"Cinecanal Promos" Set

VCU builds a miniature set for this Spanish language movie channel.

Novocom


St. Paul Insurance

Prod. Co.: Boxer Films
Director: Justin Klarenbeck

VCU creates a tidal wave and miniature boulders for this spot directed by Justin Klarenbeck of Boxer Films.


Dodge "Truckville"

Prod. Co.: Ritts-Hayden
Director: Lance Kelleher

VCU created a 1:4 scale miniature road sign for this Dodge spot directed by Lance Kelleher for Ritts-Hayden.


Dell Commercial

Prod. Co.: Steifel Co.
Director: Andrew Becker
VCU provided oversized props for this spot directed by Andrew Becker of Steifel and Co.
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Buick "Igor"

Prod. Co.: Reactor Films
Director: Steve Chase
Compositing: Digital Domain

VCU provides a miniature castle for this spot directed by Steve Chase of Reactor Films.

Photos

Ford Explorer "Geyser"

Prod. Co.: Bruce Dowad and Assoc.
Director: Robert Logaval
Compositing: a52

Director Robert Logaval of Bruce Dowad Assoc. needed a radio controlled miniature Ford Explorer for this spot.


"Evolution" Trailer

VCU provides miniature fabrication and photography for a feature film trailer. Miniature pyrotechnics were handled by J.D. Streett.


Chrysler "Bridge"

Agency: FCB Detroit
Agency Producer: Jack Nelson
Art Director: Robin Chrumka
Copywriter: Mike Stocker
Production Co: Spectre - Ritts Hayden
Director: Daniel Kleinman
Producers: Bertie Miller & Lance Anderson
Editor: Steve Gandolfi/Cut and Run
Post-Production: FrameStore

VCU provides miniatures of the Golden Gate bridge for this high concept Chrysler spot produced by Ritts-Hayden.

Photos

Oscar Meyer "Kid Kong"

Prod. Co.: Rhythm & Hues Commercials
Director: Michael Patterson
Compositing: Rhythm & Hues

Vision Crew provides miniatures for this spot produced by Rhythm & Hues Commercials


UUNet Commercials

Prod. Co.: Boxer Films
Director: Andrew Becker
Compositing: a52

VCU provides miniature fabrication and photography for this spot produced by Boxer Films.


Motomaster Commercial

Agency: BBDO
Prod. Co.: Boxer Films
Director: Jim Zooalian

VCU provides a snow covered neighborhood for this spot.


Dodge "Diesel"

Agency: BBDO
Prod. Co.: A Band Apart
Compositing: Sight Effects

VCU creates a seamless transition between a classic industrial environment and a lush forest in 20 seconds, all in miniature!

Photos

Anti-Smoking "Stereo Kid" Commercial

Prod. Co.: pre-duk-shen
Director: Eric Heimbold
Compositing: Digital Domain

A teen's room turns to ash in this public service announcement directed by Eric Heimbold. VCU provides on-set rigging and support for 'ash' rigs.


Hyundai "Expand"

Hyundai Expand

Prod. Co.: T - 30
Director: Justin Klarenbeck

Due to the short schedule to deliver this Hyundai commercial the production company turned to Vision Crew for an in-camera solution to the complex set of shots. VCU produced a 1:6 scale miniature car, a functioning 'gyro-rig' and the surrounding miniature set in just under three weeks!

Photos


Mercedes Miniature

Mercedes print ad miniature

Photographer: Michael Rausch

Company: Red Planet Productions


Jeep "Hands"

Prod. Co.: Satelite Films
Director: Andrew Douglas
Compositing: a52 / Simon Brewster

Miniatures & Oversized Sets for Satellite Films' spot.


Toyota "Tundra"

Toyota Tundra Miniatures

Prod. Co.: Ritts/Hayden
Director: Lance Kelleher
Compositing: a52 / Simon Brewster
VCU provides miniature fabrication and motion contol photography for this Ritts/Hayden spot directed by Lance Kelleher.


Dodge "Saw"

Prod. Co.: A Band Apart
Director: Terry Windell
Compositing: Sight Effects

VCU provides mechanical effects rigging for this Dodge Truck spot directed by A Band Apart's Terry Windell. Sight Effects contributed digital compositing on the spot.


