[CGnews]

Working with USA Network to promote its 2006 Olympic Winter Games coverage of men's and women's hockey, biathlon and curling, as well as its special highlight show, "Olympic Ice," Northern Lights Post created three spots that capture the excitement of the sports and complement the network's character-driven branding.

"Olympic Ice" takes viewers inside the world of figure skating with a full hour of breaking news, in-depth analysis and exclusive athlete interviews.From the grace and action on the ice to a one-on-one with Michelle Kwan, the spot uses a combination of stunning footage and interacting graphics, which respond to the skaters' movements and provide transitions between scenes. The other two spots, "Hockey" and "Combo," provide a dynamic portrait of the speed, skill and passion of the athletes on the ice and in the snow.

Partner/Editor David Gioiella provided the edit, and graphic design for the spots, collaborating with USA Network VP Brand Creative Lorenzo De Guttadauro and Producer Lori Moretz on the appropriate look and aesthetic. Using beautiful sports footage provided by NBC, which is broadcasting the 2006 Torino Olympics, the team was able to create promos that stayed within the USA Network branding with the music, pacing and conversational approach.

Gioiella reviewed the sports footage with De Guttadauro and Moretz to select shots, which had negative space and would serve as the backplates. After determining the placement and motion of the USA logo and Olympics symbols, Gioiella then created a rough cut in the Avid. All of the spots incorporate the "Characters Welcome" graphic, as well as the network's font style and clever transitions such as logo wipes with a hockey player's spray of ice.

"Lori [Moretz] came in with numerous examples of clips and had a great understanding of what her creative directors wanted in terms of visuals," says Gioiella. "We really tried to use the edit and rhythm to develop a new look at hockey and ice skating. It was about finding the balance between the tighter action shots of the sports and the personality of the players."

"We were able to take the beautiful film from NBC and use it in a way that reflected our network," remarks Moretz. "Lorenzo [De Guttadauro] commissioned a special musical composition from Scott Pullman, and had some of the color altered in Smoke for a more saturated look. In terms of design, the spots reinforce the USA brand and present the film in a fun and lighthearted way."

Northern Lights Post Artists Christopher Harrison and Michael Palermo finished the spots and executed the graphics and transitions in Smoke.

"In addition to being an excellent cutter for action and sports, David [Gioiella] has such a beautiful eye for design," concludes Moretz. "He's an artist and I needed him to help me create graphics that would fit into the existing footage. It was a great partnership. He pulled all of the elements together and made everything flow nicely."


Credits

Spot Titles/Airdates:
"Olympic Ice" :30/February 2006
"Winter Olympics Hockey" :30/February 2006
"Winter Olympics Combo" :30/February 2006

Client: USA Network
VP Brand Creative: Lorenzo De Guttadauro
Producer: Lori Moretz

Stock Footage from NBC
DP : Warren Miller (skiing footage)

Editorial Company: Northern Lights Post/New York, NY
Editor: David Gioiella

VFX Company: Northern Lights Post/New York, NY
Smoke Artists: Christopher Harrison & Michael Palermo

Music Company: Pull/New York, NY
Composer: Scott Pullman

Audio Post Company: Audio Department/New York, NY
Mixer: Mike Garatty

Northern Lights Post
135 West 27th Street New York, NY 10001
T: 212.274.1199

For more information visit www.nlpedit.com.