Brooks McChesney.

McChesney, who was trained as a lawyer, has over 20 years management and production experience with hi-tech and interactive companies. Before coming to Colossal, he was chief operating officer of IVN Communications Inc., a leading producer and distributor of nonfiction programming.

McChesney says he is refocusing the business end of Colossal to have a more aggressive account management strategy. He states that "We're now more proactive in communicating our menu of services to our client base, so that an advertising account will use us for their Web site design and an online company will discover we can help them with their advertising needs."

"Drew Takahashi is Colossal," according to one staff member. His greatest strength is conceiving and designing projects. The company's international reputation for producing remarkable works, noted for their unique style and techniques, is based to a large extent on his visions. Unfortunately, in recent years he had little time to devote his energies to the company's creative side. With the addition of McChesney, Takahashi can once again concentrate on what he does best, design and direct projects.

Colossal's Latest Work
Proof that the company is alive and well can be seen in their latest demo reel. It isn't as long as past reels, but it is just as exceptional, with one outstanding work on it after another.

The company's latest commercials for Coca-Cola demonstrate Takahashi's brilliance as a creative director. The two spots are so dramatic that many people are unaware that one was done with CGI and the other all live-action without any added special effects. Both are journeys through unusual spaces. For viewers, it isn't how they were done that is important. What is important is that they are visually captivating and reinforce the sponsor's name.

Pictogram.

Pictogram, the computer-generated Coke ad, flies around some sort of carnival ride of the future. We go past fascinating statues, gadgets and other cool things. There is no hard sell on the soundtrack, instead we see some 40 or 50 Coke bottles in the landscape, often seen as tiny decorative details. The product's name is sometimes barely visible on a bottle or sign for a fraction of a second as we fly on by. The end result is our seeing the company's name 15 or 20 times in 30 seconds. It is a sophisticated, understated spot that just might win a few major awards.

The live-action Coke spot takes us inside a Rube Goldberg-style vending machine, starting with a closeup of a finger pushing a button and ending with an inflated rubber glove deflating, allowing the bottle of Coke resting on it to tip over and pour its contents into a glass. In-between marbles, eggs and steel balls roll and bounce about, making levers move within this unique device. It should also be an award winner.

Other recent work by the company includes a series of 20 IDs for the launch of Locomotion, a new South American satellite animation channel. Using a variety of styles, including stop-motion and computer graphics, they created a wonderful series of images. Most are full of primary colors and are done with really hot, contemporary-style graphics. Charlie Canfield, who joined the company in 1991 after working at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), directed them.

Another remarkable work, directed by Canfield, is a show opening for the Nickelodeon channel, that again combines both traditional and digital animation. It shows a blue rhino galloping across a pink cloudscape at sunrise. He stumbles on a couple of clouds and they fall over to reveal they are painted billboards with scaffolding holding them up from behind.