PIXEL FARM

Pixel Farm Colorist, Oscar Oboza recently completed film transfer and color correction on the Roots’ “How I Got Over.” The following is an excerpt from Pitchfork’s review of this upcoming Def Jam release:

The breeziest thing the Roots have put forth since “Act Too (Love of My Life)”, probably, the title single from the Roots’ upcoming album is already eliciting a few jeers for loosening the reins (heard someone mention Black Eyed Peas’ sodden “Where Is the Love?”) So what if it doesn’t revisit say, the El-P-inspired spacecraft synths of “Get Busy”? The Roots are virtually taken for granted by now as evocative groove-layers. Here, ?uestlove vies with congas, a low-shimmering organ, and a gorgeous “Who’s worrying ’bout you babe” hooking you in for Black Thought’s poetic license to drop Rwanda like he’s Mr. Lif, whose own stab at this sort of Obama-softened reporting earlier this year wasn’t warm enough. For every housing crisis or Philly shooting, there’s a trope worth revisiting in Black (not bleak) Thought’s reflective mode, and these are some of his blackest thoughts in some time. But unlike those taught him “not to give a f*@%,” his group insists, “Someone has to care”; here, they’d rather worry about the streets rather than glorify them.

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Pixel Farm is proud to have been a part of Burger King’s new campaign to prevent hunger in America. Burger King has teamed up with Sony Pictures Animation’s new film Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs for a promotion to benefit the Feeding America charity. The film, which opens in theaters on Sept. 18, will be incorporated into the burger chain’s revamped Web site for kids, ClubBK.com. Children visiting the site can play online word games and activities featuring the characters and themes from the film, as well as watch the film’s trailer.

Players will earn crowns as rewards for their efforts, which they then have the option of giving as a donation to Feeding America, the hunger-relief charity, an appropriate response to all that food wasted that falls from the sky in the film. As more crowns are donated, players receive virtual Feeding America-themed rewards including a T-shirt for their avatar. When donations from across the entire Club BK network reach a certain level, all participants will receive a virtual reward.

This four-week campaign, launching today, includes national television and digital advertising, in-store merchandise and movie-themed toys available in BK Kids Meals through Oct. 11. Campbell Mithun is the agency.

“As part of our BK Positive Steps corporate responsibility mission, we recognize the importance of helping others and are excited to provide kids with a fun and engaging way to give back to their communities,” said Cindy Syracuse, senior director of cultural marketing for BK, in a statement. “It’s a natural way for Club BK members to put their excitement for the movie to work.”

No Comments | In: News, Spots | tags: Burger King, Campbell Mithun, clouds, corporate responsibility, hunger, meatballs. | #

Pixel Farm is proud to have been a part of a recent spot produced by Peter Mullin for Best Buy and Chickenfoot, a powerhouse rock band comprised of one time Deep Purple guitarist Joe Satriani, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer Chad Smith and Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar from Van Halen.

Creative editor, Doug Griess farmed clips from live recordings of numerous songs and behind the scenes studio recording footage to create an action packed performance of the band’s hit song, “Oh Ya.” Inferno artist Tom Jacobsen, assisted by Chad Retrum, envisioned a high contrast black and white look, adding in multiple images composited with 3D lighting and visual effects. Ken Chastain and Jesse Marks collaborated on building a 30 second track from the full-length song and added in movie trailer-like sound effects and crowd noises.

The commercial premiered during the debut week of The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien and will air again nationally in the fall. Chickenfoot’s self-titled debut peaked at #4 on the Billboard charts and has already sold over one million copies.

“Chickenfoot” — Best Buy from Pixel Farm on Vimeo.

No Comments | In: Events, Spots | tags: Best Buy, Chad Retrum, Chad Smith, Chickenfoot, Deep Purple, Doug Griess, Jesse Marks, Joe Satriani, Ken Chastain, Michael Anthony, post-production, Red Hot Chili Peppers, rock n' roll, Sammy Hagar, Tom Jacobsen, Van Halen. | #

Pixel Farm recently worked on a 3D augmented reality advertisement for Best Buy. See it in all of its multi-dimensional glory here.

Best Buy 3D Augmented Reality Ad from Tom Martin on Vimeo.

No Comments | In: News, Spots | tags: 3D, augmented reality, Best Buy, Keanu Reeves. | #

More congratulations are in order for our friends at Barrie D’Rozario and Murphy: BD’M was one of only two U.S. agencies to win the highly coveted Gold Lion at this year’s Cannes festival. BD’M’s “Video Art Piece,” an edgy, 30 minute long video installation to help promote Chambers Hotel was awarded a Gold Lion in Film. Additionally, “Video Art Piece” will tour the U.S. as a part of an event sponsored by AICP and MOMA and will become a part of MOMA’s permanent collection. Read more about the project here.

“Video Art Project” — Chambers Hotel from Pixel Farm on Vimeo.

