rhinofx recently collaborated with Merkley + Partners and Oscar-nominated director Mehdi Norowzian of Joy Films to create the VFX for a series of :30 spots for the Mercedes-Benz Summer of Love campaign. rhinofx designed a complete 2D palette of color to help visually romanticize various Mercedes vehicles as the center of carnival attractions.

In the spots, visitors enjoy effects-enhanced Mercedes-Benz themed attractions and effects, which help position vehicles at the center of the Tunnel of Love water ride and showcase brand-new Mercedes-Benzes in the go-kart track.

To enhance the festive spectacle and enhance the enchanting look and feel, rhino’s artists repopulated the rides, reconstructed the landscape, replaced the sky, composited the interior and exterior of the cars, and performed delicate color correction in Flame to finish the carnival environment. The spots are the latest in a long line of projects between rhinofx, Merkley, and Mercedes-Benz USA, including over a two dozen effects-heavy spots.

“This was a really fun project with an equally ambitious vision. We were challenged to recreate and enhance the novelty and excitement of an amusement park, with the warmth and emotion of a wholesome family environment, and only had a short time to do it. Our VFX work needed to add to the already rich, nostalgic, and emotive look and feel. Mehdi was able to create an amazing sense of shots as if they were through an old camera lens and our entire team worked to add to this sense through effects and intense color treatments.” Creative Director Vico Sharabani.

ABOUT RHINOFX
Since its launch in 2000, rhinofx has created award-winning visual effects, design, and animation for commercials, VFX for feature films, episodic television, webisodic mini-series, and videogame cinematics. The company’s principals and artists have also led the industry’s exploration into the boundless potential of branded digital content. By cultivating extensive relationships with key brands, advertising agencies, and film/TV studios, rhinofx utilizes its creative directors and artists to develop and execute powerful branded entertainment to build both identity and awareness. The company’s principals include: CD/Director Vico Sharabani, CD/Director Harry Dorrington, CD/Director Arman Matin, CD/Director Natasha Saenko, COO Camille Geier, CEO North America Zviah Eldar, and Managing Director Rick Wagonheim.

CREDITS
Client: Mercedes
Spot Title: Summer of Love
Air Date: June 2008

Agency: Merkley + Partners
CEO: Alex Gellert
ECD/Partner(s): Andy Hirsch, Randy Saitta
Creative Group Head(s): Chris Landi, Tom Qauglino
ACD/AD: Kirk Mosel
ACD/Copywriter: David McMillian
Dir Broadcast Production: Gary Grossman
Sr. Producer: Rachel Novak

Prod Company: Joy Films
Director: Mehdi Norowzian
EP: Matthew Jones
Producer: Paige Seidel

Post/VFX: rhinofx
CD(s): Vico Sharabani, Arman Matin
Producer: Cara Buckley
Flame Artist(s): Jim Rider, Kevin Quinlan, Udi Edni, Yoshiko Hirata
Roto: Joonsuck Park, Thompson Plyler
Compositor: Steven Hannigan
Managing Director: Rick Wagonheim

Editorial: The Whitehouse
Editor: Mark Langley
Producer: Lauren Hertzberg