BLT Associates is a leading entertainment industry creative marketing firm that creates award-winning print and audio-visual advertising for the theatrical, broadcast, and home entertainment markets. Recent projects were in support of Memoirs of a Geisha, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and Sin City. After a decade of success in the print world, BLT & Associates added an AV department, as well as a film and TV motion graphics department in 2001, to specialize in motion picture trailers, teasers, television and radio spots, and feature film main title sequences.
The studio's film motion graphics Producer and Creative Director, Alen Petkovic, recently chose Knoll Light Factory to add a Hollywood-style shimmer with camera flashes and animated flares to the Dreamgirls teaser for DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures. The movie, starring Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé Knowles, and Eddie Murphy, is scheduled for release in theaters on December 22, 2006.
About Dreamgirls
Dreamgirls is a musical directed by Bill Condon (who also scripted Chicago). The story follows the rise of a trio of women who have formed a promising singing group, The Dreamettes. At a talent competition, they get the opportunity of a lifetime: to become the back-up singers for headliner James “Thunder” Early. Though the group becomes a crossover phenomenon, they soon realize that the cost of fame and fortune may be higher than they ever imagined.
Watch the trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/dreamgirls/teaser1/
Challenge
"Our job was to produce the sound and picture for a Dreamgirls :60 promotional teaser trailer to be attached to the theatrical release of Memoirs of a Geisha. When we started on the project, they had not even started filming so we didn’t have footage to use. We first selected the musical track and then started supporting the spot visually. We did a special shoot of silhouetted scenes of dancers to represent the band, and animated typography. While all the visual elements were coming together, the promo needed to radiate glamorous light effects during the main title reveal," said Alen Petkovic, Producer and Creative Director at BLT & Associates.
Solution
"With Knoll Light Factory, we were able to generate the lights, flashes and special effects to really give a big stage and graphically stylized production feel to the trailer. The options within the plug-in and interaction with elements in the composition were crucial to developing the look. No other tool would let us accomplish what we wanted. It's that simple," said Petkovic.
Watch the trailer again and pause just before the second mention of DreamWorks and Paramount. All of the subsequent lens flares around the actors' names, stage lights, and camera flashes were generated by BLT & Associates using Knoll Light Factory.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/dreamworks/dreamgirls/teaser1/
