VTR deploy feature film techniques on new Clio ad

Leading commercials and Digital Film post house VTR have postproduction on Publicis’ latest cinema/television ad for Renault Clio, featuring Thierry Henry.
Directed by Tarsem of production company @Radical Media, 'Drummer' is the first-known televison commercial to undergo full Digital Intermediate (DI) postproduction – a high-quality digital finishing technique which VTR normally deploys on feature film projects through their D-Cinema division.
The chief benefits of DI are that post production – conforming, colour grading and effects work – is completed quickly and at film-quality resolution. The resulting digital master provides a convenient, high-quality source for all deliverables including the cinema, television, DVD, web and international distribution. VTR have also used their DI facilities for a range of other broadcast-base projects or clients including the BBC.
Following the shoot and offline edit at The Whitehouse, the 35mm negative was supplied to VTR along with the EDL. The required takes were scanned at 2K resolution using Spirit, and then conformed and digitally colour graded to the director’s liking by Tareq in Specter, VTR’s main DI system. Shots requiring digital finessing were transferred to Dan Williams in Inferno.
A sub-master was then assembled in Specter and sent to Paris, where Nexus added the animated sequences. The master was then returned to VTR for film and PAL TV masters to be produced.
“Digital Intermediate is revolutionising the post production and delivery of feature films, and the trickledown effect has similar benefits for advertising,” said VTR managing director Ant Frend. “While a number of companies offer DI for feature films, or do 2K using a kludge of equipment, Renault Clio is the first TV commercial to have really taken complete advantage of a streamlined DI pipeline.”
(GB)