Culver City-based visual effects house Zoic Studios explores the unknown source of a mystifying meteorological phenomenon in the action-packed :30 “Polar Vortex” for Jeep out of Doner Partners. The spot, directed by Loni Peristere, finds a frosty whirlwind amidst a snow-covered mountain basin, with the origin of the snowy spiral revealed to be a red Jeep Wrangler X Edition tearing through the wintry turf. The SUV leaves a vortex of frigid weather in its wake as it races through the snowy valley, settling the cyclone as it halts in over a foot of snow, pausing momentarily before its daredevil driver and passenger resume their frigid joyride. Zoic handled comprehensive post production for the spot, including VFX, editorial, color grading and finishing.
VFX Supervisor Ryan McDougal joined Peristere and Bandito Brothers for the one-day shoot in Telluride, CO and quickly got to work with his VFX team to create the epic storm. The team utilized the practical snow that was kicked up by the Jeep to inform the CG stormy cyclone that they crafted in post. They lit and rendered in Maya, VRay and Krakatoa and composited everything using Nuke and Flame. For the elemental VFX, they utilized a combination of software, including Phoenix FD, Maya Fluids, Maya Particles and Houdini. In addition to the snowy cyclone, the Zoic team also crafted additional snow surrounding the tires, flying chunks of ice surrounding the vehicle, aerial clouds and skies, leveraging a mixture of matte painting and selective 3D effects to accomplish a clean look for these shots that would establish the correct depth and scale, without detracting from the VFX of the main vortex.
“When it comes to epic visuals, the biggest challenge is scale,” notes McDougal. “Our team worked conscientiously to find the sweet spot of what felt massive, powerful and kinetic, while still being readable to the viewer.”
About Zoic Studios
Zoic Studios is a visual effects company based in Culver City, California, and Vancouver, B.C. Our team has a proven track record of success, crafting innovative visual experiences for film, television, advertising, video game and interactive projects.
“Visual Evolution” is our mission: to advance the story, art, and technology of the moving image. Masters in the fields of design, animation, compositing, and production management, Zoic’s reputation attracts rising talent and encourages a strong work ethic.
Zoic prioritizes research and development in service of constant creative growth, from in-house virtual production to real time rendering using game engine technology.
Credits:
Client: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Brand: Jeep
Title: “Polar Vortex” :30
Agency: Doner Partners
Chief Creative Officer: Rob Strasberg
Executive Creative Director: Chuck Meehan
Creative Directors: Bill Majewski & Merritt Fritchie
Associate Creative Director: Andrew Wright
Associate Creative Director: Nick Marine
Agency Executive Producer: Joe Knisely
Brand Leader: Chris Parker
Brand Leader/Project Manager: Alex Drader
Senior Business Leader: Laura Patnales
Senior Account Executive: Marc Kirsten
Production Company: Bandito Brothers
Director: Loni Peristere
Executive Producer: Suzanne Hargrove
Head of Production: Earl McDaniel
Producer: Karen Rohrbacher
Production Supervisor: Kathy Hofmann
Visual Effects: Zoic Studios
Executive Creative Director: Chris Jones
Executive Producer: Ian Unterreiner
Executive Producer: Matt Thunell
Senior Producers: Georgina Poushkine, Steve Melchiorre
Producer: Ryan Burcham
Post Production Coordinator: Anna Chang
VFX Supervisor: Ryan McDougal
VFX On Set Supervisor: Ryan McDougal
Senior Editor: Dmitri Gueer
Lead Flame: Dave Stern
3D Supervisor: Bill Spradlin
Art Director: Wes Kandel
Production BC: Steve Melchiorre, Echo Liu
Dynamics Department: Mike Rhone, Darryl Pfeil, Wayne Hollingsworth
Matte Painting: Nick Hiatt
Look Development: Kyung Park
Lighting: Kyung Park, Dan Kruse, Christina Murguia, Jake Long
Compositing: Julie Jang, Fumi Mashimo, Michael Miller, Daniel Rashcko, Feli Digiorgio
Camera Department: David Windhorst, Steve Kazun