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Untold Studios’ Ben Cronin directs the latest spot for Emirates starring Gerry, a wayward goose who likes to travel in style and ends up on a gratifying trip via Emirates.
Beginning in an idyllic naturalistic setting, the unexpected lead protagonist Gerry, a photorealistic Canada goose, part ways with his flock and opt for luxury flight.
The charming star, Gerry the Goose, is tucked into a four course meal whilst watching The Goose the Bad and the Ugly on an Emirates flight, before waving at his his weary flock who flap past the window.
Ben Cronin, Director & Creative Director at Untold Studios, explains, “I loved this script instantly and knew it was an endearing story to tell. Our VFX team did an amazing job bringing Gerry to life, especially as CGI birds are incredibly difficult to get right! We had a lot of fun making this spot and we hope everyone enjoys its playful spirit.”
Cronin managed to create a palpable sense of luxury, comfort and enjoyment throughout the spot, mixing premium natural history cinematography with shots of the stylish interior of the Emirates Premium Economy cabin.
Moreover, the nuanced and amusing performance from the lead goose never strays too far into the anthropomorphic, whilst still maintaining a sense of universal charm.
The award-winning VFX team at Untold Studios prevised the entire film before shooting.
Filming mostly clean plates, with 3D printed and taxidermy goose stand-ins, the VFX team then went to work on crafting the photorealistic CGI geese.
The project showcases a range of techniques from water simulation to matte painting as well as careful compositing to seamlessly integrate the CGI elements into the live-action plates.
The end result is quite pleasing to the eyes, with the realistic yet lighthearted overall cinematographic feel, designed to re-assert the corporate message -- "Fly Better "-- through a 30-second advertising spot that derives from what we are used to seeing from airline brands.
CREDITS
Brand: Emirates
Richard Billington: SVP Brand & Advertising / Corporates Communications
Yasmine Saade: Global Brand & Content Manager
Production: Untold Studios
Director: Ben Cronin
EP/Producer: Josh Davies
Production Manager: Ben Burdock
Production Assistant: Tia Varnnard
Director of Photography: Simon Richards
Editor: Matt Chodan
Edit House: Gorilla TV
VFX: Untold Studios
EP: Sophie Harrison
Producer: Lauren Oldfield
Production Assistant: Jordan Malonga
VFX Supervisor: Amir Bazazi
Compositing Supervisor: Alex Kulikov
Creature Supervisor: Chloe Dawe
Animation Lead: Geraint (Gez) Wright
VFX Lead: Jack Harris, Alex Doyle, Lewis Pickston, Justin Braun, Christian Baker
VFX Artist: Joe Kane, Shariq Altaf, Clement Petellaz, Vlad Pascanu, Matteo Antona, Kim Eja Felicia Petersen, Henry Affonso, Harry McCusker-Bland, Seung Ho Henrik Holmberg
Colour: Untold Studios
Colourist: Julien Alary