Lexus "Fly"

Prod. Co.: MJZ
Director: Rocky Morton
Compositing: Sight Effects

When MJZ director Rocky Morton required his camera to do the impossible, he turned to Vision Crew. VCU built a custom camera rig to give Rocky's camera unprecidented flexibilty for the 'Fly Vision' shots.


Land Rover print ad

Photographer: Vic Huber
Company: Vic Huber Photo

Rather than working in the freezing cold, photographer Vic Huber chose to use a miniature for the background of this Land Rover print ad. Building a miniature provided much greater control and snow in the middle of summer.


Zyrtec "Apartment" & "Attic"

Prod. Co.: A Band Apart
Director: Terry Windell
Compositing: Sight Effects

VCU is responsible for a variety of mechanical effects for the second set of spots for this allergy medication. A Band Apart's Terry Windell directs and Sight Effects handles the compositing and CGI.

 Lexus "High Bank" & "Hanger"

Agency: Team One
Director: Lance Kelleher
Compositing: a52 / Simon Brewster
VCU contributed miniature fabrication and photography to these two spots produced by Ritts-Hayden. The extraordinary compositing work was handled by a52. 
Photos

Mercedes "Performance"

Director: Michael Bay
Prod. Co: Satelite Films/Bay Films

This spot directed by Michael Bay shows us how Mercedes employees work just as hard as the cars they sell. Bay wanted to show Mercedes employees running on a test track which was built in miniature. VCU produced the twenty five foot long model in a mere four days!


Anti-Smoking PSA "50Ways"

Anti-Smoking PSA  

Agency: Asher & Partners
Prod. Co.: Palomar Pictures
Director: Evan Jacobs 

VCU shot this macro photography of a cigarette burning while the voice-over warns us not to smoke.

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Mazda "Transmission"

Mazda Transmission Commercial

Prod. Co.: Ritts-Hayden
Director: Lance Kelleher
Compositing: a52 / Simon Brewster

Every radio telescope in this spot was a miniature produced and photographed by VCU.


Zyrtec "Power"

Zyrtec Power Commercial

Prod.Co.: A Band Apart
Director: Terry Windell
CGI/Compositing: Sight Effects

Another one of VCU's collaborations with director Terry Windell. In this spot, a man braves the world of allergies when he encounters blooming flowers, an onslot of pet dander, and flying dust. VCU provided several mechanical effects including self-lifting bricks, a vaccum cleaner with a mind of its own, and a bending rubber door that were all later composited together by Sight Effects.


"Royal Oil" - Mighty Mighty Bosstones Music Video

Prod. Co.: Arsenal
Director: Chris Applebaum

For this music video, directed by Chris Applebaum, Vision Crew was engaged to construct a 1:4 scale miniature shack hidden deep in the woods. For the finale of the video, the shack is completely destroyed by a massive explosion. VCU's cinematographer, Doug Miller, handled the photography while J.D. Streett was responsible for the pyro rigging.

 Photos


Diet Dr. Pepper "Shuttle"

Dr. Pepper Commercial

Agency: Young & Rubican
Prod. Co.: A Band Apart
Director: Charles Wittenmeyer

For this Diet Dr. Pepper soda commercial, VCU built a miniature Dr. Pepper delivery truck, a space shuttle launch area, and truck lift. On-set pyro was handled by J.D. Streett.


Nissan "Toys II"

Agency: Chait-Day
Prod. Co.: House of Usher
Director: Kinka Usher
Stop Motion Animation: Will Vinton Animation
Compositing: Novocom
"Toys II" is the follow-up to Nissan's very popular "Toys" ad, in which G.I. Joe runs off with Barbie while Ken looks on in disbelief. In this sequel, the adventure takes an off-road turn as our heroes find themselves navigating the rugged terrain of a suburban back yard in a new Nissan Pathfinder. Vision Crew fabricated a miniature, remote-controlled Pathfinder for the spot.


Geico "Lake"

Prod. Co.: A Band Apart
Director: Charles Wittenmeyer
In this commercial, produced by A Band Apart for the Geico Insurance Company, a golfer is seen going to extremes to retrieve a golf ball from a water hazard. Vision Crew rigged a golf cart to drive out of a golf course lake and onto the fairway with a driver on-board.

