RELEASES

.COMPLETE CREDITS HERE.
 

Scene 1 from Lexus "Button/Reveal"
Image courtesy of a52.
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300 dpi version here.


Scene 2 from Lexus "Button/Reveal"
Image courtesy of a52.
Click on thumbnail for 72dpi image. 
300 dpi version here.

Scene 3 from Lexus "Button/Reveal"
Image courtesy of a52.
Click on thumbnail for 72dpi image. 
300 dpi version here.

Scene 4 from Lexus "Button/Reveal"
Image courtesy of a52.
Click on thumbnail for 72dpi image. 
300 dpi version here.

Scene 5 from Lexus "Button/Reveal"
Image courtesy of a52.
Click on thumbnail for 72dpi image. 
300 dpi version here.

Scene 1 from Lexus "Button/Ocean"
Image courtesy of a52.
Click on thumbnail for 72dpi image. 
300 dpi version here.

Contacts:
Roger Darnell
DWA for a52
1.828.264.8898

For Immediate Release

HOLLYWOOD – Mar. 29, 2005 – Emmy Award-winning Los Angeles visual effects company a52 today detailed their visual effects work for the new Lexus “Button” broadcast campaign from Team One in Los Angeles.  The package, consisting of the spots “Button/Reveal,” “Button/Ice” and “Button/Ocean,” was created by renowned director Bruno Aveillan via bicoastal Believe Media, and each continues airing widely during national high-profile network and cable broadcasts.

The campaign’s high-level creative is connected to the vehicle’s SmartAccess system, which enables Lexus GS owners to start their car simply by pressing their SmartAccess’ Start button.  That idea is dramatically embedded in the three spots, each of which uses stylized, cinematic approaches to illuminate the beauty, speed and power of the new GS.  The high-tech, stylish “Reveal” spot highlights the car’s beauty, “Ice” showcases its power and “Ocean” conveys its speed.  Each spot was edited by award-winning editor Adam Pertofsky of LA’s Rock Paper Scissors.

“Lexus is such a high-quality product, when you do a Lexus spot you really do have to do everything first class,” said Team One’s project associate creative director and art director James Hendry.  “Along with my partner, copywriter Kathy Hepinstall, and Jack Epsteen, our incredibly creative executive producer who's extremely involved in the creative process, we all knew what we wanted.  It started with the great script, then Bruno brought so much vision to it.  Also, we always knew that a52 would be involved, and that whatever Bruno did, a52 would perfect.”

a52’s VFX team, including inferno artists Simon Brewster and Tim Bird and producer Scott Boyajan, ultimately handling myriad compositing, cleanup and visual effects feats for each campaign spot in post.

Together with the agency’s team, Aveillan led director of photography Phillipe Le Sourd and the rest of his production crew to Vancouver to film their art gallery scenes.  The crew also traveled to a 10,000 year-old glacier in British Columbia to shoot ice cave footage, then flew to Oahu, Hawaii, to roll cameras seventy feet below the surface for the “Ocean” source material.

“You always go into a project like this trying to make it look like a feature film, and I think Bruno really did capture it,” Hendry explained.  “Like on any good shoot, you try a lot of things on the day, and when it came time for post, there were a few things that we entrusted to a52.  What's great about a52 is that they were there every step of the way.  It was tremendously difficult conditions to shoot under, so what we were able to do with a52 was to finish what we needed.  We took it as far as we possibly could given the tremendous commitment and the obstacles of shooting in these far-flung locations, and a52 took what we did and brought it to life.”

Continuing, Hendry added, “I think what we enjoy about working with a52 is that they're incredibly professional, but they're also perfectionists.  Nothing comes out that isn't right.” 

In addition to James Hendry, Kathy Hepinstall and Jack Epsteen, Team One’s project credits include group creative directors James Dalthorp and Jon Pearce, executive creative director Chris Graves and assistant producer Leah Fisher.  Production was overseen by Believe Media’s executive producers Gerard Cantor and Martin Coulais. 

Stefan Sonnenfeld served as colorist for Company 3 in Santa Monica. 

Besides Adam Pertofsky, the editorial team from LA’s Rock Paper Scissors also included executive producer Linda Carlson and assistant editor Charlie Lee.  a52’s team also included executive producer Mark Tobin. 

The campaign’s music and sound design were both handled by Elias Arts in Los Angeles; Jimmy Haun composed the music and Jay Nierenberg handled the sound design.  Margarita Mix de Santa Monica’s Jimmy Hite mixed the final audio.

About a52
Established in 1997 as a home for the very latest high-end photo-real visual effects technologies and the industry’s most innovative and talented graphic design artists, visual effects company a52 creates award-winning imagery for the world’s most visually ambitious commercial and television projects.  Having relocated to Santa Monica in 2007, the company’s work has earned AICP Show recognition for 11 consecutive years along with recent “Outstanding Commercial” Emmy, Andy, BDA, Belding, Clio, British Design and Art Direction, International Monitor, International Automotive Advertising, London International Advertising, One Show and PROMAX awards.  For more information, please call 1.310.586.0650 or visit www.a52.com.

"Button/Ice" QuickTime

"Button/Reveal" QuickTime

"Button/Ocean" QuickTime






Scene 2 from Lexus "Button/Ocean"
Image courtesy of a52.
Click on thumbnail for 72dpi image. 
300 dpi version here.


Scene 3 from Lexus "Button/Ocean"
Image courtesy of a52.
Click on thumbnail for 72dpi image. 
300 dpi version here.

Scene 4 from Lexus "Button/Ocean"
Image courtesy of a52.
Click on thumbnail for 72dpi image. 
300 dpi version here.

Scene 5 from Lexus "Button/Ocean"
Image courtesy of a52.
Click on thumbnail for 72dpi image. 
300 dpi version here.