Over 50 million views for Riot Games
Brief
Collaborate with Riot Games to craft a film that celebrates ten years of League of Legends with a completely original take on traditional launch announcements.
Approach
Riot Games has a unique, home-grown way of interacting with fans and therefore authenticity was key, so The Mill artists immersed themselves in the world of Riot and became an extension of their team for the duration of the project.
Impact
A captivating gift to fans that was watched by over 50 million people worldwide. It was a global trending topic, with 550 mainstream articles written about it.
Client
Riot Games
Brand
Riot Games
Production Company
The Mill
Director
Carl Addy, The Mill
Capabilities
Ideation / Direction / Design / VFX / Editorial
“Players are the foundation of the community and we knew we needed to make something incredible for them. At Riot we celebrate unity and what is possible when true collaboration takes place, and The Mill team truly were partners to us throughout the process. The Mill brought the craft and expertise required to make an undertaking like this possible. Not only are we showcasing where we’ve been, but we are giving the world an insight into where we are going; together.”
We knew this video would be huge for the players and needed to ensure every minute lived up to the community’s expectations. This important chapter in Riot’s history ultimately required international shoots, large-scale practical on-set builds, and creative visual effects to construct the narrative. The distinctive refracted look, inspired by the League of Legends nexus, is the creative thread that runs throughout. Once the team had set the visual style, they experimented with shooting techniques utilizing two-way mirrors, reflective surfaces and glass to achieve the aesthetic; CG assets blend seamlessly with on-set practical builds. The project also required an impressive editorial approach to select the right transitions and cuts to build the emotional arc of the film.
Following an explosive introduction, crafted by content creation studio Elastic, the 45-minute film kicks off with a celebration of ten years of League of Legends, before transitioning into an unprecedented announcement of several new games and projects from Riot Games.
“The way we integrated with the Riot Games team resulted in an exciting, high-energy and constantly evolving creative collaboration. The film is a convergence of all the biggest and most emotive memories of the past ten years. Complex on-set builds and creative transitions take the viewer from one moment to another, from one game world to another geographical location entirely”
You can view more of Carl’s work via his Creator Profile and get in contact with our Mill Direction team here.
Credits
Brand
Production
VFX Production
VFX Creative
Editorial
Sound Design + Mix
Colour
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