scootering into the hot flowing molten lava--and try to clear up the confusion: “Don‘t eat lava. Eat ooey-gooey Chocolate Lava.”
“There’s nothing better than seeing our fans go wild over new flavor additions to the classic Reese’s chocolate and peanut butter combo,” said Ryan Riess, VP of brand strategy and creative development, The Hershey Company. “The Big Game is the perfect stage to showcase our fan’s energy – whether that be from the top of a volcano or on the couch during football Sunday.”
In a joint statement, directors Matias & Mathias said of the “Don’t Eat Lava” spot, “Although the characters’ obsession with Reese’s Chocolate Lava Big Cups is completely realistic and very easy to identify with, our favorite part of this project was seeing all the talented people we got to work with become obsessed with making the lava flows of our dreams become a reality.”
