Volvo Made by Sweden - Experience the Incredible Beauty of Winter in Sweden in Director Gustav Johansson Sweeping Short Film “Vintersaga”

Director Gustav Johansson unveils the next chapter of Volvo’s "Made By Sweden" campaign with a sweeping short film paying tribute to Sweden’s harshest conditions. Created by Forsman & Bodenfors, AdAge’s most awarded agency of 2014, the 4-minute piece “Vintersaga” takes us into the depths of a Swedish January – the month when the country shows itself from its harshest side with rain, snow, cold, wind and sun that hardly rises above the horizon.

It is also the period that defines Swedes the most. While people from all over the world flock to Sweden during the warm summer periods and enjoy the hours of extended daylight, only the residents choose to stay there voluntarily when the great melancholy rolls in. With the darkness and cold comes a special creativity that affects everything from the music the Swedes create to the cars that they build.

Gustav Johansson sought to capture visually the feeling of vemod - one of the most Swedish words, which does not have a clear or direct translation in English. Vemod is a complex emotion and a cultural phenomenon, comprising a tender sadness or melancholy mixed with a feeling of longing. Vemod is not an outward feeling, but more of a slow fretting inside of somebody. It is something that is sad, yet beautiful.
Produced by Gustav Johansson’s Scandinavian production company, New Land, and shot over a period of 11 days, “Vintersaga” sees the bleak Swedish January transformed into a breathtaking and affecting vision through the lens of the Swedish people. Set to the pulsating title track “Vintersaga,” performed by Swedish singer/songwriter Amanda Bergman and produced by Oskar Linnros, the powerful combination of audio and visual evokes a transformative, almost haunting, emotional experience in the viewer.

From claustrophobic snow-topped forests to vast seaside panoramas, the sleek Volvo slips through the soaring scapes, as quintessentially Swedish as the background itself. Gustav’s “Vintersaga” is an arresting film that translates a sense of both the forlorn and uplifting quality of vemod, while paying tribute to the Swedish heritage that is built into every Volvo.

Det här är en hyllning till Sverige när det är som kärvast. Ett tack till kylan, mörkret, blåsten och regnet. Därför att utan våra hårda svenska förhållanden hade vi aldrig tillverkat de bilar vi gör.
Vem som helst kan bygga en bil som fungerar i solsken och vackert väder. Att ta fram bilar som tar dig dit du ska oavsett väder och väglag är en helt annan sak. För oss är fyrhjulsdrift inte en onödig extrautrustning man kan skryta med, det är en funktion som tar dig hem.
Aktiva helljus, automatisk nödbroms och döda vinkeln-varnare är inte en lek med teknik, utan vettiga hjälpmedel för att köra tryggt och säkert genom ett Sverige där det stora vemodet rullat in.

Creative Credits:
Title: Volvo - Vintersaga - Made by Sweden
Advertiser: Volvo Car Sverige
Client: Åsa Borg, Per Carleö, Mikael Karlsson
Product: Volvo V70, XC70 and XC60
Advertisers Supervisor: Per Carleö
Advertisers Supervisor Titel: Marketing Communications Manager

Advertising Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors
Art Director: Andreas Malm, Staffan Lamm
Copywriter: Fredrik Jansson
Designer: Mikko Timonen
Account Director: Anders Bothén, Hans Andersson, Erik Sollenberg
Account Executive: Martin Johansson
Agency Producer: Jens Odelbring
PR Strategist: Mathias Ericsson
Web Producer: Malin Careborg

Director: Gustav Johansson
Director of Photography: Niklas Johansson
Editor: Sam Ostrove
Production company: New Land
Executive Producer: Erik Torell
Producer: Sophie Tamm Christensen
Production Manager: Sophie Hedberg

Grade: Mike Cosola
Sound Design: Martin Dahl STOPP (Stockholm Post Production)
Post Production: Johan Boije STOPP (Stockholm Post Production)

Musical Artist: Amanda Bergman
Title of song: ”Vintersaga”
Written by: Ted Ström
Produced by: Oskar Linnros
Music Supervisor: André Brink & Jonas Holst, Universal Music Publishing Scandinavia
Published by: BMG Chrysalis Scandinavia A
Label: Sweden Music / Universal Music

Mastered by: Björn Engelmann, The Cutting Room

Photographer: Felix Odell
Production company: CameraLink
Post production: Johan Cabezos, Señor & F&B Factory
Media agency: Mindshare
Social media agency: The Viral Company

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NBA Celebrates Barrier-Breaking Moments in New Film Featuring Martin Luther King Jr’s "I Have A Dream"

This year, the National Basketball Association commemorates Martin Luther King Day and Black History Month with a powerful new commercial for the 2014-2015 season.

