Eight takes a stroll through Petra’s world for HP

SANTA MONICA, CA – Eight VFX continues its stellar collaborative run with director Olivier Gondry and HP with “Petra Nemcová,” the latest in a new three-spot campaign via Goodby, Silverstein & Partners/SF (Eight also contributed the effects for “Vera Wang” and “Michel Gondry”).

A shop whose recent credits include projects for Pepsi, Scion, Guinness, and MS Zune – and whose collaborations with Olivier Gondry include Chevy and American Eagle – Eight enjoyed a great deal of creative freedom on “Petra.” In the spot, the supermodel is shown walking down the street as voiceover narration offers a snapshot of her busy life. The imagery onscreen matches complements the voiceover, taking us on a magical journey.

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“The live action shoot was very specific and Petra has a very busy life, very multi-faceted,” noted VFX Supervisor Jean-Marc Demmer, “and herein lies the challenge: to depict a frenetic and busy city environment and throughout this sensory experience show how HP keeps it together.

A survivor of 2004’s tragic tsunami, the Czechoslovakian-born fashion model and author’s work extends beyond modeling for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Victoria’s Secret, and many others, to include the administration of her Happy Hearts Fund, which helps build schools for children of disaster.

“This is the first HP spot in the new campaign to take the subject outside of their native environment,” said AD/End Title Designer Yann Mallard. “Olivier gave us more freedom regarding the execution of the ideas, and we pushed the envelope wherever possible.”

One fantastic sequence in particular involves a sudden change in persepctive: though strolling down the street, Nemcová becomes a deep sea diver. Eight artists drew the diving mask and glass for the goggles, while the 3d department built the underwater environment, including seaweed, fish, and more.

According to Mallard, who also created the end tag and drew cartoon animation that appears on Nemcová’s dress, “The key for us was to base the imagery in reality while allowing the subject’s imagination to flow. This entire campaign has been a journey for the audience and for us.”

View the spot here

Agency: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners
Client: Hewlett Packard / PSG
Title of Spot: “Petra Nemcova”
Creative Director, Co-Chairman: Rich Silverstein
Creative Director, Partner: Steve Simpson
Group Creative Director/Copywriter: Mike McKay
Associate Creative Director/Art Director: Stephen Goldblatt
Executive Producer: Josh Reynolds
Producer: Vicki Tripp/Josh Reynolds
Assistant Producer: Jen Moore
Account Director: Nancy Reyes
Account Manager: Emilie Vasu
Assistant Account Manager: Meagen Moore
Production Company:Partizan Los Angeles & New York
Director: Olivier Gondry
Cameraman/D.P.: Tim Ives
Executive Producer: Sheila Stepanek
Line Producer: Valerie Romer
Production Manager: Magali Selosse- Bishop
Production Coordinator: Kristel Wedin
Head of Production: Ian Bearce

Visual Effects Company: Eight VFX, Santa Monica
Executive Producer: Baptiste Andrieux
Producer: Marsi Frey
VFX Supervisor/Inferno Artist: Jean-Marc Demmer
Inferno Artists: Stefan Gaillot, Amalia. Luyet-McMahan
2D Artists: Amalia Luyet-McMahan, Joe Chiao, DJ Fitsimmons, Phil Lashley
3D Supervisor: Fredric Hopp
3D Artists: Scott Metzger, Chien-I Kao, Matthias Jourdes
On Set Supervisor: Jean-Marc Demmer
AD/End Title Designer: Yann Mallard

Online: Eight VFX, Santa Monica, CA

Editorial Co.: Filmcore
Editor: Mike Hackett
Assistant Editor: Kristin McCasey
Executive Producer: Scott Friske

Telecine: Beau Leon @ The Syndicate
Sound Design: Gus Koven @ Stimmung
Final Music: Original Music composed by Human
Mix Engineer: Eben Carr @ One Union San Francisco