New York/San Francisco-based content creation/production company Bodega creative director Haley Geffen and Northern Lights editor Alan Chimenti team up with NBC Sports Group and NBC Sports VP Creative Director/Director Tripp Dixon for the third season running to deliver full-throttle football excitement in the 1:50 open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football (SNF). The open, featuring Carrie Underwood and many NFL stars including Russell Wilson, Peyton Manning, LeSean McCoy and Colin Kaepernick, debuted September 7th on Sunday Night Football‘s Colts vs. Broncos broadcast, which was watched by nearly 24 million viewers. The piece will continue to air throughout the NFL season.
Notes Tripp Dixon, “This year, NBC Sports Coordinating Producer Fred Gaudelli wanted the NBC Sunday Night Football Open to be more interactive and more fun so that the NFL players, Carrie and the fans could enjoy more of a shared experience. Whether it was Carrie getting Green Bay’s Clay Matthews to stage dive, or Seattle’s Russell Wilson firing up his fans.”
[youtube http://youtu.be/nDNSxm–sew]Continues Dixon, “It was great to be able to rely on Bodega’s energy and prior experience with the SNF open, and combine that with Rodeo’s strong VFX capabilities and fresh perspective. The most gratifying aspect of this project was less about a specific production technique or visual effect, it was how each key member of the team elevated the idea during the process.”
Says Haley Geffen, “We took the opener out of the stadium this year, capturing way more interaction between these superstars and their fans. The playfully interactive atmosphere on set was fun and relaxed, which translated to the screen.”
DeMarcus Ware on the 2014/2015 SNF Open set
“Our goal was to create a stylized concert. A huge party that also carried the drama of a mega rock show fit to open SNF,” adds Bodega Head of Production Michael Flexner.
Kinetic, circular CG structures were placed on both sides of the stage where you can see Peyton Manning and others battling on the gridiron. The images integrate seamlessly with the live-action on stage and in the crowd, further elevating the interactive atmosphere. The CG elements are also a stylish nod to last year’s Bodega-produced open, which won a Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Production Design/Art Direction. Given this considerable win, the bar for this year’s open was set high.
The team’s inspired update delivers electrifying drama and superstar glitz in one large-scale, thrilling package.
Credits:
Client: NBC Sports
Title: “NBC’s Sunday Night Football Open,” 1:50
NBC Sports
Coordinating Producer: Fred Gaudelli
SVP Creative: Mark Levy
VP Creative Director/Director: Tripp Dixon
Senior Associate Director: Charlie Vanacore
Bodega
Creative Director: Haley Geffen
Head of Production: Michael Flexner
Line Producer: Rayna Saslove
Director of Photography: Chuck Ozeas
Production Designer: Evan Rohde
Northern Lights
Editor: Alan Chimenti
Executive Producer: Robin Hall
Rodeo VFX
VFX Company: Rodeo VFX, Montréal, Québec
About Bodega
Bodega is a content creation company based in New York and San Francisco.
We tell stories on screens of every size. We make commercials, promos and digital content.
Our integrated approach allows for collaboration through every step in the process from creative to production through post including audio, finishing, design and visual effects.
About Northern Lights
Northern Lights is a thriving bi-coastal (NY/LA) editorial and post production boutique featuring filmmakers and visual artists with a passion for telling stories.
From Promax and Emmy-winning TV branding to commercials, film and Internet content, Northern Lights has been a destination for original ideas since 1995.
The company’s award-winning talent is continually creating new ways to interpret footage for all modern delivery platforms. Their unmatched ability to shape ideas into focused content for brands is fed by a creative environment that fosters trying new things and taking risks.
Northern Lights teams up with sister companies Mr. Wonderful for design, SuperExploder for composing and audio post, and Bodega, for creative assignments and production. Working together, they’re a powerful one-stop resource that tailors their offerings to each individual client and filmmaker’s needs.