Los Angeles-based editorial company Therapy Studios and Design/vfx shop Visual Creatures team with Jeff Goldblum and Blake Griffin to master the art of car dunking in a comical new :60 “Dunk-ologist”, created by Funny or Die and produced by the recently formed commercial production company Gifted Youth for KIA. “Dunk-ologist” aired during the NBA Sprite Slam Dunk Contest February 25th on TNT and also appears on FunnyorDie.com. The spot features former FOD intern-turned-funny man and Clippers forward Griffin taking his ridiculous dunking stunts to more outrageous, and ultimately reverse proportions. After dropping jaws at the 2011 Dunk Contest by successfully dunking over a silver KIA, Griffin instead attempts to have the KIA Optima dunk over him.
Long-time Funny or Die collaborator and Visual Creatures partner Ryan McNeely came on board during the early concepting phases, when the entire team rallied their excitement around the idea and pulled from the immense FOD comedic talent pool to bring Goldblum on board to join Griffin for the dunking “stunt”. No longer afforded the luxury of free time, granted by the NBA Blackout, that Griffin had during his internship, McNeely worked meticulously with the production team to ensure that everything was in place for a seamless execution of the shots needed within the NBA star’s limited time on set.
A majority of the visual effects were executed in-camera using a motion control rig and meticulous shot-timing to ensure that the impact shot would be effectively jarring, yet remain light and slightly goofy. Notes McNeely, “Funny Or Die and Gifted Youth have a great group of talented, creative people that are constantly coming up with great ideas that are quickly put into action and explode into something bigger. It was both exciting and refreshing that KIA was so willing to go with a less conventional concept that will really surprise audiences.”
Therapy editor Kristin McCasey worked meticulously with the footage to ensure that the :60 spot came across as one single, long shot, even with the complex visual effects shots needed to execute the crash. Sound design was also crucial to enhancing the comedy, which McCasey executed. No stranger to Funny or Die projects, having previously edited on numerous comical shorts for the website, McCasey was enthusiastic about being on board a team to deliver the FOD humor to the KIA brand. She notes, “It was exciting that KIA was so trusting of the concept and I think the freedom they gave the entire team really allowed us to create great content.”
“Dunk-ologist” opens on Griffin in a warehouse-sized laboratory, helmeted. Griffin questions, “What’s crazier than dunking over a KIA Optima? Having it dunk over me. I looked into it and it’s entirely possible.” Goldblum then turns to camera with a mischievous grin, “That’s right, B.G.,” sharing a custom handshake, “And I should know. I’m a dunk-ologist.” We then whip-pan to several lab techs attaching a basketball to the grill of an Optima as Goldblum continues, “Actually, I’m a theoretical physicist but that doesn’t quite have the same ring to it, does it?” He continues to a model-sized Optima and ramp where he demonstrates how the car will pull off the dunk over Griffin. Needless to say, the actual experiment doesn’t work as the Optima rams Griffin into a pile of boxes. Goldbum, seeing he’s in trouble, flees the scene, causing Griffin to call out in a daze, “Did it work?”
About Therapy
Amidst the anxiety and occasional insanity of commercial, feature, music video, and interactive projects, Therapy Studios offers refuge. Led by founders Joe DiSanto, John Ramsey, Wren Waters and Doobie White, the award-winning team is constantly achieving breakthroughs in creative editorial and post-production for clients like Playstation, Chrysler, Sony, Wells Fargo, Activision, PBS, and KIA. Housed in a calming, state-of-the-art West LA space, Therapy features custom-built editorial, finishing, design, audio, and color grading suites. www.youneedtherapy.tv
About Visual Creatures
Visual Creatures is a collaborative effort to create new and innovative works across a wide variety of artistic disciplines. From design to animation, visual effects to cinematography, writing to creative development, we love creating moving images, telling stories, and showing each other things we find on the internet. We are Visual Creatures! www.visualcreatures.com
Credits:
Client: Kia
Title: “Dunk-ologist” :60
Airdate: 2/25/12
Created By: Funny or Die
Production Company: Gifted Youth
Directors: Charles Ingram & Nick Corirossi
Executive Producer: Dal Wolf
Producer: Josh Martin
Visual Effects: Visual Creatures
VFX Sup./Artist/Partner: Ryan McNeely
Artist/Partner: John Cranston
Artist: Dustin Bowser
Editorial & Post: Therapy Studios
Editor: Kristin McCasey
Sound Designer: Kristin McCasey
Finishing & Color: Wren Waters
Mix: Lihi Orbach
Partner/EP: Joe DiSanto