MARSHMALLOW LASER FEAST_DUOLOGUE | STASH MAGAZINE

Marshmallow Laser Feast & Analog: Duologue “Memex”

London’s Marshmallow Laser Feast call their sombre yet startling all-CG clip for Duologue’s cerebral “Memex” track “a 3D study of mortality exploring new photographic processes, in this case photogrammetry,” and view the project as the beginning of a deeper study into VR filmmaking.

MLF: “We worked with FBFX and their amazing 94-camera high resolution scanning rig, to create a full body scan of model Beryl Nesbitt. The scans then went to MLF’s long-term VFX collaborators Analog where they snatched a magical moment of the sunset through a window (the Analog Studio toilet), as a spherical panoramic HDR photo.

“These two photographic processes combined in 3D software where the toilet sunset illuminated Berlys Photo scanned form. We wanted to go beyond the limits of the audience’s eyeballs – using 3D to reveal different perspectives on the human form.”

Arvid Niklasson, director at Analog in London: “After we received the high res models from FBFX we started to build realistic shaders for the skin. Obviously the eyes are extremely important in making a 3D person look realistic so we built our own layered eyes and tear duct.

“Another thing we added was subtle hairs on the body. Since beryl is ‘transitioning to death’ we also had to sculpt alternative versions where she was covered in an ash like material.

“Extra to the main model, we also created all the additional pieces for the video like cloth and the rose. Once we’d decided on camera moves together with MLF every scene was lit, rendered & comped in house at Analog.” [Watch]

THE MILL_GUINNESS | STASH MAGAZINE

Sam Brown and The Mill: Guinness “Made of Black”

The Mill‘s post crew help Rogue director Sam Brown highlight homegrown talent from across Africa in this spectacular centerpiece of Guinness’ high-energy assault on the continent.

In development for over a year and part of the global Guinness “Made of More” platform, the two-minute film premiered during a four-hour sponsored takeover of MTV Base. The #madeofblack campaign was conceived by AMVBBDO in London with BBDO offices in Africa. [Watch]

NEXUS_TALKTALK | STASH MAGAZINE

Smith & Foulkes: TalkTalk “The Mission”

The first of four new TalkTalk ads thru Chi&Partners finds Nexus directors Smith & Foulkes applying their signature charm and wit to unlikely 3D heroes on an epic mission.

Smith & Foulkes: “The initial idea for this spot started as a mantra shouted by a crew of household objects demanding better and cheaper TV.

“But the challenge was not just about incorporating the emotional connection seen in previous TalkTalk spots into the script, but also about providing pure cinematic entertainment – so we took a slightly different approach, using the cinematic potential of a group of friends setting out on an epic quest to find a house with TalkTalk TV.

“This gave us the comic scope to show our heroic group’s most over-dramatic adventures in a quiet corner of suburbia.” [Watch]

Elastic Antibody Clair_MVA2014

Elastic and Antibody: MTV Video Music Awards 2014

At first glance, Patrick Clair‘s tasteful, minimalist and dark aesthetic seems a strange design choice for programming as crass and loud as the MTV Video Music Awards, but the contrast between packaging and content is just what this show needed to keep it from spiraling into a rabbit hole of hubris and inanity.

The title’s circular forms extended into the show content as they “exploded into vibrant, crazy generative turbines of color, form and movement – each a unique sculptural signature of the video they represent.”

Antibody and Elastic handled the design for the show’s branding and broadcast design. [Watch]

Patrick Claire WXD Wired by Design | STASH MAGAZINE

Patrick Clair: New Work x 4

Patrick Clair and his prolific studio Antibody continue rolling out smart, clean, striking work at a record pace. Check out their four latest projects including the promo for WXD Wired By Design, “a two-day live magazine exploring the intersection of culture and design” presented by Condé Nast: [Watch]

MPC: Money Supermarket “Elephunk” Behind the Scenes

MPC say they channeled Samuel L Jackson, John Travolta, Michael Jackson and Beyoncé to choreograph the moves of a funky 15-foot African bull elephant strutting the streets of Vancouver for Money Supermarket thru Mother.

MPC 3D Supervisor Fabian Frank: “The biggest challenge was creating an elephant that could pull out the moves with the best of them, yet was also believable and true to life. We solved this by ensuring his dance moves stayed within the realms of what a real elephant could do.”

“The second challenge came with integrating the elephant into the shot footage. Matching the interaction between Graeme and the elephant were key, so Graeme was tracked and rotoscoped back into the shots – using select takes to perfectly match the elephants walk cycle.”

Watch the VFX Breakdown and the finished spot below:

Agency: Mother
Production Company: Smuggler
Director: Guy Shelmerdine [Watch]