“Barrier Breakers” pairs audio of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s monumental “I Have A Dream” speech with black & white footage of iconic “firsts” from the NBA’s storied history of racial and cultural breakthroughs. From the 1950 signing of Chuck Cooper, the league’s first African-American player, to Violet Palmer, the first female referee in men’s professional sports, to the high-profile 2013 coming out of Jason Collins, the NBA's first openly gay player, the new broadcast film takes viewers on a breathtaking journey through some of the most significant basketball moments of the past 60 years.

“Barrier Breakers” was created by NBA advertising agency, Translation. The spot will debut on broadcast during NBA games on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, Jan. 19.

Creative Credits:
Spot Title: Barrier Breakers
Client: NBA

Agency: Translation
CEO: Steve Stoute
Chief Creative Officer: John Norman
Chief Strategy Officer: John Greene
Executive Creative Director: Betsy Decker
Art Director: Matt Comer
Copywriters: Amir Farhang, Andy Ferguson
Director of Content Production/EP: Miriam Franklin
Associate Producer: Philinese Kirkwood
Account team: Tim Van Hoof, Chris Martin
Head of Brand Strategy: Tim Flood
Strategist: Lindsey Neeld
Project Manager: Matt DeSimone

Editorial Company: Cut & Run
Editor: Dayn Williams
Assistant Editor: Adam Bazadona
Post Executive Producer: Rana Martin
Post Producer: Jean Lane

Visual Effects: Sibling Rivalry
Creative Director: Matt Tragesser
Animator/Compositor: Gabe Darling
Executive Producer: Maggie Meade
Head of Production: Joanna Fillie
Post Producer: Tracey McDonough

Telecine/Conform: Company Three/Method
Colorist: Rob Sciarratta
Flame Artist: Carmen Maxcy

Audio Post: Heard City
Mixers: Phil Loeb, Evan Mangiamele
Executive Producer: Gloria Pitagorsky

Music: Trackmasters

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The Beast Is Revealed, 2016 Toyota Tacoma

To introduce the new Toyota Tacoma at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, the automaker and longtime agency partner Saatchi & Saatchi called upon creative studio Carbon VFX to help lead the charge for the visually dynamic “Invisible Truck.” Headed by Co-Director/Creative Director Chris Noellert, the gorgeous and unique :30 pushes the boundaries of automobile advertising content with a smart and highly conceptual approach.

Saatchi & Saatchi challenged Carbon to create an invisible car, but instead of gravitating toward the simple solution utilizing heavy visual effects, the team decided to approach the problem from a different angle. Noellert opted to focus on visual environmental cues that suggested the presence of the vehicle, so the audience would mentally connect the dots and see the car in their mind’s eye.

Creative Credits:
Client: Toyota Tacoma
Title: “Invisible Truck”

Ad Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi LA
Creative Director: John Payne
Associate Creative Directors: Vidur Raswant, Verner Soler, Julia Regan
Sr. AD: Max Wang
Sr. CW: Anthony Brooks
Executive Integrated Producer: Margaret Nickerson
Sr. Producer: Holly Otto
Integrated Producer: Lyndsey Wilson

Co-Directors: Tony Di Zinno (SaF Productions), Chris Noellert (Carbon VFX)

Editorial Company: Whitehouse Post
Editor: Josh Bodnar
Assistant Editor: Jeremiah Mayhew
Executive Producer: Joni Williamson
Producer: Jonlyn Williams

VFX, Color, Finishing: Carbon VFX
Co-Director, Creative Director, Lead Flame: Chris Noellert
CG Supervisor: Matthew Stevens
CG FX Animators: Denis Gauthier, Daniel Naulin, Tom Connors
Flame Assist: Jim Gomez
Colorist: Mark Todd Osborne
Executive Producer: Marlo Baird Kinsey
Producer: Michael Theurer

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Shilo Tells a Story of Survival in Latest Work for AMC’s 5th Season of The Walking Dead

Award-winning creative production company, Shilo, and director Jose Gomez recently created an intriguing trailer for the return of AMC’s The Walking Dead. The trailer, which features a good portion of the show’s cast fighting an unknown enemy through a thick mist in the woods, was the result of a close collaboration between The Walking Dead’s writers, producers, Gomez, and the rest of the team at Shilo.

“The show came to us with the idea that they wanted a trailer that showed conflict without showing zombies or the other human characters in the show,” says Gomez, who is also Shilo’s founder. He continued, “As the writers and producers reviewed our scripts for the trailer, a single theme began to emerge: survival.”

A voice-over in the trailer by Andrew Lincoln’s character, Rick Grimes, supported by a soulful score composed by Patrick Watson states “Surviving––surviving together is all that matters.” What follows is a brief focus on each cast member bravely facing an unseen danger.

Cary Flaum, executive producer at Shilo, said of the process of creating the trailer, “initially, we were only going to feature four members of the cast, but as the idea gathered excitement with the producers and writers, the show decided to bring in the entire cast.” The result is a piece of sharp, compact storytelling that captures a major theme of the entire series while setting up the action for the remainder of season 5.

Shilo is widely recognized throughout the industry for its ability to provide full-service creative solutions at every stage of the process from initial concept to post-production.

