Internationally acclaimed director, Paul WS Anderson, of the Mob, (www.mobfilm.com) has brought the full force of his world-renowned 3D expertise to bear on the breathtaking new commercial campaign for Deutsche Telekom.
Press Release from The Mob
Internationally acclaimed director, Paul WS Anderson, of the Mob, (www.mobfilm.com) has brought the full force of his world-renowned 3D expertise to bear on the breathtaking new commercial campaign for Deutsche Telekom. A genuinely groundbreaking piece of work, this is the first use of 3D time-lapse, ever.
Creator of box office gold, such as the multi-million dollar grossing Resident Evil: Afterlife (lauded as the best 3D movie since Avatar), Anderson has acquired the reputation as master of the medium and has built around himself an elite team of the best technicians, using the best equipment, that the world has to offer - a perfect storm of talent which Anderson has now orchestrated to produce a commercial masterpiece.
Reading Tribal DDB's script for "A Thousand Little Things" (for the new Entertain TV package from Deutsche Telekom - parent company of T-Mobile Worldwide), Anderson was inspired by the immense creative possibilities of shooting the ad in 3D. While many commercials have been successfully converted to 3D, this is a landmark piece of advertising, actually filmed truly and correctly in 3D by its finest practitioners. Shot on location in LA over 5 days (with additional filming in Berlin) the vast and varied cityscape perfectly lent itself to this tale of freedom, independence and liberation - taking control of our viewing time by using the Entertain package. And Anderson's artists’ eye ensured the contrasts and unexpected beauty of the city were perfectly captured in 3D - his specialist knowledge of both technique and location combining as the ultimate storytelling tools.
In collaboration with his production team at the Mob (Manchester & LA) and the team he has grown while directing Resident Evil and the forthcoming Three Musketeers, Anderson swung into action to create a visually and emotionally immersive experience - the everyday actions of ordinary people around the globe being played out using images of quite extraordinary loveliness. Strong creative relationships came into their own as Anderson and the teams worked to achieve the creative vision for the ad. Anderson's long-time, award-winning DOP, Vern Nobles comments: "Paul set us quite a challenge on Telekom, shooting high speed, time-lapse and aerials all in stereo. Shooting in Berlin and Los Angeles with as many as 30 set ups a day, we also needed to get the gear tested and ready over the Christmas Holiday. There was not one camera system that could do everything Paul wanted and we had to invent some new tech along the way. Tom Hallman from Pictorvision put together at short notice a stereo gyro stabilized helicopter system that we'd developed after Resident Evil 4 and we couldn't have done it all without the help of Vince Pace and the Pace fusion 3D system. Vince and Jim Hays opened their doors and gave us complete support, letting us come in over the Christmas holiday and build the systems. We ended up using Arri Alexia on the Pace Fusion rig for stereo time lapse, 24fps and 60fps in Los Angeles with master primes and Red MX and master primes in Germany for High Speed and 24fps, with Red MX and 17-80 zooms in the helicopter. The Canon 7D system with ultra primes was used for time-lapse when objects were not too close to the camera."
Postproduction was at Topix in Toronto, using the most cutting-edge techniques available to apply 3D, effects and a glorious grade to the film. The film was off-lined at Therapy in LA, using the editing expertise of Doobie White and executive producer John Ramsay.
As well as capitalising on the creative shorthand among the technical team, the piece de resistance was the casting of Oscar-winning Christoph Waltz who, again, has worked closely with Anderson on the Three Musketeers. Anderson's subtle direction and understanding of Waltz allows his maverick and independent spirit to infuse the commercial, underscoring the freedom that is the central message of Deutsche Telekom's Entertain package.
The whole is an homage to Anderson's complex and theatrical body of 3D work, as we are literally absorbed into the piece, walking among the crowds, being sucked down into the subways and following the mundane, daily activities which become epic in nature and significance thanks to Anderson's dynamic portrayal of the little acts that bind us together, wherever we are on the globe. A 60-second version will air in cinemas across Germany and a further 4 product-based cutdowns will go out on television. The full 90-second version will show be shown worldwide at trade shows, exhibitions and festivals - and a piece of advertising history is born.
Anderson's commercial producer John Brocklehurst adds, "The pre-production on 3D is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my professional career but the first time you put the glasses on and look at the monitor you realise what all the fuss and hard work is about. There are many so called 3D "experts" in film and advertising but, in my opinion, you need to have actually shot using it to be able to talk about it. And this puts Paul in a league of his own - he has shot 2 huge movies, with the best rig and the best crew in the world. Not only that, we had a great time and I am looking forward to our next 3D extravaganza!!"
To view: http://www.mobfilm.com/latest-news
Credits:Production Company: The Mob Film Company (Manchester & LA) www.mobfilm.comDirector: Paul WS AndersonDP: Vern Nobles JrProducer: John BrocklehurstHead of Production: Mark CollinsProduction Manager: Dave Birchall
Agency: Tribal DDB HamburgChief Creative Officer: Hans AlbersExec Creative Director: Catrin FlorenzTV Producer: Jens MeckingCopywriting: Moritz Pupke / Nikolai BaradoyArt Direction: Edith Heigl / Björn Halfmann3D Consultant: John HarperPace 3D rig: Jim Hays
Editor: Doobie White
Offline: You Need Therapy LA
Post Production: TOPIX, TorontoProducer: Cathy JefferiesExec Producer: Sylvain TaillonVFX Supervisor / Lead Artist: Rob Del CiancioJunior Stereoscopic Compositor: Matt DochstaderDigital Info Technician: Andre KassermelliVFX CG Specialist: Dominic RemaneVFX Animator: Emrah GonulkirmazColourist: Joe WenkoffMusic: Paul Haslinger, Haslinger Productions
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