Venice, CA-based The Mission visualizes perilous navigation through the muck of the Internet for Squarespace’s first-ever Super Bowl spot in the artfully chaotic :30, “A Better Web Awaits,” produced direct-to-client. Directed by Anonymous Content’s Malcolm Venville, the :30 delivers an expedition into the hazards and annoyances of web surfing, complete with aggressive pop-ups, offers and advertisements; all in stark contrast to a streamlined web experience through Squarespace.
The Mission was tasked with building the dystopian fantasy world into a believable, epic-yet-grimy experience. Utilizing matte paintings to extend the cityscape, The Mission transformed a small backlot borough into a sprawling metropolis. Then, the team added wrecking ball emoticons, drone billboards and extensive ‘tasteless’ signage. They also added props on the characters, such as the 5-star ratings icons, mortgage badge and stock footage windows. These elements were designed in Adobe Creative Cloud, animated and lit in Maya, and rendered with V-Ray. Additionally, Internet memes were brought to life starting with a disturbing head swap, a mocking Quaker in a window and those pervasively annoying ‘trolls.’
All compositing and grading were done in Flame Premium, and the webpage layout and end-tag animation with Adobe CC.
Says The Mission’s Creative Director Rob Trent, “It was incredibly fun to stretch our imaginations here at The Mission in trying to create just the right CG props for each character, and to concept the city to suit the aesthetic our client was going for.”
“A Better Web Awaits” is a tactile interpretation of a cluttered, seedy web experience. A baby-faced man holds an adult-domed baby, leading into an onslaught of garish and intrusive web interruptions. A man stares down an impending pack of personified Internet hazards: a highly aggressive bodybuilder emblazoned with a tacky “Go” button pushes for a click, a man in a full body yellow hazmat suit warns of viruses, a neurotic mom begs for ‘Likes’ on social media baby photos and other Internet nuisances bring to life the pop-up offers, warnings and propositions that hinder a user’s web experience. The mayhem fades away, cutting to the man in a much calmer state, surfing the web through an un-cluttered Squarespace experience. A voiceover concludes, “We can’t change what the web has become, but we can change what it will be. A better web starts with your site. Squarespace.”
Credits:
Client: Squarespace
Chief Creative Officer: David Lee
Producer: Rich Minkoff
Creative: Nathan Frank
Creative: Paul Caiozzo
Designer: Billy Sweeny
Designer: Nessim Higson
Copywriter: Ken Ziegler
Title: “A Better Web Awaits” :30/:60
Production Company: Anonymous Content
Director: Malcolm Venville
Executive Producer: Eric Stern
Producer: John Benet
1st AD: Bob Wagner
DP: Paul Cameron
Production Supervisor: Yianni Papadopoulos
Production Designer: Jeffrey Higenbotham
Costume Designer: Franck Chevalier
Post Production: The Mission, Venice, CA
Managing Director: Michael Pardee
Creative Director: Rob Trent
Lead Flame Artist: Jan Cilliers
Flame Artist: Katrina Salicrup
Flame Artist: Chris Moore
Flame Artist: Michael Vaglienty
Flame Artist: Rob Winfield
Graphic Designer: Doug Chang
Matte Painter: Roger Kupelian
Roto: Chris Cortese
CG Supervisor: Piotr Karwas
Computer Graphics: Rick Grandy
Computer Graphics: Raul Dominguez
Computer Graphics: Samir Lyons
VFX Producer: Stacy Kessler Aungst
VFX Coordinator: Drew Rissman
Original Music: Human
Sound Design: Joseph Fraioli, Jafbox Sound
Mix: Lime Studios
Mixer: Sam Casas
Assistatn: Tom Paolantonio
Executive Producer: Jessica Locke
About The Mission
The Mission is a high-end visual effects studio specializing in commercials, film and digital content. It is located in the middle of the pop-culture hub known as Abbot Kinney in Venice, CA.
With the talents of some of the most creative and experienced artists in the industry, working with the latest tools and a top-notch production staff, The Mission is a nimble and dynamic powerhouse of a partner to deploy into your creative process.
From concepting, previs, and on-set-supervision, to 2d and 3d visual effects work & design, and on to final mastering, The Mission brings a smart, beautiful and efficient component to every visual dimension of your project.