Artist owned-and-operated effects boutique Brickyard VFX announced completion of a new two-spot campaign for Callaway Golf via ad agency Young & Rubicam, Irvine, Calif. Shot and directed by The Cronenweths in Argentina, the effects-heavy :30 ads, “Inspired Design” and “Post Its,” aired nationally on March 3 and March 10, respectively.

The spot “Inspired Design” opens on a Callaway Golf researcher watching a wrecking ball destroy a building as a male v/o declares, “We set out to create the world’s fastest driver, so we studied power.” A montage of scenes follows depicting the same researcher observing other examples of strength, energy and motion, including a swimmer jumping off of a diving board, an athlete serving a tennis ball, and the back-and-forth of Newton’s cradle pendulum. Each scene takes place in slow motion, emphasizing the points of impact. The spot closes on a speeded up version of the same scenes, leading up to the driver being tested by a mechanical golfer, which powerfully sends the ball arcing through the air, a trail of smoke in its wake.

In “Post Its,” two Callaway Golf employees review designs at a drafting table in their sleekly designed office. The v/o asks, “What would it take to create the world’s straightest driver? An Idea,” as the men draw a stylized shape on a yellow Post It note. To represent the abundance of ideas at Callaway Golf, the Post Its start duplicating en masse, replicating themselves and unfurling across employees’ desks, spreading across the floor and curling up computer monitors. The spot closes as the idea grows to full realization with the self-replicating trail of Post Its traveling out of the office and onto the driving range where the mechanical golfer takes a monster swing with world’s straightest driver. Both spots wrap with the logo and tagline “A better game by design.”

In the commercial “Inspired Design,” Brickyard VFX provided a combination of 2D and 3D compositing and effects work, and implemented speed changes on all of the objects in motion. Both of the ads feature extensive CG work, including the creation of all of the Post It notes, the photo realistic clubs, balls and golf robot, as well as all of the background elements and close up shots.

“The Spots came out great, just the way we intended,” says lead VFX artist Geoff McAuliffe. “It is a very collaborative process with the Cronenweths, and Jeff is such an excellent cinematographer, that we’re pretty much guaranteed a good looking spot. The story telling skills that the Cronenweths bring to the table help set the stage for us. This was also a great introduction to working with the fine men and women of Young & Rubicam Irvine team.”

About Brickyard VFX
Located in Boston and Santa Monica, Brickyard VFX is an independent visual effects boutique specializing in top quality visual effects from 3D characters through to compositing. Completely artist owned and operated, the company was founded in 1999 to bring clients a level of customer service, craftsmanship and focus difficult to find at facilities today. Brickyard’s problem-solving expertise on set and in the studio has been applied to model, animate, light, texture, track, rotoscope, color correct and render seamless digital effects for XM Radio, Citibank, Volkswagen, Target, Tyson Foods and many other accounts.
www.brickyardvfx.com

Credits
Title(s):
“Inspired Design” :30
“Post Its” :30

Client: Callaway Golf

Agency: Young & Rubicam, Irvine, California
Craig Evans – Creative Director, Copywriter
Chris Deninno – Associate Creative Director, Copywriter
Steve Cullen – Senior Art Director
Ben Peters – Senior Copywriter
Jason Campos – Art Director
Steve Collins – Senior Account Executive
Nicole Canori – Account Executive
Carol Lomard – SVP/Executive Producer
Laura Keseric – Broadcast Producer
Alex Granieri – Associate Broadcast Producer
Ann Davis – Broadcast Business Affairs Manager

Production Company: Untitled
The Cronenweths – Director
Jim Evans – Executive Producer
Jay Kelman – UPM

Telecine: Company 3
Stefan Sonnenfield – Colorist
Missy Papageorge – Producer

Editorial: Cosmo Street
Katz – Editor
Helena Lee – Executive Producer

Visual FX: Brickyard
Geoff McAuliffe – Creative Director/Lead VFX Artist
Mandy Sorenson – Flame Artist
Patrick Poulatian – Flame Artist
Jimi Simmons – Flame Artist
Robert Sethi – 3D Artist (Co-Lead)
Yafei Wu – 3D Artist (Co-Lead)
Julian Sarmiento – 3D artist
Christian Andersson – 3D artist
Kirsten Andersen – Executive Producer
Bryan Barker – Producer