Title: CHAMBERS VIDEO ART PIECE
Advertiser/Client: CHAMBERS HOTEL
Product/Service: CHAMBERS HOTEL
Entrant Company: BARRIE D’ROZARIO MURPHY Minneapolis, USA
Advertising Agency: BARRIE D’ROZARIO MURPHY Minneapolis, USA
Executive Creative Director: Stuart D’Rozario/Bob Barrie
Copywriter: Stuart D’Rozario
Agency Producer: Jack Steinmann
Production Company: NYDRLE Hollywood, USA
Director: Peter Nydrle
Producer: Adele Amos
Editor: Jonathan Del Gatto, Butcher Edit
Art Director: Bob Barrie/Brian Lambert
Other Credits: Executive Producer: Garner Kinmond

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Congratulations to Pixel Farm’s Oscar Oboza and Publicis In The West for bringing home a Silver Lion at Cannes 2009. Oscar was the colorist on Washington State Lottery’s “Birds” spot, which was awarded a Silver Lion in Film.

“Birds” — Washington State Lottery from Pixel Farm on Vimeo.

Title: Birds
Air Date: June 2, 2008
Client: Washington Lottery
Agency: Publicis in the West, Seattle
Executive Producer: Derek Ruddy
Creative Director: Dan Fietsam
Art Director: Scott Rasmussen
Copywriter: Jeff Siegel
Production Company: Sticks+Stones Studios, Los Angeles
Director: Jerry Brown
Executive Producer: Marlon Staggs
Producer: Gabrielle Yuro
Head of Production: Jason Dennis
Director of Photography: Tom Olgeirrson
Post-Production: Fischer Edit, Minneapolis
Editor: Lindy Wilson
VFX Supervisor/FLAME Artist: Jake Parker
Editorial & VFX Producer: Bill Rogina
Film Transfer: Pixel Farm, Minneapolis
Colorist: Oscar Oboza
Music: Music Forever
Composer: Rob Simonsen
Music Produced by Anthony Marinelli

The Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival is the world’s only truly global meeting place for professionals in the communications industry who want to keep ahead of the curve. During seven days in June, thousands of delegates from 90 countries gather in Cannes to listen to speakers such as Sir Martin Sorrell, Bob Greenberg, Kofi Annan, Steve Ballmer, Biz Stone, Maurice Lévy, Bob Geldof, Mark Tutssel, Tham Khai Meng and hundreds of others, whilst around 250 jury menbers judge over 22,000 pieces of the most creative advertising from across the world. All the entries are available to view for delegates in exhibitions, kiosks and in screenings.

No Comments | In: News, Spots | tags: aviation, Cannes, color correction, Oscar Oboza, Silver Lion, Washington State Lottery. | #

Tune in to The Tonight Show With Conan O’Brien this Friday to see Chickenfoot perform live and debut their new commercial that was recently finished by Pixel Farm. In case you didn’t get the face-melting rock memo, Chickenfoot’s allstar lineup includes Joe Satriani, Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith. Their new self-titled, heat-sensitive album is available in Best Buy stores and on iTunes and Napster this Friday, June 5, 2009.

No Comments | In: News, Spots | tags: Best Buy, Chad Smith, Chickenfoot, iTunes, Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony, Napster, rock memo, Sammy Hagar. | #

Congratulations to our friends at Barrie D’Rozario and Murphy for taking home a total of five awards at the 2009 CLIO Awards. Pixel Farm is proud to have been a part of United Airlines “Sea Orchestra” spot, which was awarded a silver CLIO for animation and a bronze CLIO for Music Adaptation.

“Sea Orchestra” — United Airlines from Pixel Farm on Vimeo.

Advertising Agency: Barrie D’Rozario Murphy, Minneapolis
Sound Design Company: Pixel Farm, Minneapolis
Executive Creative Director: Stuart D’Rozario, Bob Barrie
Art Director: James Zucco
Director: Shy the Sun
Sound Designer: Ken Chastain
Music Company: Trivers & Myers, El Segundo
Animation Company: DUCK Studios, Los Angeles
Agency Producer: Holly Stone, Jack Steinmann
Copywriter: Phil Calvit
Executive Producer: Mark Medernach
Producer: Nina Pfeiffer
Arranger: Trivers & Myers

The CLIO Awards is one of the world’s most recognized awards competition for advertising, design and interactive. Celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2009, the CLIO Awards has maintained its original commitment to celebrate and reward creative excellence, honoring a powerful form of communication and its impact on modern culture. At the same time, the CLIO Awards remains focused on evolving with the industry in order to acknowledge the most current, breakthrough work. To this day, CLIO’s iconic statue is the most widely recognized and coveted symbol of the industry’s creative accomplishments. The CLIO Awards are produced by Nielsen Business Media, a part of The Nielsen Company, a global information and media company.

No Comments | In: News, Spots | tags: audio mix, BD'M, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Robert Redford, Sea Orchestra, sound design, United Airlines. | #