Nathan McGuinness of Kommitted Films directs two innovative :30 spots for Microsoft's Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V server with lead VFX by Asylum's Tim Davies. The spots demonstrate how Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V provides the most robust platform for server consolidation, enabling IT professionals to handle the most demanding and resource-intensive workloads.
The Windows Server 2008 Robot, IT 24-7, is back as the icon in this second phase of the Server Unleashed campaign, developed by McCann Worldgroup San Francisco. Fitted with a Hyper-V energy drink that gives him the energy to rope, wrangle, and consolidate servers, the robot continues to embody innovation, strength, and unstoppable reliability, with a fresh chrome look that makes him sleeker than ever. The campaign, first introduced in February, includes a website, which has been updated to feature Hyper-V; along with :30 and :15 second streaming spots that will run online; print; and flash banners.
Rodeo dips into the energy drink craze. As the spot opens, a robot - the Windows Server 2008, emblazoned with IT 24-7, performs a forward handspring as if to impress his expecting owner. After being told his past efforts were not sufficient, he is ordered to "consolidate, virtualize, and simplify" several servers. The robot downs a can of his Hyper-V Pure Consolidated Energy, then proceeds to lasso every server into one virtual machine.
Imitator opens on a disheveled IT man carrying a mess of papers and a laptop. He approaches the relaxed IT Professional, owner of the Windows Server 2008 robot. Manic-eyed and wildly jittery, the man drinks a Hyper-V before collapsing from a burst of overwhelming energy. The voiceover reminds us that Hyper-V is only for servers and to "virtualize responsibly" by letting the servers do the dirty work.
"It was a welcome challenge to work on this dialogue intensive spot" said Mr. McGuiness. "Working with the green screen was a small hurdle as we had to incorporate the robot's active presence, but I think we were able to up the level of previous year's campaigns by integrating the robot using a live actor with mocap techniques. I opted for two cameras in order to pick up all of the action and still follow the dialogue within the short amount of time. Everything in these spots was mapped out carefully in our pre-vis and pre-pro process and the agency and client was great every step of the way."