Taylor James | Bermuda Tourism

Work
>
Bermuda Tourism
Share
0 Likes
Animation CGI Environments Featured Live-action Post-production/VFX TV

Bermuda Tourism

...

Commissioned by GlobalHue the campaign for Bermuda Tourism aired in the USA as part of the client’s advertising crusade to attract visitors to the island.

The ad was produced and directed by Taylor James on set in Bermuda with the help of Flynn Production’s team of live-action producers. The cutting-edge one shot TV commercial combines striking photo-realistic CGI with live-action used to create the 30 second fly-around advert of the island. The finished result is a stunning advert with panoramic views of the beautiful island.

Pre-visualisation

CGI

Live-Action

Animation

Edit

Brief

After seeing TJ’s maps for Tourism Ireland, GlobalHue approached us for Bermuda Tourism’s latest TV campaign targeted at audiences on the East coast of the US. The agency’s initial concept focused on using cuts between oversized map icons and slick live-action scenes. From the start, our creative lead, saw an opportunity to create something breathtaking.

With two 30sec TV spots, we needed to create scenes that were varied across the Island. Blending CGI seamlessly with live-action, involved a mountain of technical issues we need to resolve at the pre-production stage before going on-set to Bermuda. As with every production, the agency dealt with one internal creative lead in the team, who helped align the creative vision along with the technical aspects needed to successfully direct the complete production.

Concept Development

Our creatives and concept artists firstly work closely with the ad agency and client to evolve the concept through the pre-production stages, looking to maximise the overall creative message. As always, planning was key to achieving this stunning photorealistic effect.

Whilst developing the concept, we build in efficiencies to maximise production value. We combined CGI with photography, shot at our in-house photography studio.

Pre Visualisation

…

Our creatives and concept artists firstly work closely with the ad agency and client to evolve the concept through the pre-production stages, looking to maximise the overall creative message. As always, planning was key to achieving this stunning photorealistic effect.

Focusing on one complete camera sweep around the island, we wanted to contrast the island’s beauty with recreational activities in and around the island, creating a compelling real-time journey. Through an intense pitching process, our ambitious treatment was selected. We took the script from concept through to final delivery.

Shoot Production and Direction

We managed the shoot production, working in line with the CGI animatics, led in harmony by our Creative Lead, Photographer and Technical Director. We were able to take the photographic assets and comp them into the CGI environment on set, to give the client a detailed visual representation of what the final images would look like.

For the on island live-action production we teamed up with Emma and the team at Flynn Productions. With one fixed camera-move, we quickly needed to confirm our 6 island locations in close proximity and plan a shooting schedule that would allow for lighting continuity in the shots. Focus soon switched to the seamless integration between the live-action plates and the CGI camera. The timing of the camera paths, the distances travelled, the speeds, the voice over and the terrain information conveyed, were important to nail down as early as possible due to timing constraints. At this point, along with reference photography captured from the location scouting, the CGI team back in London had already started building the complete island.

“The use of CGI and live-action came naturally to Taylor James. We would never have been able to showcase the entire island if we had gone with just live-action and we would have lost its personal touch.
Their problem solving is impressive as we didn't have a blank slate. We had to hit specific areas on the island that appealed to the consumer. So the ``fly-over`` technique had to be really well thought out. ”

Desmond Hall, ECD, GlobalHue, Detroit

CGI Production and Animation

Modelling from reference imagery and some purchased material, billions of polys were used to create this digital Bermuda. Meanwhile the production team prepared for the tight 2 day live-action shoot. Capturing 6 locations whilst trying to work with consistent lighting, was made difficult when the weather turned and we faced a mid-atlantic storm- unheard of in the last 15 years! We managed to capture 4 locations but had to return a week later to get the last 2 scenes. Our animatics at the MS3 stage proved an invaluable tool in guiding the talent, client, creatives and crew through the specific requirements for the live-action camera movements. For blending between the movement and speed of our CGI and live-action cameras, we used set extensions, matte paintings and various swipes, fighting hard to match scale and perspectives within the complete journey.

Post-Production

Bringing all the elements together our post production team had to combine countless scenes and grades to deliver the continuity you see in the final piece. Within each of these steps there were countless technical decisions the team had to conquer. Its the ability and desire of our artists matched with the tight working structure of the studio that allows for this free-flowing knowledge and problem solving to take effect.

Our complete image production service allowed us to produce the campaign entirely in-house, through our photography, CGI and retouch teams. We understand that time, budget and flexibility are all important in the production process. The benefits, therefore, of having TJ run complete productions are numerous. It enables us to streamline all areas of production with a focus on giving our clients the very highest quality visuals.

Results

Bermuda has won several awards and even more admirers amongst the creative community. Within a modest budget we have created a multi-million dollar production that stays true to its initial vision. Bermuda is just one example of how our technical abilities and creative instincts give us the confidence to tackle any production. We are still very proud of this work.

Through decisive and creative problem solving, production issues and budget constraints can always be overcome. And with our creative and technical skills in-house, and the complete production delivered under one roof, we gain efficiencies that can be passed along. It allows us to strive for the highest levels of realism and a superior quality finish.

The two TV commercials ran throughout USA.

Testimonial

“As with every TV production time is of the essence, working with just one post-production studio proved to be a huge timesaver. Their problem solving is impressive... There were a thousand technical decisions that had to be rendered just so in order to make the trip engaging and they came through.”

Desmond Hall, Executive Creative Director, GlobalHue, Detroit

integrated creative productions