The Briefing Room

Director Thor Raxlen and Guerilla FX, an independent design, effects and post finishing company, recently shot, edited and created effects for the :30 spot, “Sanya,” in which Olympic Gold Medallist Sanya Richards demonstrates her exquisitely “beautiful” form as she bursts, in slow motion, off of the running blocks. The Nike spot, developed through Wieden & Kennedy (Portland, OR), began airing nationally on June 10.

“We wanted to find a way to capture, to reveal, Sanya‘s remarkable form. Shooting in super slow motion with a Phantom high-speed digital camera that shoots in high definition at 1000 frames per second, every flaw gets magnified. But an athlete of her caliber is flawless, and that‘s what makes her so fast. We lit the shot to put a little extra high contrast on her skin so that we would be able to see her muscles ripple as she explodes off the blocks. Watching her is like watching a ballet,” explained Guerilla FX Director/Creative Director Thor Raxlen.

Wieden & Kennedy (Portland, OR) Sr. Producer Marcelino J. Alvarez added, “Thor brought out a level of detail and beauty in Sanya‘s form that‘s usually overlooked by the casual observer. When Sanya‘s start from the blocks is broken down to 1000 frames per second, you are mesmerized by her athleticism and the sheer power of her start.”

“Slowing down Sanya‘s powerful movements captured the elegance and the beauty of her form. Thor brought this visual poetry to life and needless to say, we‘re extremely proud of the spot. Watching an amazing athlete like Sanya in slow motion is a graceful vision that anyone can appreciate,” continued Darren Himebrook, Sr. Producer Wieden & Kennedy (Portland OR).

Shot at Baylor University, in Waco TX, the spot was filmed by Guerilla FX (New York, NY) and Director Thor Raxlen, Executive Producer Doug Robbins, Director of Photography Joplin Wu, Senior Producer Nicole Rodan and Associate Producer Theresa Loguercio. Guerilla FX Editor Linda Peters, Assistant Editor Joanna Bovay and Compositors Jason Yantz, Sam Stevens and Will Decker handled the editorial assignment.

Guerilla FX shot the spot with a Phantom high-speed digital camera that shoots in high definition at 1000 frames per second. Time re-mapping was executed in After Effects and the spot was finished on Final Cut Pro with a Kona HD card.

Representing Wieden & Kennedy were Creative Directors Jeff Williams and Alberto Ponte, Associate Creative Directors Shannon McGlothin and Gui Borchert from R/GA, Executive Producer Ben Grylewicz, Copywriter Valdean Klump, Art Directors James Selman and Chris Thurman; Senior Producers Marcelino J. Alvarez and Darren Himebrook, and Music Composer Brede Rørstad.

About Guerilla FX:

Guerilla FX, an independent design, effects and post finishing company, is the natural out growth of the relationship created when 0:2:60 Executive Producer Doug Robbins first signed Visual Effects Designer/Editor/Director Thor Raxlen for commercial direction. Together they launched Guerilla FX in January 2006 and this uniquely creative, vertically integrated company now takes projects from preliminary discussions through the shoot, editing and effects. They have recently completed high profile projects for clients including Citibank, FedEx, Foot Locker, General Mills, Kyocera, Montefiore Hospital, MTV, Nexxus, Nike, Subway, TRESemmé, and Verizon, among many others.

Guerilla FX and 0:2:60 are headquartered at 121 West 27th Street, New York, NY 10001. For further information about the effects and editorial facility, or the advertising production company, contact Carol Budd or Theresa Loquercio at (212) 807-7123; and please visit the Guerilla FX website at www.guerillafx.com http://www.0260.com/ and the 0:2:60 site at www.0260.com

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Airdate: June 10th, 2007

National spot

Client: Nike

Agency: Wieden & Kennedy

Title of Spot: Sanya

Length and # of Spot: one :30

Description of Spot: Olympic Gold Medallist Sanya Richards bursts off of the running blocks in slow motion demonstrating her flawless form.

Production/Postproduction Company: Guerilla FX

City/State: New York, NY

Director: Thor Raxlen

Executive Producer: Doug Robbins

Director of Photography: Joplin Wu

Senior Producer: Nicole Rodan

Associate Producer: Theresa Loguercio

Editor: Linda Peters

Assistant Editor: Joanna Bovay

Compositors: Jason Yantz, Sam Stevens and Will Decker

Location of Shoot: Baylor University in Waco, TX

Equipment: Shot with Phantom high-speed digital camera that shoots in high definition at 1000 frames per second; Time re-mapping was executed in After Affects; Finished on Final Cut Pro with a Kona HD card.

Agency: Wieden & Kennedy

City/State: Portland, OR

Creative Directors: Jeff Williams and Alberto Ponte

Associate Creative Directors: Shannon McGlothin and Gui Borchert (R/GA)

Executive Producer: Ben Grylewicz

Copywriter: Valdean Klump

Art Director: James Selman/Chris Thurman

Senior Producers: Marcelino J. Alvarez/Darren Himebrook

Music Composer: Brede Rørstad