Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/102700
VFX For Commercials QuietMan's work for Emergen-C starts off as live action and then turns into fully-animated pieces. Chris Noellert (left) and Matt Thunell head up Carbon VFX's new Santa Monica office. 30 a West Coast operation based in Santa Monica. Executive producer Matt Thunell was brought on in April, and more recently CD/ lead Flame artist/VFX supervisor Chris Noellert came on board. Carbon is a sister company to editorial facility White House Post, which has several locations in the US, and well as in London and Amsterdam. The new Santa Monica space, says Noellert, will offer the same services as the New York location — mainly 2D design and visual effects — but will also expand its services by offering full 3D and color expertise. The team plans on finishing work on its office space during the first quarter of 2013, and then building up its team of artists. That doesn't mean they are sitting back when it comes to client work, however. They have already contributed to a number of projects, including a live-action BMW campaign that required extensive beauty work, compositing and color. The holiday package encourages drivers to "Hug More," "Get Out More" and "Consume Less." In each case, the play on words ties into BMW's performance, handling and fuel efficiency. Carbon VFX also provided extensive effects work for a group of spots that promote Microsoft's new Windows 8. Viewers, Post•January2013 Post0113_028-20,32-VFXRAV3FINALREAD.indd 30 however, might have a tough time identifying where the work takes place. In Artist, a mother props a tablet device up on an artist's easel, where her young daughter creates colorful paintings without any of the mess. The all-in-one PC allows her to draw right on the screen using a special pen. She's then able to print her masterpieces, which mom uses to decorate the room. Dad looks on remotely via a Webcam. The Sign In With A Smile spot shows different all-in-one PC users swiping their fingers over a range of pictures. Their motions are tracked by the device and turned into their very own "picture password." In each case, the devices were shot with nothing on the screen. In fact, they weren't even working devices, but props that represented what the final product would eventually look like. Carbon had to not only create the content but also track it onto the screens. The spots were conceived by agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky. Much of the design was achieved using After Effects, with Flame for compositing. The studio used Imagineer Mocha for tracking the imagery onto the devices. Carbon VFX also has Autodesk Flare and The Foundry's Nuke, which it uses for compositing. Animation is currently created using Cinema 4D and Maya, but the studio has plans to grow its animation pipeline to include Chaos V-ray and 3DS Max. This will help the studio with automotive work it sees coming down the road. The trend, says Thunell, is leaning toward spots with all-CG vehicles. V-Ray, adds Noellert, is well suited for CGdriven automotive work. While many of the projects Carbon VFX has worked on to date incorporate a lot of live action, the studio is also capable of executing fully-CG spots. They recently created a two-minute video for Boston Scientific that highlights the company's achievements over the past 15 years. The studio worked along- side the agency to develop style frames that visually represented breakthroughs the company has made in spinal research.The designs, which were part space nebulae and part microbiology, were then developed into a fully-CG piece. QUIETMAN QuietMan (www.quietman.com) in New York City recently wrapped up work on two new spots for Grey/NY and their client Emergen-C, the drink mix that offers an assortment of nutrients and immune-supporting Vitamin C. Both spots are :15 in length and begin with short live-action introductions that transition into fully animated CG spots. Restaurant is currently airing. The second commercial, based around the challenges of working as a ski-lift operator, is in testing. Carey Gattyan is a partner at QuietMan, along with Johnnie Semerad, and served as an executive producer on the project. In Restaurant, for example, a young man named Nate, and his partner Nora, explain the challenges of operating a small business, where they handle all the duties, from taking orders, to cooking, to serving and entertaining their regular clients. After the :03 live-action shot of them in the kitchen, the spot cuts to full CG animation, where the characters are able to whip up dishes and gracefully serve them to customers without missing a beat. Nora details the benefits of Emergen-C, which helps them both stay healthy and feel good. "We worked with the agency, wrote it out, storyboarded it and brought it to life," notes Gattyan. "They suggested who the people would be and worked closely with Johnnie in order to develop the story and [figure out] what we were going to animate. He was very involved in the conceptualization of the spots, and that was fun." The characters have a very contemporary look, paying homage to Pixar's The Incredibles www.postmagazine.com 12/21/12 2:38 PM