Rhythm + Hues Commercial Studios creates Seussian Super Bowl opening

February 6, 2006 – Los Angeles: Rhythm + Hues Commercial Studios collaborated with ABC Sports to create a truly memorable opening for Super Bowl XL, the last Super Bowl to be aired on ABC before NFL coverage moves to ESPN. The opening combines the beloved artwork and poetry of Dr. Seuss’ classic book Oh, The Places You’ll Go! with performances by Harrison Ford and football greats Bart Starr, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Franco Harris and Roger Staubach.

Oh, the places you’ll go!
There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored.
There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame!
You’ll be famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

“This piece was very ambitious from the outset as we had one week to shoot, edit, post and deliver almost a two minute project,” says 2D Director/Art Director Eric DeHaven. “I think the result was amazing! ABC Producer/Live Director Mark Teitelman and his crew expertly shot over 50 green screen setups. We scanned every page of the original Seuss book, cleaned up each scan, filled in color, removed any paper marks and blended page seams. We then separated all items on each page spatially into Photoshop layers and painted back the pieces behind each object that would be missing. We built fully ‘2.5 D’ environments in Discreet Flame and began placing each actor in the environment to create scenes. After much work on the environments and about thirty one-off paintings of environments, logos and other set pieces, the actors looked right at home in Seussland. The trick to the effect is that small camera moves and moving objects really show depth and make each world seem like a practical set. The look compliments the Seuss style very well.”

“Its seems odd at first: the Super Bowl, football and Seuss; but the book is so inspirational and moving that it works perfectly,” continues DeHaven. “We were extremely proud to create the very last Super Bowl opening for ABC. In the end, we delivered 51 shots in five days with a team of three Flame Artists, including fellow Lead Flame Artist Tim Miller and Compositor/Flame Artist Tony Barraza.”

"What fun! ABC gave us the opportunity to help create a truly dynamic and definitely unique look at the game of football," says Executive Producer Paul Babb.

"Working on this Dr. Seuss Super Bowl project has been exciting for our commercial division,” comments Lisa White, Head of Production, Commercial Digital. “Not only is it a departure from our ‘normal’ commercial work, but it greatly highlights the talents of our very innovative and creative 2D Department. This is a trend we hope to continue and vastly grow in the future."

ABOUT RHYTHM + HUES COMMERCIAL STUDIOS

A complete digital studio, with live action, CG animation and vfx, design and post production services, Rhythm + Hues Commercial Studios draws upon the talent and technical firepower of one of the world’s premiere effects and animation facilities, Rhythm & Hues Studios. Adjacent to the 70,000 sq. ft. facility which houses hundreds of digital artists and staff, the 7,000 sq foot facility of Rhythm + Hues Commercial Studios is dedicated to the highest quality of commercial production and outstanding client support.

Recent commercial productions include campaigns for SeaWorld, Activision, LeapFrog, Jack in the Box, Target, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Cox Communications and EA Games. Recent Film Division credits include The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Longest Yard, The Ring 2 and Serenity. Films currently in production include Superman Returns, Charlotte’s Web and The Fast and The Furious 3: Tokyo Drift.