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June 2010

SPEEDSHAPE CREATES VFX FOR LEXUS’ INTERACTIVE SHORT FILM “DARK RIDE”

NY ad agency SKINNY and Stink Digital tapped digital production studio Speedshape to helm VFX for the cinematic, interactive short film entitled “Dark Ride.” The 12.5-minute film, which began airing online May 13, 2010, was produced as part of the “The Darker Side of Green” campaign debuting the 2011 CT200h from Lexus. Led by VFX Supervisor Connor Meechan and CG supervisor Ilya Astrakhan, Speedshape delivered comprehensive VFX solutions, from photorealistic CG to compositing and finishing. With blockbuster visual effects and an entertaining storyline, “Dark Ride” centers on hero Tony (Norman Reedus), whose mission is to get to LA before dawn in an effort to thwart a band of “green” villains in hot pursuit of the CT200h’s top-secret hybrid technology. Heightening the suspense, the film engages viewers as Tony’s navigator, offering an action-packed virtual ride in a CT200h, with a thrilling POV experience.

To view “Dark Ride,” please go to: http://www.lexusdarkride.com

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ZOIC STUDIOS RETURNS TO NASCAR WITH “VARIABLES”

The intensity, focus, and skill required in the last lap of any race are what set the champions apart from the other drivers. The story of the new NASCAR spot is that last lap, the intensity and focus of the NASCAR drivers, and the variables in the final stretch that determine the outcome for the champion Kyle Busch.

Building from the graphic world established in the previous spot “Dominoes,” agency Wieden & Kennedy and Zoic Studios set this story with angles and performance to underline the premise in an improbable way by placing the camera within the variable events often missed during a live event. These “Variables” – happening in fractions of a second - are slowed down and play out before us as metal tears through a chassis and as an engine blows. Using CG gave the camera the freedom to capture the last lap unlike any live camera could, breaking rules without feeling phony.

The spot was cut at Zoic Editorial with an edit that plays out with appropriate intensity. From the very first moment, audiences are placed into the heat of the win, and the in the head of Kyle Busch, as driven by Metallica’s “Seek and Destroy.”

To view: http://zoicstudios.wiredrive.com/l/p/?presentation=884c2177ef6f451720fe24a5a3626e70

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DIRECTORZ TOM RYAN OBSEESES OVER TACO CABANA

Conveying deliciousness and authenticity is at the heart of the new Taco Cabana branding spot, fittingly directed by Directorz Tom Ryan for ad agency Calise and Sedei. The spot highlights many of the elements that make Taco Cabana stand out as a unique dining choice with a passion for quality that spans three decades.

Tom Ryan is known for finding beauty in the details and making audiences hungry with his gorgeous food imagery. This spot offers a full helping of visual appeal that is the perfect match to Taco Cabana’s tagline “Making great tasting Mexican food is our obsession.” The commercial stars real Taco Cabana employee Lenore Segora lovingly cooking a meal, complete with fresh tortillas, slow cooked beans and fresh salsas.

Ryan started his collaboration with the agency a month before the production, working closely with Sedei and his agency team to develop the color palette and overall look for the spot, which opens with an iconic but unvarnished shot of a Taco Cabana exterior. For the kitchen and food experience, rich umbers and glowing siennas infuse each frame with a sense of warmth and a sense of calm care. Deliberately lingering on each moment, the edit offers time to visually savor each element while the music track provides energy and a contemporary note to the piece.

Warning: do not view on an empty stomach: http://tinyurl.com/RyanTC

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