Hasta La Creative!

Creative digital studio Click 3X worked with National Geographic and Kinema Films to create “a four-ton scientific contraption with 38 triggers and 71 moving pieces” that they’ve dubbed “The Nat Geo Contraption.”

Drawing inspiration from the gadgets depicted by American cartoonist Rube Goldberg (although many viewers may be reminded of the board game Mouse Trap), the contraption combines items including “nine globes, three tires, one billiard ball, one VW Beetle, a set of bowling pins and a variety of everyday objects” for a fun chain reaction promoting the network’s “science-minded block of programming” which includes Brain Games, Science of Stupid and Street Genius. The programming bloc is set to air on National Geographic in 170 countries, and in 45 different languages, beginning in January 2015. A contraption of such size, of course, wasn’t built overnight. Click 3X and director Manny Bernardez worked diligently with production designer Bernardo Trujillio for over two months to bring the creation to life.

“It’s the celebration of human ingenuity, to highlight the smart and entertaining lineup of the shows coming up on Nat Geo” explained Emanuele Madeddu, senior vice president of creative and marketing, NGCI. “I have always been fascinated by these devices, and I want our viewers to experience science in a uniquely National Geographic way. You can’t miss the reveal at the end.” (more…)

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We catch Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Kevin Love and NBA commentator Mike Breen in medias res, driving through some nondescript green chunk of Basketballville in the latest NBA on ESPN RV spot from W+K New York.  With Breen’s steady hand at the wheel, Love turns to the passenger side window and notices a large billboard featuring his sultry face and a phone hotline called The Love Dial. They drive a bit farther and pass a second billboard. Love has no idea who’s behind this, so like any great detective, he decides to call the number. Another man picks up – it’s Love’s teammate/on-court soulmate Ricky Rubio, moonlighting as a sex-hotline entrepreneur in a dingy room that also has a video camera set-up to film something. I guess there isn’t much to do in Minnesota.

“Billboard” may not be as funny as a few of the more recent RV spots ESPN uses to promote its NBA coverage, but the clip has some edgy subject matter compared to the usually benign hijinks. The network probably won’t push the envelope any more than this, but this 30-second ad is an interesting sidestep in the NBA on ESPN commercial canon. Credits after the jump.

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Another day, another team-up between ESPN and W+K. “Inner Monologue,” the latest 30-second NBA on ESPN RV ad created by W+K New York, answers very important questions about the crew’s sleeping arrangements. Yes, some players and analysts do have to bunk up. Bulls All-Star center Joakim Noah has to sleep in the same bed as ESPN kingpin Bill Simmons, even though neither of them are happy with the situation. Noah, who stands 6’11″, probably has a better argument than Simmons, who is listed at an unconvincing 6’2″. Simmons, for all his Boston sports proclivities, is in bed with a Bull. He’s actually sleeping with the enemy. But wait…as with most of the RV spots, there’s a Jeff Van Gundy punchline. And as usual, it’s the best part of the clip. Not only is Van Gundy funny-looking, but if you’ve been following his RV escapades, whether getting stuck on the stunt double vehicle or trading glasses with Russell Westbrook, you know that JVG is also funny. And in a sports media world that is often lacking in self-deprecation and humor, the silly shtick from the NBA on ESPN panel is always nice to see. Credits after the jump.

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Let’s face it, student loans are a bitch (and we’re honestly still paying them off 12 years after graduating). So how else to present the horrific than a horror short film courtesy of SS+K, which is promoting nonprofit program SALT via the clip called The Red above. If you want to watch the extended cut (no word if a Blu-Ray/Netflix stream is on the way), go here, but in the meantime, here’s half of it from Antonio Campos, Sean Durkin and Josh Mond, who were Sundance darlings thanks to their feature film, Martha Marcy May Marlene. We’re not sure if this will be received just as well, but yeah, creeping plumes of red mixed with a dash of The Eye, maybe a splash of Paranormal Activity and other modern flicks gives us decent visual representation of what being in financial purgatory feels like. Credits after the jump.

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