Press release from Engine
Sunday 3 April saw one of Engine’s more unique TVCs go to air across Australia. The animation was the brainchild of Engine’s Creative Director Simon Robson (Knife Party) and created for the current Debit MasterCard Priceless Music Series Birds of Tokyo TVC.
Simon Robson said, “We met with Michael Raso, McCann’s new ECD on MasterCard and his creative team to discuss a whole new concept and idea to promote Debit MasterCard. Time was against us as two other agencies had already begun their pitches so we set to work coming up with a concept unlike anything previously seen for the brand on Australian television. In short Michael wanted a show reel spot so that’s where we started.
MasterCard are currently promoting their Debit MasterCard via a campaign which features the band Birds of Tokyo and an upcoming gig at Cockatoo Island. The campaign angle is that tickets can only be purchased for the gig online and with a Debit MasterCard.
Robson continued, “I came up with the idea and style frames in a couple of days and we presented it to Michael and his team who were very keen on the direction. They had previously seen my collaborative animated film Coalition of the Willing and the work we did at Engine on the Immigration Nation promos for SBS and very much wanted a style and look that was different to anything people would expect for MasterCard.”
The idea Robson and the Engine team created involved a clever use of complex stop motion, paper models, live action talent and traditional models. With only four weeks to complete the job if they won the pitch, time was very much against them to create 30-second spot.
Robson continued, “Engine is quite unique in this respect as we have the studio, DOP, design and modelling capabilities all in-house so we can work much faster and more efficiently than most. That said, it’s always the creative that will win a pitch like this and fortunately for us it did. Michael Raso really liked our ideas and pushed hard to help get us across the line. He believed in our vision and gave us free reign to create the spot we’d described in our pitch.”
The spot Engine created is a real mix of media and very clever story telling presented in a way that is creatively different to much of what’s seen on Australian TV and a first for MasterCard.
Robson added, “This spot was a huge amount of work but also a huge amount of fun. It involves quirky live action, lots of stop frame, lots of traditional and 3D models and replacement modelling and taking animation ideas to a different level. We also used a Japanese software called Pepakura which takes 3D models created in Maya and unwraps them giving you tabs and cutting patterns so you can make real paper models. The script lent itself to lots of playful transitions and animation. It jumps around and has some crazy links to Cockatoo Island, some literal and some not so literal. The team at McCann’s were really great to work with. They are really into their design and their inherent curiosity lead us to spectacles like ash that comes out of broken hearts, for which we used ground charcoal shot on a glass table.”
McCann ECD Michael Raso said, “We really were very happy with this spot. Engine did a great job. We were very keen that everything was done in camera rather than all 3D. There was a real craft to this spot and the results speak for themselves. We very much look forward to working with Engine on the next MasterCard TVCs.”
Simon Robson concluded, “This job was just so much fun, in fact the most fun I’ve ever had doing a commercial and the most fun in working with an agency. I’m also very proud of the level of creativity and delighted that both the agency and client are so happy with the result.”
The Debit MasterCard Birds of Tokyo TVC began airing nationally on 3 April 2011.