G4 TV Campaign

The Background
What do upchucking unicorns, plasma pixies, digital goddesses and bathroom-dwelling butt-projecting robots all have in common? They’re all part of the G4 TV Network’s new promotional campaign! Get plugged in!!!

G4, “the fastest growing TV network in 2006”, wanted to celebrate its recent ratings and viewer increases by launching an other-worldly branding campaign that should set the bar for network branding humor. Aimed at the 18-24 year-old target demographic, G4 enlisted the quirky and talented director-producer-artist trio of Tomorrow’s Brightest Minds (repped by Oil Factory Inc.) to guide them through the process from visualization through execution. Realizing that TBM needed a post facility that was equally offbeat, “techie” and creative, they turned to Mind Over Eye to execute all of the post for the G4 campaign. To round out the talented team, TBM secured 2007 Academy Award-winner Guillermo Navarro as DP for the campaign. (Academy Award: Best Cinematography, Pan’s Labyrinth)

The Challenge
From the moment we read the treatments for the campaign, we knew we were in for a Mr. Toad’s ride. The boards and effects called for an Amazonian-sized Goddess of Digital Goodness that magicly appears in your bedroom with techie toys, a unicorn that pukes the latest guy gadgets (along with a gelatinous pink substance), a bathroom-dwelling robot that projects cool videos and virals for your entertainment pleasure – from its butt, a swarm of pixies that entice you into their plasma pleasuredome and then fulfill your every need, an army of “ass-stomping” ogres that pillage to bring you the latest and greatest gadgets, games, and gear and a Podcast troll that eerily resembles a famous adult magazine publisher. In short, a visual effects artists dream that became reality!

Shooting in Prague (the Czech Republic) had its challenges. In addition to the freezing weather (shot outdoors in Prague in January), upon arrival the core team quickly determined that the upchucking unicorn, butt-projecting bathroom robot and ass-stomping ogres had design issues that would make them difficult to shoot practically (in camera), and that serious salvage work would be required in post. With Rob Boocheck’s on-set direction (Director- TBM), Bill Wadsworth’s visual effects supervision (Creative Director – MOE), Guillermo’s mastery of photography, and Wade Harpootlian’s coolness in the pinch (Producer- TBM), the necessary adjustments were executed to be able to recreate all of the scenes in post. While the goal was to shoot as many scenes in camera, virtually every clip that ended up in the finished spots was composited using the plate shots and treated with extensive digital effects.

The Solution
For the production shoot, MOE sent Creative Director (and Visual Effects Supervisor) Bill Wadsworth to Prague to orchestrate the effects shots while a team of MOE effects artists back at our facility in Santa Moinca treated the footage and uploaded rough composites for play back on set. In camera adjustments were made based on the “roughs” to ensure proper framing, sizing and relationships. While in production, many of the CG elements were being designed, posted to our FTP site and reviewed on set…reinforcing our belief that location is no barrier to execution.

Once shot, we gathered the tribes back in Los Angeles to assess the footage from Prague. It was determined that the unicorn and ogres were salvageable but the robot marionette was out, and it would have to be created in CG. With literally hundreds of effects spread out over 6 spots and 11 versions, Executive Producer Andy Dellenbach coordinated with our freelance artist pool and CG/Digital Effects teams led by Mat Fuller of MOE and Dave Simmons of TBM to flex to capacity and ensure every last detail was covered. Post Supervisor Dave Wein assembled and managed the shifts of rotoscope and composite artists and kept the project on schedule throughout. Using almost every conceivable combination of software and hardware, the locked spots were posted for client approval and were delivered on deadline. They are all airing on the G4 Network now. Tune in and check them out!

The Outcome
Words won’t do them justice so you’ll just have to watch them live on G4. If you don’t get the channel, you can get a peak at the making of these spots under the "Featured Projects" section of this site.

The G4 Network executives were thrilled with the executions, and all deserve kudos for their willingness to push the envelope of network branding comedy. Due to the “buzz” resulting from the spots, G4 added a forum section on their own website for digital banter amongst their viewers.

G4’s agency, 72 & Sunny (located in El Segundo, CA) is loving the creative and is as stoked as the guy in the Plasma Pixie spot that their client is digging the whole campaign.

The tandem trio of Tomorrow’s Brightest Minds still laugh when they watch the spots and after seeing them 2000+ times, that is a minor miracle! However, they are noticeably bummed that the whole process is over as it was a dream job for them; they are fretting having to return to the “real” world of advertising.

Mind Over Eye…well, we’re just thankful to have had the opportunity to be an integral part of a team and campaign that was fun, allowed us to showcase our multiple post talents and pushed the boundaries of network branding. We’re going to get some sleep now…