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)
Comcast and Xfinity have released this short, “Stay Connected to Your Dreams,” to celebrate the November 22 release of Universal Pictures’ feature film Wicked.
Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, based on the generation-defining blockbuster stage musical, stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. This short follows their journeys from childhood to present day, where they take on the iconic roles of Elphaba and Glinda, respectively. Along the way, Wicked fans will be delighted by Easter eggs, including props from the film and Broadway show, and will experience emotional, real-life moments featuring the two stars. The short film was unveiled today (11/12) on Erivo and Grande’s social channels and can be viewed across television, social media and on an Xfinity site.
“Stay Connected to Your Dreams,” which is directed by Wicked DP Alice Brooks, ASC (via production house Superprime) in collaboration with Wicked director Jon M. Chu, taps into the power of connection, friendship and achieving your dreams. It begins with Grande and Erivo’s childhoods, and how Wicked fueled their love for music and film. It then moves through their teen years and into adulthood where Grande shared the fateful tweet in 2011 that playing Glinda in Wicked would be her dream role. The short film concludes with the actual footage from the videoconferencing call back in 2021, where both women learned they’ve been cast in the coveted roles of Elphaba and Glinda.
In addition, the short film will be the first-ever 4DX spot shown across the country. Theater-goers will feel the magic of Oz, complete with an immersive cinema experience combining on-screen visuals with synchronized motion seats... Read More