In the new Subaru spot Fly Out helmed by Oscar nominated Shine director Scott Hicks via Carmichael Lynch, Smoke & Mirrors New York (SMNY) Creative Director Sean Broughton leads his VFX team in the creation of a bird sanctuary teeming with thousands of rare species.

We open on a nature photographer exploring the wetlands in her Subaru, looking for the perfect angle to get her photograph. It’s an expedition she would have been hesitant to take but for the rugged performance of her Subaru Forester. The outing pays off, as a flock of thousands burst into flight across the majestic plain. It’s a journey made possible by the adventurous spirit that resides in every Subaru and the people that love them.

“Pretty much every shot was “bird free” when we started. Steve Jess at the Whitehouse carefully selected stock footage elements that were then knitted together in post. This “cast of thousands” was created by Sean Broughton, Phil Akka and newly arrived former A52 artist, Kirk Balden.” comment from SMNY.

“Every element was a different film or video stock, a different grade and a different format ranging from 2k, HD and NTSC – all of which had to be married together in Flame. The spot had to look completely seamless, as always, but we were very pleased with the result here. No one has spotted that any shot had work done to it, let alone every shot.” comment from SMNY.

About SMNY:
New York and London-based design, animation and VFX studio, Smoke & Mirrors was founded by Creative Director/VFX Artist Sean Broughton (NY), Penny Verbe (UK) and Mark Wildig (UK). A creative and artist-driven company synonymous with vision and originality since its inception, Smoke & Mirrors has consistently succeeded because of its collaborative approach and ability to build lasting creative relationships with directors, producers, agencies and clients alike.

Production in the New York office is lead by Managing Director Jo Morgan and Executive Producer Celest Gilbert. Diverse projects range from work on the Harry Potter and Bond film series, to commercials campaigns for Mercedes, Burger King, Miller Lite and Sirius. Recent music vid clips include Feists 1 2 3 4, and I Feel It All. Each office is fully networked together with complementary systems allowing the companies to share resources, expanding local capacity. Close involvement with hardware and software manufacturers and developers has kept Smoke & Mirrors at the forefront of innovation and technology.

The Creds:

Client: Subaru
Spot Title: Fly Out
Air Date: July 2008

Agency: Carmichael Lynch
ECD: Jim Nelson
AD: Randy Hughes
Copywriter: Karen McKinley
Producer: Brynn Hausmann

Prod Company: Independent Media
Director: Scott Hicks
DP: Wally Pfister
EP: Susanne Preissler
Post/Effects: Smoke & Mirrors/NY
CD/Lead Flame Artist: Sean Broughton
Flame Artist(s): Phil Akka, Kirk Balden
Flame Assistant: Stephanie Isaacson
EP: Celest Gilbert
Senior Producer: Paul O’Beirne

Editorial: The Whitehouse
Editor: Steve Jess
Producer: Melanie Klein

Music: Asche & Spencer