Virgin Media O2 has launched the third chapter of its “To Better and Beyond” campaign. Agency VCCP London created this “Walrus Whizzer” integrated campaign, which highlights the freedom that Virgin Media broadband brings.
Set to the soundtrack of Billy Ocean’s “Suddenly,” this hero film emulates the unstoppable feeling experienced when using Virgin Media broadband. The :60 features a walrus, climbing out of icy waters in a fishing harbor and hopping on to a speedboat. The walrus hits the controls and cruises off into the distance with confused locals and a group of envious walruses looking on. The walrus lets out a roar of happiness as it skims across the waves.
VCCP and its global content creation studio Girl&Bear worked with Swedish artist and director Andreas Nilsson and film production company Biscuit Filmworks to bring the film to life.
VCCP turned to Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning Untold Studios to create the unstoppable speedboat operator, “Walrus Whizzer.” The innovative and complex production process began with CG rendered shots, and a bespoke asset build of the walrus through complex 3D models. These were brought to life through a team of animation supervisors and further development within FX to ensure realistic simulations of character movement. Complex lighting models were created within CG to make all of the shots look utterly realistic and photographic. The work was then handed over to the composition team to embed rendered images into real film plates and craft the final touches, like lighting glints, film grade and lens flares.
The resulting film is a distinctive and unexpected story of a maverick walrus discovering his mojo and working out how to move faster and more smoothly through life.
CreditsClient Virgin Media O2 Agency VCCP Jonathan Parker, Chris Birch, executive creative directors; David Masterman, deputy executive creative director; Jason Keet, James Hodson, art directors & copywriters; Ed Mueller, sr. TV producer; Jenny Nichols, head of planning. Production Biscuit Filmworks Andreas Nilsson, director; Lucy Gossage, producer; Rupert Reynolds-Maclean, managing director/exec producer; Emily Atterton, head of production; Lasse Frank, DP; Agustin Moreaux, production designer; Tobias Reiner, 1st AD. Production Services Bacon Magne Lyngner, exec producer; Axel Herrin, producer; Frida Lamber, production manager; Sofie Krunegard, stylist; Marta Gasslander, hair & makeup; Rasmus Wassberg, location manager. Editorial The Quarry Ben Campbell, editor. VFX Untold Studios Ben Cronin, creative director; Ian Berry, Sophie Harrison, exec producers; Matt Marshall, producer; Julien Alary, colorist; Sebastian Caldwell, Alex Grey, VFX supervisors; Kanishk Chouhan, CG lead; Tim Van Hussen, head of animation; Antoine Mariez, Lewis Pickston, Thomas Huizer, Anton Ognyev, Will Lorenzetti, Tom Humphrey, Sriram Namana, Ash Tilley, Geraint Wright, Matt Kavanagh & Simon Legrand, VFX leads. Audio Post Factory Studios Anthony Moore, Josh Campbell, sound design & mix; Olivia Endersby, audio producer. Music Supervision Finger 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