Xfinity and its agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners (GS&P) are unveiling “The Big Questions” campaign that aims to push against the category status quo of internet and mobile network providers. The work raises questions designed to resonate with audiences, and then offers the answers, courtesy of Xfinity’s engineering prowess.
Directed by Tom Noakes of PRETTYBIRD, the campaign’s playful films include this spot titled “Hide & Seek” in which a woman returns home as well-known characters from the entertainment world–including Emily from Emily in Paris and the title character from Ted–scatter and hide throughout the house as a voiceover asks, “With so much great entertainment out there, wouldn’t it be easier if you could find what you want, all in one place?” The answer being Xfinity’s best-in-class content aggregation technology.
CreditsClient Comcast Brand Xfinity Agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners Jeff Goodby, co-creative chairman; Jim Elliott, executive creative director; Jon Wolanske, Ryan Tovani, creative directors; Sean Smith, associate creative director; Maria Sousa Machado, sr. art director; Claire Stokes, sr. copywriter; Jim Haight, director of production; Stephanie DeNatale, executive producer; Nick Goldsmith, sr. producer; Jackie Nelms, producer; Kelly Evans-Pfeifer, deputy director of brand strategy; Adam Arola, group strategy director; Lyniece Hill, brand strategist; Maren Severtson, group communication strategy director; Taylor Yada, sr. communications strategist. Production Company PRETTYBIRD Tom Noakes, director; Kerstin Emhoff, co-founder/CEO; Suzanne Hargrove, VP/exec producer; Jeanne Stawiarski, exec producer; Tracy Hauser, director of production; Maura McCoy, bidding producer; Michaela Johnson, line producer; James Brown, DP; Michael Salven, 1st assistant director; Rosanna Pandolfo, production supervisor; Kelly Smith, production designer. Production Services Company, Bulgaria. B2Y Alexander Kananov, Ivan Ivanov, service producers; Ivanina Burneva, production manager; Todor Chapkanov, 1st assistant director. Editorial Cabin Lucas Baynes, editor; Adam Becht, managing director; Liz Lydecker, director of production; Michelle Dorsch, head of production, LA; Britt Carson, exec producer; Alex Hooker, producer; Ginna Schilling, associate producer; Brian Raess, Erin McCaffrey, assistant editors; Joe D’Ovidio, Lawrence Ng, cutting assistants. VFX Framestore James Razzall, U.S. president integrated advertising; Aron Hjartarson, executive creative director; Alex Thomas, VFX supervisor; Pete King, exec producer; Adam Foster, sr. VFX producer; Jamie Runkle, Diego Bonora, Cydney Wong, Jose Alvarado, associate producers; Timothy Crabtree, compositing supervisor; Brian Creasey, CG supervisor; Maria David, VFX coordinator; Evan Langley, Vasco Cerqueira, Paul Krist, Christopher Halstead, compositors; Glenn Teel, Toby Brockhurst, Flame artists; Taylor Hodgson-Scott, CG animation; Joey Sila, Kevin Baker, CG lighting; Aidan Merryman, CG FX; Omar Taher, CG generalist; Kaho Horiuchi, CG modeling; Meg Pangiochi, CG rigging; Rebecca Teichner, Sean Dollins, CG layout; Menelaos Peristeridis, Benjamin Walant, Nick Hiatt, Steven Messing, digital matte painters; Jake Sadowsky, VFX editor. Framestore Melbourne Glenn Melenhorst, VFX supervisor; Ineke Majoor, VFX producer; Samantha Thrupp, head of digital production; Adela Popescu, line producer; Joe Murphy, production coordinator; Nijesh Sidharthan, CG look dev; Keristan Casey, Aedan Staats, CG modeling; Damien Rogers, CG rigging; Purab Singh, CG tracking; Keith Meure, paint roto; Nick Tripodi, CG animation; Luke Flanagan, CG layout; Drew Wood-Davies, Jon Ossitt, Andrew Dunkerly, CG lighting; Matt Omond, compositor. Sound Design & Mix Lime Studios Joel Waters, audio engineer; Kris Huayta, assistant engineer; Susie Boyajan, exec producer; Cassie Underwood, producer. Music APM Music
Filmmaker Natalie Johns Creates Spec Gun Violence Prevention PSA
Her social media feed is filled with frustration and “prayers” for families torn apart by yet another mass shooting as filmmaker Natalie Johns is engaged in the morning ritual of negotiating school attendance with her 4½-year-old. Between laughing and arguing with their daughter, the Johns think deeply about the prospect of waking up without her--deeply enough to feel an inch of what it might be like to lose her--a feeling profound enough inspire her most personal commitment to date as a filmmaker.
“Gun violence should not be a normalized part of life in America,” she noted. “I felt it was worth putting my whole heart on the line to deliver this message.”
The director invited her long-time collaborator and cinematographer, Bill Kirstein (Mean Girls, Happyend), to capture their family’s experience over several mornings in a spec PSA. She wanted to capture her own joy and truth as a parent with a view to inspiring action from the deepest love she has known.
On the third day of filming, Johns received an email from their daughter’s preschool notifying parents of a lockdown that had occurred due to a gunman outside the school. The children, aged 2-5, were gathered in a small bathroom for an hour, singing songs with their teachers while the man was apprehended by law enforcement. This was the family’s first narrow escape from tragedy.
“The coincidence of filming this PSA and experiencing my family’s first lockdown was both shocking and surreal. I simply could not wrap my head around it,” said director Johns.
Even more terrifying for Johns was discussing the incident with other parents who had already experienced several lockdowns with their older children. This reality is all too common and far too... Read More