Screen Magazine - Index

Screen Magazine - Screen Magazine: Vol. 29, Issue 8 - Index

Creativity Times A Bazillion! By Erik Walter
Question: How many units of creativity does it take to bring
things like fly bait and car rental services to the forefront of
awe inspiring imagery and effective advertising?
Answer: A Bazillion!
It’s a good thing, then, that Kansas City animation house
Bazillion Pictures is available for all your animation needs.
Since its debut in 1993, Bazillion Pictures has gained a
reputation as a premier 3D animation and visual effects house.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, Bazillion hosts a highly diverse
staff of creative and technically skilled artists, which helps
give Bazillion a competitive edge in today’s market. Bazillion
prides itself on the ability to excel in every facet of a project,
from initial concept
through storyboarding
and design, animation
and graphics, sound
design and music, and
final edit.
Through the years,
Bazillion has excelled
in many different
genres of animation
by applying the same
passion to medical and
industrial work as to
their highly acclaimed
character animation.
While most animation
houses would find the task of animating fly bait daunting,
Bazillion has managed to create reputable animation for
the Bayer Corporation and Epiclear skin products, while still
finding time to churn out animation for McDonalds, Burger
King and Wal-Mart – brands more susceptible to animation.
Recently Bazillion Pictures has created another world for
Snapple, via Kansas City agency VML. The animation for
Snapple’s website allows visitors the ability to travel the
world, more specifically the homes of tea history.
Bazillion has also had some pesky flies on their plate as
they have created a charming animated spot for agency
Bernstein-Rein (Kansas City) and Bayer’s Animal Health
Division. The spot features a caricatured fly that can’t help
but be attracted to the tasty yet deadly QuickBait. To help
reinforce some of Bayer’s stellar products Bazillion also
created a spot reminiscent of “Top Gun,” as chiseled looking
bugs attempt to infiltrate a household plant.
Bazillion Pictures roster also includes work for John Deere,
Northwest Airlines and the Cerner Corporation.
There is no doubt that Bazillion Pictures has some tricks up
its sleeve. It will be interesting to see what characters they
have running across our screens in 2008 and beyond.
//www.bazillionpictures.com
�������������
3008 Offers New Straight To Finish Option
By Erik Walter
Remember the movie “Cast Away,” when Tom Hanks and
that volleyball had that crazy adventure on that island? Well
before Chuck Nolan’s plane crashed, before he created
fire, and before he grew a beard that rivaled Honest Abe
Lincoln’s, Chuck Nolan was a simple FedEx employee who
obsessed over time. In fact during one scene of the film,
while doing a package sort in the middle of Red Square,
Tom Hanks stoically reminds us that we live and we die by
time. Ah, a nugget of truth from that square thing in front of
our couch.
However, contrary to
popular belief, the
postal service isn’t
the only determined
follower of the clock.
In fact, nobody knows
the killing power of
time better than the
advertising industry,
so it’s a good thing that we have people like the crew over
at Dallas post-house 3008 on our side, and not the clocks.
To help their clients strike while the iron is hot, 3008 is now
offering a finishing process it has simply named “Straight to
Finish.”
“It’s great in situations that call for heavy graphics, compositing
and HD completion,” says Jeb Schary, executive producer
for the full-service creative editorial shop. “If everyone shows
up ready to work, you can have a high-end, broadcast
quality spot ready to ship from one artist.”
The Straight to Finish process bypasses the off-line stage
completely and clients go directly to on-line, saving
valuable time and money.
The entire Straight to Finish action takes place in the
AutoDesk SMOKE, where what you see is what you get.
Editor Mark Sullivan, a finishing and effects artist, recently
completed a package of eight spots for Advance Auto
Parts via The Richards Group (Dallas). The job began with
an upfront, full color transfer on all film. From there, the
HD tapes were loaded into the SMOKE and the creative
editorial process began. Sullivan seamlessly completed the
editorial, the graphics and the compositing in the one box.
“Straight to Finish offers the creative freedom to experiment
and instantly see whether or not an idea works,” says
Sullivan. “No guesswork or visualization required.”
Of course there is no need to worry about speed compromising
3008’s stellar work, Straight to Finish is just another rabbit and
top hat in their already deep bag of tricks.
“We’re certainly not turning our back on the traditional offline
process,” says Schary. “But for certain projects, Straight
to Finish is a great option.”
//www.3008.com