Hi-C "Blast"

Prod. Co.: A Band Apart
Director: Terry Windell
Once again working with A Band Apart, VCU collaborated with director Terry Windell to create a miniature gantry/launch pad and its surrounding groundscap. The minature set became the backdrop for a "shuttle launch" in this Hi-C beverage commercial.


Geico "Alternative Transportation"

Prod. Co.: A Band Apart
Director: Charles Wittenmeyer
In this spot, another collaboration with A Band Apart and the Geico Insurance Company, an adult borrows his child's toy car for a commute to work. Vision Crew built a large replica of a popular childs toy car. It was big enough for a full-sized adult person to get into and ride. 


Pizza Hut "Bread Subs" Commercial

Pizza Hut "Bread Subs" Commercial

Prod. Co.: Rhythm & Hues

This spot for Pizza Hut introduces the addition of fresh submarine sandwiches to their menu. In the commercial, a Pizza Hut employee is told to make submarines on bread, but accidentally commisions the construction of three full-size submarines made out of bread. Vision Crew built the subs as miniatures which looked as if they were made out of real bread.


Jeep "Recognize it" Commercial

Jeep "Recognize It"

Prod. Co.: A Band Apart
Director: Terry Windell
Compositing: Sight Effects
A very stylized effect was achieved using traditional, physical approaches in this Jeep commercial directed by Terry Windell for A Band Apart. In a single dolly move a vehicle covered by a tarp needed to appear as to "warp" from an Indy car to a limousine to a tank and finally to a Jeep. To achieve the effect, Vision Crew employed the use of custom vacuum boxes, air movers and 1/2 scale models of a sea cliff and several generic vehicles. "Terry wanted to do something practically which most people would have written off as only possible in the digital realm at the time."


Chevy "Dolphins"

Prod. Co.: Propaganda Films
Director: David Kellogg
Compositing: Digital Domain
For this spot, Vision Crew was responsible for designing a technique to generate a water splash element . This element was then composited into a scene where a dolphin appears to jump out of the water and through the open windows of a Chevy Mini Van.


Plymouth "Shakers"

Agency: Bozell Worldwide
Prod. Co.: A Band Apart
Director: Terry Windell

Three full-size Plymouth vehicles had to be supported as they jiggled back and forth in this commercial directed by Terry Windell. Vision Crew designed and fabricated the digitally controlled, pneumatic shaker rigs for the spot.


New York, NY Hotel and Casino

New York NY Hotel and Casino Commercial

Agency: Asher/Gould
Prod. Co.: Moxie Pictures
Director: Yariv Gaber

VCU constructed a scale replica of the new addition to the Las Vegas strip.


Plymouth "Mighty Mouse"

Prod. Co.: Harmony Pictures
Director: Terry Windell

Physical gags are conjured for director Terry Windell and Harmony Pictures. VCU constructed a way to make a computer mouse appear to jump off of a desk and drag an entire computer system behind it. While the mouse was produced digitally, VCU designed an effect using a combination of air mortars and wire pulls to forcefully remove the computer from the set. A green screen element of the monitor bouncing down a road was also part of the gag. Both elements were later composited into a live action plate where the mouse takes on a very energetic life of it's own.

COCA-COLA "Things We Know"

Agency: Creative Artists Agency
Prod. Co.: Satelite
Director: Spike Jonze
Compositing: Pacific Ocean Post
 
VCU provided an array of effects for director Spike Jonze and producer Vince Landay of Satellite Films in this elaborate effects-laden commercial for Coca-Cola. Vision Crew created all of the effects, which included composite elements, miniatures, mechanical puppets, physical effects and stop motion animation. The effects were all later assembled together by Pacific Ocean Post. VCU came through with flying colors on a tight budget and even tighter schedule for this eye-catching Coke ad created by the powerhouse agency, CAA.

Acclaim "NFL Quarterback Club"

Prod. Co.: The End
Director: Zack Snyder

Vision Crew constructed a "miniature" stadium in record time for director Zack Snyder and the production company, The End. They said it couldn't be done, but once again VCU would be fighting the clock to build this 1/8 scale stadium for Acclaim Entertainment's "NFL Quarterback Club" video game commercial. Against all odds, this huge model (approx. 60 ft. X 30 ft. X 12 ft. high) was created, from conception to completion, in fourteen days!

Broken Arrow Teaser Trailer