For the second year in a row, NY-based Conceptual Design, Animation and VFX studio SUSPECT via SelectNY brings us sexy CG for Christina Aguilera’s signature fragrance, Inspire. In this :30 spot directed by famed fashion photographer David LaChapelle with creative direction and Flame work from SUSPECT’s Tim Crean, the true essence of Christina is captured through a theatrical, dreamlike expose. From the dark corners of an early Hollywood, Gothamesque-style set appears the flawless blonde beauty dressed in a glamorous pink gown.

A mystical CG bubble quickly captures her attention, inspiring her to gently reach out and poke at it. As the bubble bursts, it multiplies into several smaller incarnations. The once coy, charming music crescendos to an upbeat bravado. Christina reaches her palm to the sky to meet one of the rogue bubbles which then morphs into her new signature fragrance bottle.

SUSPECT’s CD/Lead Flame Artist Tim Crean comments on the effort, “SelectNY entrusted us with conveying Christina’s brand image for the second year in a row which is a great feeling. We started with mood boards from David (LaChappelle) and began the intensive testing phase. He’s a pretty free-form director which is often challenging from the VFX standpoint, but he followed the board pretty closely on this one and shot a lot in camera to get an authentic theatrical vibe. LaChapelle’s team built amazing sets and incorporated cool props to which we added our CG touches to extend their size and scope.”

SUSPECT’S VFX Supervisor Eric Swenson, was tasked with the challenge of having Christina reacting to the realistic reflections, set extensions, and various props on the shoot day. In order to keep LaChappelle’s vision realistic and consistent, SUSPECT additionally changed some of the framing for specific shots. SUSPECT’s Executive Producer Rob Appelblatt notes, “With a celebrity such as Christina, you have to be super buttoned up and have a tight knit group of producers and artists to execute this level of work within the confines of a celebrity’s schedule. We knew we’d only have her for one day, and there wouldn’t be any reshooting. Making sure our work was done in the pre-pro phase was critical. By recently expanding to an additional floor, and steadily adding 3D artists for the division, we’re able to move forward with our goal of working on these types of high-profile design/animation projects.”

From SelectNY Producer Jennifer Johnson:Working with SUSPECT has been a great experience. Just like the last Christina spot they finished for us, SUSPECT understands the importance of creating visually interesting and gorgeous imagery that celebrities are used to. Their creative input enhanced both SelectNY and David LaChapelle’s vision.

About SUSPECT
NY-based Conceptual Design, Animation and VFX studio, SUSPECT was co-founded in 2003 by CD/VFX Artist Tim Crean and Executive Producer Rob Appelblatt. The duo have created an environment that reflects both their personal style and creative sensibilities. Never limiting themselves to traditional solutions or boundaries, the team consistently looks at creative solutions for every project. SUSPECT has recently worked on major campaigns for Visa, Burger King, Footlocker, Reebok, FedEx, MTV, Revlon, Verizon, Motorola, Miller Lite, and Samsung.

CREDITS
Client: Procter & Gamble International
Spot Title: “Christina Aguilera Signature Fragrance”
Air Date: September 2008

Agency: SelectNY
President/WW Creative Director: Olivier Van Doorne
Copywriter: Charley Cordle
EP: Maria Soares
Producer: Jennifer Johnson

Prod Company: HSI Productions
Director: David LaChapelle
Director of Photography: Crash
EP: Rebecca Skinner
Producer: Eric Katigbak

Post/Effects: SUSPECT
CD/Lead Flame Artist: Tim Crean
VFX Supervisor: Eric Swenson
Flame Artist(s): Jason Cunningham, Joe Vitale, Ben Looram, Steve Koenig, David Elkins
3d Animation: Steve Burger, David Bernkopf, Andrew Cohen
EP: Robert Appelblatt
Producer(s): Tsiliana Jolson, Stefanie Bassett
Editorial: Consulate
Editor: Holle Singer
Producer: Alan Lopez

Post Production: The Mill
Colorist: Fergus McCall

Sound: Creative Bubble
Engineer: Mike Barrett

Music: Cultra, Inc
Composer(s): David Weisner, Matthias Weber