Lucozade Alert: Brain in Gear

Shilo recently directed a new spot for Lucozade alert, a new drink that promises to restore mental alertness to sluggish minds. Teaming with Ogilvy-Mather Dublin, the company created "Brain in Gear," a supercharged cerebral journey through a young man's brain. Staying true to their inimitable style of design-infused storytelling, the Shilo team created a 30-second mind trip that alert viewers won't soon forget.

In addition to shooting all the live action, the Shilo team was also responsible for concept and previsualization, 3D texturing and modeling, voluminous compositing, editorial, and overall direction of the spot. The spot is an integral part of a €1.5M campaign that will span across all mediums including outdoor, in-store, and digital.

The Shilo team primarily worked with Ogilvy's Creative Director Declan Hogan and Head of Production, Derek Doyle. "This was a great spot to work on," says Tracy Chandler, Executive Producer at Shilo. "The fact that an Irish agency came to us for a spot that will only air in Ireland was both a privilege and a testament to Shilo's growing international reputation. They showed us a great deal of creative trust, and we were able to come up with a treatment that really allowed us to focus on and execute our artistry. Our UK production partner Hanrahan has helped us to open new doors in the international market."

Backed by a high-energy soundtrack, "Brain in Gear" begins with a handsome young man's profile as he takes his first sip of Lucozade alert. As he does so, the camera zooms into the canal of his left ear. The camera snakes down an electric wire-like tunnel before encountering a neon sign welcoming us to the young man's brain. Racing to keep up, the camera follows several units of Lucozade alert as they course through his brain, trailing glowing electric light in their wake. As the beverage takes effect, a timepiece magically assembles itself and a blizzard of mathematical equations quickly converge into the pithy and succinct "e=mc2." The spot is enhanced by the techniques Shilo employed to create extremely detailed 3D effects.

"The message of this spot is the attainment of order from chaos," says André Stringer, Creative Director at Shilo. "With the help of Lucozade alert, confusion becomes clarity, whether it's time management, work, studies, or just getting through the day. We wanted to make it clear that this is an intellectual, cerebral stimulator, a 'smart juice' if you will, and not just another energy drink."

After an explosion of energy at the center of the young man's brain, the camera snakes down another electrical pathway and out of his right ear. The much more alert-looking man then turns to the camera and raises a knowing eyebrow. The effect is slick, clean, and undeniably stimulating.

"Lucozade alert reemphasizes the artistic spirit here at Shilo," says Christopher Fung, lead 3D artist, who headed up the Shilo team. "We all have the technological savvy to make the most of our tools, but our artistic sensibilities truly set us apart. We make our creative decisions as artists, and transform complex technical tasks into highly artful visions. Luckily, each member of our team is an artist in his or her own right, which enables Shilo to continue its work in rich content and our unique brand of design-infused storytelling."

Authors of the recently-published We Make It Good, Shilo's daring band of artists, designers, and directors strives to push the boundaries of contemporary commercial production and strike a nerve in an ever-numbing audience. The company is distinguished by its passion for "design-infused storytelling."

Shilo directs emotive and groundbreaking visual experiences through its application of live-action, design, and animation all seamlessly combined with music and sound design. Creating an unmatched hybrid of storytelling and visual artistry, the Emmy Award-winning bicoastal company has the capacity and experience to originate ideas and handle all aspects of production - from concept through completion - with superior creativity and production excellence.

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