[CGnews]

Troika Design Group and its live-action production division have recently collaborated with longtime client HGTV to conceive, design, direct, animate and finish an effects-intensive live-action and CG promo spot for HGTV’s “Big Backyard Splash� sweepstakes. The sweepstakes gives one lucky HGTV viewer the chance to win $100,000 to transform their backyard into an amazing setting built for outdoor entertaining, as well as the opportunity to win a tropical vacation for two. The :30 promo broke May 1st.

HGTV approached Troika to produce a promo that appealed to a broad audience with a message that emphasized outdoor living and entertaining. While the network sponsors a sweepstakes every year, it wanted to up the energy and visual treatment, and tapped Troika to create the promotional campaign from beginning to end.

“This was an exciting project for us in that we had the opportunity to flex our growing visual effects and live-action production talents,� said Mark Bohman, Executive Creative Director and co-founder of Troika. “It is also a continuation of a great relationship with HGTV, which has been an amazing client for several years, through dozens of on-air projects.�

The spot opens on an average family guy in his makeshift backyard paradise. He sips on a tropical drink and kicks back in a beach chair submerged in a kiddie pool. He hears a rumble brewing. “Sometimes to live big, you have to win big,� announces the v/o. A huge splash surges from his glass, bringing on the Big Backyard Splash logo, as we are transported into a stylized dream world. The promo takes the viewer on a comedic and surreal journey through his inner fantasies. These dream sequences include an angelic hostess offering up a tray of hamburgers piled high, attractive partygoers mingling on a custom deck, an infinity edge pool, and a tropical paradise that appears magically out of thin air.

Troika gave the promo a hyper-real look, with intense, saturated colors, for a slightly kitschy, fun and irreverent quality, while exaggerated camera movements added energy and excitement. With this project, Troika had the opportunity to highlight its in-house visual effects talent, as well as the strengths of its burgeoning live-action production department.

The latest member of the Troika team, Creative Director and Live-Action Director Dale Everett, helmed the blue-screen shoot. 3D environments were styled by designer Heather Kim and created in Autodesk Maya. All compositing was done in Adobe After Effects.

About Troika Design Group
Troika is an award-winning design company known for producing trendsetting visual brand identities. Based in Hollywood, Troika combines a unique hybrid of skills with a team of more than 20 designers, producers, animators, editors and conceptual thinkers who specialize in network branding, promotional and advertising campaigns, and show packaging. Founded in 2001 by industry leaders Dan Pappalardo, Mark Bohman and Chuck Carey, Troika is one of the premier providers of strategic design and creative production for television. The company’s approach to design is clever, thoughtful and focused, delivering standout concepts while remaining faithful to a client’s brand ideals. Troika has worked closely with top television and cable networks including FOX, ESPN, HGTV, E! Entertainment, Food Network, ABC, UPN, Comedy Central, Fine Living, VH1, TV Guide Channel and Great American Country. For more information, please visit www.troika.tv or call Robert Blatchford at 323.965.1650.

CREDITS

Client: HGTV/Scripps Networks
Airdate: May 1, 2006
Senior VP Creative Affairs: Dusty Schmidt
Design Director: Chris Moore
Director On Air Promotion: Jennifer Leitman
Senior Composer: Spencer Corden
Ad Sales Marketing Director: Therese Corcoran

TROIKA Design Group
Executive Creative Director: Mark Bohman
Creative Directors: Mark Bohman, Dale Everett
Producer: Kristen Olsen
Post Production Producer: Neil Van Harte
Designer: Heather Kim
Logo Design: Matthieu LeBlan
Print Design: Peggy Oei
Animation/Visual FX: Paulo De Almada Mauro
Writer: Craig Cleek

TROIKA Production Group
Head of Production: Tara Belkin
Live Action Director: Dale Everett
Director of Photography: Ken Wiatrak
Line Producer: Chris Stoerchle
Editor: Tim Samuel
Telecine: Complete Post