Summary
In this new spot for DirecTV called “Opulence,” one thing is clear: the convenience and quality of DirecTV appeals to people from all walks of life. Grey NY, Biscuit director Tim Godsall and The Mill NY teamed up for this quirky commercial featuring a Russian billionaire oligarch, his posse of gorgeous females and his prized possession, a miniature giraffe. Yes … a pet, pint-sized giraffe.
That the giraffe sitting on the lavish gold-embellished couch in
the similarly bedecked living room of the mansion, appears as
natural as a cat perched on a love seat, is where The Mill comes
in. "The giraffe was in the script, but we were part of the
conversation with the agency about what the giraffe should be
doing," says Ben Smith, our Co-Head of 3D and VFX Supervisor on the
job. "We suggested movements that were very giraffe-like."
Smith and his team conducted extensive research, gathering a
motion gallery of clips and photos. These helped pinpoint muscles,
hair, features, common movements and stances natural to giraffes.
The information was then simulated in 3D.
"This was a hilarious spot to work on," adds Westley Sarokin, our
Lead Flame Artist on "Opulence." "The idea, casting and performance
were all fantastic and the mini-giraffe just topped it all off
perfectly. From the 2D standpoint, integration touches helped marry
the giraffe into the footage. Color balance, contact shadows and
edge blending finished it off nicely."
"This was an awesome job," Smith concurs. "It was a great funny
script to begin with, there was room for interpretation and the
agency was open to letting the idea play out even more. It was the
best kind of creative process."
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