The Briefing Room

NEW YORK, NY — When it comes to high-tech gadgetry, many ordinary mortals feel left out in the cold. That is a problem that DVICE, a futuristic technology blog powered by the Sci Fi Channel, is dedicated to fixing. To that end, New York-based original music and sound design house Expansion Team and composers Flip Baber and Nyles Lannon scored the melodic, acoustic guitar-driven piece for a new ad that spotlights the blog and some truly funky, yet-to-be-invented gadgets.

“The creative on this spot was all about painting a vision of the future that is very human,” says Expansion Team’s Founder/Creative Director Alex Moulton. “The gadgets are incredible, but they are also integrated into people’s lives in a very comfortable and unhurried way. Despite their eye-catching capabilities, the gadgets only complement the human focus. We wanted music that would be uplifting and easygoing. We were going for more emotional qualities and connections.”

While the DVICE spot reveals technological gadgetry that would not be out of place on Star Trek, their settings are nothing like the USS Enterprise. Backed by the warm, leisurely score an ordinary coffee shop reveals hologram-like orbs to analyze and identify a woman’s coffee, as well as fully moldable and interactive action figure to amuse a young boy. Outside, a jogger limbers up while his running shoes automatically tighten to the exact dimensions of his feet. On a street corner, a young man presents his girlfriend with a wristwatch and gift card, both of which promptly emit holographic displays. Returning to the coffee shop, a young woman places a tiny device on the counter, instantly creating a complete virtual workstation as she sips her coffee.

“Working with Sci-Fi’s new creative director Michael Engleman we presented a bunch of music possibilities that attempted to satisfy the client’s desire for an organic, warm feel,” says Moulton. “We love dynamic collaborations with talented artists. Flip is a brilliant storyteller and Nyles, who was in the San Francisco band Film School, always chooses the perfect elements to build emotion. For my part, I paid specific attention to details as each of the futuristic gadgets is demonstrated. I wanted the sounds to be evocative and descriptive. The creative process went very smoothly because we all speak the same musical language.”

About Expansion Team:

Expansion Team redefines how music can be created for today’s media by building a bridge between the recording, TV, film and advertising industries. They know the importance of a successful brand message and focus on creating impassioned brand aficionados. Led by founder and creative director Alex Moulton and executive producer April Jaffe, Expansion Team is supported by an exceptional roster of talent; an international collective of award-winning producers, songwriters, DJs and remixers. Because they work in studios around the world, an additional network of top session players and vocalists have become part of their growing family. For more information check out: www.expansionteam.org.

Web Resources:

Click here to watch the Sci Fi/DVICE spot:

http://www.expansionteam.org/website.php?id=p77

Click here for more info about Expansion Team:

http://www.expansionteam.org/website.html

Click here to learn more about the DVICE blog:

http://www.dvice.com/

Creative Credits:

Client: Sci Fi Channel

Project: DVICE ad (:30)

Ad Agency: In-house

Creative Director: Michael Engleman

Music/Sound Design: Expansion Team, New York

Creative Director: Alex Moulton

Music: Flip Baber and Nyles Lannon

Sound Design: Alex Moulton

Executive Producer: April Jaffe