EA Sports switches tactics mid-game
The video game publisher’s latest high-energy spot had to be re-concepted after months of planning.
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Credits
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Credits
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- Agency In-House
- Production Company Mill+
- Director Carl Addy
- Colorist Thomas Mangham
- Senior Producer Nicole Duncan
- Creative Director Tom Dibb
- Head of Content Josh Davies
- VFX/Animation Studio The Mill/London
- 2D Lead Artist Joseph Tang
- 3D Lead Animator David Hempstead
- 2D Lead Artist Carl Norton
- Finish Artist James Pratt
- Senior Media Producer Claes Dietmann
- Director of Content Strategy Paul Marr
- Senior Producer Troy Smith
- Senior Producer Anthony Doyle
Credits
powered by
- Agency In-House
- Production Company Mill+
- Director Carl Addy
- Colorist Thomas Mangham
- Senior Producer Nicole Duncan
- Creative Director Tom Dibb
- Head of Content Josh Davies
- VFX/Animation Studio The Mill/London
- 2D Lead Artist Joseph Tang
- 3D Lead Animator David Hempstead
- 2D Lead Artist Carl Norton
- Finish Artist James Pratt
- Senior Media Producer Claes Dietmann
- Director of Content Strategy Paul Marr
- Senior Producer Troy Smith
- Senior Producer Anthony Doyle
Launching next-gen versions of its FIFA 21 and MADDEN NFL 21 games, EA Sports collaboration with The Mill was set to be a large-scale live-action piece. Instead an innovative piece of 'maximalist eye abuse' emerged from the Covid-19 regulations makeover.
Mill CD Tom Dibb and director Carl Addy had to completely rework the original creative, producing the film, Feel Next Level – an eye-popping blend of archive and purpose-built media, comprising gameplay cutaways and intimate fan footage, along with bespoke CGI and zingy design elements.
Premiering at the brand's live-streamed event EA Play, the film explores the powerful feelings evoked by football — from the emotional charge of 60,000 chanting fans, to heart-pounding seconds at the penalty spot.
Carl Addy comments, ‘Rather than start over, we adapted the spoken narration into a connected visual edit utilising existing footage I had directed, alongside archival imagery, hand-illustrated and animated sequences, 3D and concept matte painted environments, comped with live-action and even home studio shot footage. In fact, there is a shot in there that features some footage I shot in the Gobi Desert in December 2019. The film took the form of a stream of consciousness visual association, a multi-media assault, all seamlessly transitioning and match cutting together. Juxtaposed against the narration it feels like we witness the fan’s inner visions that punctuate their gameplay experiences. This kind of visual shorthand is my favorite kind of maximalist eye abuse.’ Indeed it is.