Gomez comments, “we’ve created a space for ourselves where we’re known for great animation and motion graphics, but also for being a company that produces high-end live action and is serious about soup to nuts production.” Shilo’s latest work with AMC represents continuation of those efforts.

Gomez offered a piece of information for fans gripped by the mystery in the trailer, “Facing the unknown is metaphorically represented by the mist of the forest. It represents all their enemies, whether it be the undead, the living, or the character’s own demons.”

Creative Credits:
Client: AMC
Title: The Walking Dead “Surviving Together”
VP Brand Creative: Geoffrey Addeo
Creative Director: Jacqui Bussey

Production Company: Shilo
Director, ECD: Jose Gomez
Executive Producer: Cary Flaum
Line Producer: Chris Palladino
Director of Photography: Joshua Hess

Editorial Company: Shilo
Editor: Terence Ziegler
Assistant Editor: Lucas Howard
Post-Production Producer: Marian Golden

Color: Company 3
Senior Colorist: Tom Poole

Music: Patrick Watson “Turn Into the Noise”

[Via: Trust Collective]

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Tokyo Shines as Travel Destination in New Expedia Campaign Spots

A new integrated campaign for Expedia debuted across the U.S. from advertising agency 180LA. Featuring TV/online spots "No Excuses" (:30) and "Someplace New" (:15), both spots were directed by Cap Gun Collective director Tom Haines.

To entice viewers to seize the day and take the trips of their dreams, this campaign is set in and around Tokyo – including inside the city's iconic Robot Restaurant. There, robots and lasers dance to Grimes' "Genesis" track, and one bold young traveler has the time of her life experiencing new foods, meeting new people and even taking a turn at karaoke.



Creative Credits:
Ad Agency: 180LA
Chief Creative Officer: William Gelner
Creative Directors: Dave Horton, Matthew Woodhams-Roberts
Copywriter: Ben Bliss
Art Director: Marcus Brown
Head of Production: Natasha Wellesley
Senior Producer: Erin Goodsell
Head of Account Management: Chad Bettor
Associate Account Director: Brooke Stites
Account Manager: Mackenzie Walen

Production Company: Cap Gun Collective
Director: Tom Haines
Executive Producer: Jason Botkin
Producer: Benjamin Mann
Director of Photography: Steven Annis

Editorial Company: Melvin
Editor: Dave Groseclose
Producer: Brian Scharwath

Music Track: "Genesis" by Grimes

VFX and Finishing: The Mill
Colorist: Adam Scott

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Dr. Pepper's New Mop Dog Ad Features An Adorable Puli

Man’s best friend demonstrates the power of love in the touching spot “Mop Dog” for Dr. Pepper, directed by Imperial Woodpecker’s Simon McQuoid and edited by Cut+Run’s Steve Gandolfi for agency Deutsch LA. Here, a dreadlocked dog finds a friend and ultimately a home on the road with a big-hearted Dr. Pepper driver who understands that you should “always be one of a kind.

The dog featured in the commercial is actually a Puli, a sheep herding breed originally from Hungary that are known for naturally-forming dreadlocks called cords.

Creative Credits:
Agency: Deutsch LA
Chief Creative Officer: Pete Favat
EVP, ECD: Brett Craig
Creative Director: Ryan Lehr
Creative Director: Erick Mangali
Art Director: John Baker
Copywriter: Chris Jones
Director of Integrated Production: Vic Palumbo
Executive Producer: Megan Meloth
Music Director: Dave Rocco

Production Company: Imperial Woodpecker
Director: Simon McQuoid
Director of Photography: Roman Vasyanov
Executive Producer: Charlie Cocuzza
Executive Producer: Doug Halbert

Editorial Company: Cut+Run
Editors: Steve Gandolfi
Assistant Editors: Sean Fazende and Kendra Juul
Head of Production: Amburr Farls
Executive Producer: Carr Schilling
Managing Director: Michelle Eskin

Post: The Mill
Executive Producer: Sue Troyan
Color Executive Producer: Thatcher Peterson
Senior VFX Producer: Kait Boehm
Color Producer: Natalie Westerfield
2D Lead: Adam Lambert
2D Artists: Patrick Munoz and Tim Robbins
3D Artists: Michael Kash and Steven Olsen
Colorist: Adam Scott

Music: Elias Arts
ECD: Vincenzo LoRusso
CD: Mike Goldstein
EP: Ann Haugen
Senior Producer: Katie Overcash

Mix: Mark Meyuhas at Lime

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Victoria's Secrets Newest Ad is a Slow Sultry Swim

Supermodels Candice Swanepoel, Lily Aldridge, Lais Ribeiro, Andreea Diaconu and Nadine Leopold sizzle in the Victoria’s Secret newest ad entitled "Slow Sultry Swim" showcasing its 2015 swimwear collection.

Creative Credits:
Production Company: Image Work, USA
Director: Michael Bay
Executive Creative Director: Neel Majumder

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