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Monday, 15 October 2007 | Levent OZLER
Peter Sluszka and Hornet Bring Irish Equine Legend to Life for Smithwick's Beer
 Shergar.mov ( 5MB ) - Viewed 726 times
Hornet director Peter Sluszka recently completed a surreal stop-motion spot for Smithwick's beer that offers up an unusual theory behind the mystery of Irish icon Shergar, a legendary racehorse who was kidnapped by masked gunmen in 1983 and held for ransom. When the ransom was not paid, all trace of the kidnappers and Shergar disappeared and the horse's remains were never found. The story caused a sensation around Ireland. "It's kind of like our Jimmy Hoffa," Sluszka explains. "Everyone has their conspiracy theories."
The spot opens with Shergar racing at the Irish Derby as the announcer, a foaming "pint" character with a mic and a striped bowtie, finally pronounces Shergar the winner. The celebrity horse is showered with confetti as he parades down the street on a float, with bottle and pint characters fawning all over him. Cut to later that night: Shergar is alone in his stable, overworked and exhausted, when a business card is slipped under the door: "Can't Take the Pace? Dial 1 800 DISAPPEAR." Next thing you know, newspapers are ablaze with the headlines "Shergar Nicked! Foal Play Suspected."
Sluszka composed the characters and sets almost entirely out of paper, from Shergar the horse to the Smithwick's "pint" characters to the elaborate backgrounds of Irish landscapes. "The hardest character to develop was Shergar," Sluszka says. "The spot was irreverent without a doubt, but at the same time Shergar is a national idol so you need to be respectful." Sluszka manipulated photos of horses from all different angles to arrive at a version of Shergar with the appropriate eyes, expression and mood.
The spot showcases Sluszka's attention to mood and detail as several "eyewitness pints" talk to the camera, claiming they've spotted the missing horse. The testimonies take place at famous Irish landmarks: At the Blarney Stone, a couple of pints are dressed in green T-shirts, surrounded by the gray walkways and parapets of Blarney Castle. At Giant's Causeway, ominous waves - all made of paper - crash in the background as a pint in a newsie cap confides his sighting. Throughout the spot an overcast sky is rear projected to reflect mysteriousness.
The story ends at a lush, tropical oasis, where Shergar is found lounging on a chair in the company of Elvis, the Loch Ness Monster, the Yeti and other legendary figures who've been famously "sighted." Elvis is just returning from a sighting in Las Vegas and, according to the "Sightings Timetable," Shergar is up next for a November 19th sighting in New York.
The 60-second (directors cut) unfolds at a smart, humorous, fast pace, begging for a second and third watch. "It was a lot of narrative in a tight timeframe," says Sluszka. "So getting it down to all the crucial plot story points was a challenge."
Hornet focuses on finding, developing, and supporting directors, and looks across a range of industries for people with exceptional creative capacity. Through this director-driven approach, Hornet has been able to assemble a talented and diverse team of directors, each contributing a unique style and vision.
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