Search form

Smoke & Mirrors NY Puts Dinosaurs On Ice

Press Release from Smoke & Mirrors New York

The Brief:Smoke & Mirrors New York (SMNY) teamed with Carmichael Lynch Minneapolis this past winter to launch a beautifully quirky spot for the Denver Museum of Nature & Science that showcases the New York studio's ability to complete a project from production through post.

The "silent movie" like spot features the improbable, but amusing scenario of a giant dinosaur playfully slipping and sliding across a frozen pond. A stirring classical number runs in the background as the brontosaurus crashes, struggles, pirouettes, and ultimately topples back to the ice. The spot ends with a superimposed graphic: "Dinosaurs. Ancient Fossils. New Discoveries. Coming this winter to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science."

Carmichael Lynch's Executive Integrated Producer Brynn Hausmann comments, "It was an incredible experience at Smoke & Mirrors, the process could not have been more seamless. We had lots of fun and a very satisfying creative experience."

From SMNY:Via our recently ramped up 3D department we were able to create, rig, animate and render the entire project in under a month. Smoke & Mirrors filmed the live-action backgrounds in Central Park, then the Manhattan skyline was replaced with the Denver Museum area in post.

Every detail from the ice cracking under the reptile's tremendous weight, to ice chips flying from its slipping feet were rendered to create a believable, cohesive scene.

This sees a move into animation direction for Smoke & Mirrors, a new service we are pleased to offer.

The Creds:

Client: Denver Museum of Nature & ScienceSpot Title: DinosaurAir Date: June 2009

Agency: Carmichael Lynch, MNSenior Writer: Ellie AndersonSenior Art Director: Brad HarrisonChief Creative Officer: Jim NelsonExecutive Integrated Producer: Brynn HausmannDirector of Business Affairs: Vicki OachsDirector of Integrated Production: Joe Grundhoefer

Prod Company: Smoke & Mirrors/NYDirector: Sean Broughton

Post/Effects: Smoke & Mirrors/NYCD: Sean BrougtonLead Sr. CG Artist(s): Steven Parrish, Michael DonovanLead Animator: Serkan ErtekinCG Generalist/Tracker: Wei LouieLead Modeler: Greg CalasSr. Flame Artist: Nic SeresinEP: Celest Gilbert

Editorial: Smoke & Mirrors/NYEditor: Sean Broughton

Telecine/Grade: Smoke & Mirrors/NY

Sound Design: Brahmstedt White NoiseSound Designer: Carl White

Music: The NutcrackerComposer: Tchaikovsky

Shoot Location: Central Park