NEWS

February 6, 2012
Arsenal FX has collaborated once again with legendary director Hype Williams to bring you Nicki Minaj's controversial video to her single "Stupid Hoe" and Busta Rhymes' dark "Why Stop Now" featuring Chris Brown. "Stupid Hoe" features multiple compositing pieces, such as the "bug eye" effect, contortionist leg, green screen comping, a morph between the leopard and Nicki, etc. Other work includes the color compositing in select shots, color correction, and beauty cleanup. The "Why Stop Now" video is the beginning of a welcome Busta Rhymes comeback, which moves from an apocalyptic locust attack, through a screen-within-screen environment, hurtling down an open bullet train, to an "Occupy"-esque street attack from Diamond Busta. We do a little traveling in this one, folks. Chris Brown gets super into his persona as a character of this Transylvanian landscape, stealing scene after scene with his locusty locomotions. Arsenal FX's work included color correction, shot re-timing, cleanup and conform, as well as the screen-within-screen compositing.

January 23, 2012
Caliente! That's a spicy commercial reel! Arsenal FX heats it up this month with Tabasco's "Louisiana Invades Buffalo", featuring Tabasco's new Buffalo hot sauce. The spot follows a couple in icy Buffalo, NY entering a bar that's been seasoned Louisiana-style by Tabasco. Enhancing that chilly Buffalo look, Arsenal FX Design created authentic snow banks in all of the exterior shots, While our Flame artists re-colored the bar interior with warm, contrasting tones. Additionally, the spot has passed under the Arsenal FX wand with beauty cleanup and title placement to create this fiery scene.

Have a glass of water nearby before watching.

November 23, 2011
Arsenal FX is thankful this year for having so many great and innovative projects to work on. We have wrapped work on "When You Find Me", directed by Bryce Dallas Howard, which included digital conform, color correction, cleanup, FX and infrared styling. The film is special in that it was filmed with one of Canon's new line of Cinema EOS cameras, the C300. The footage looks spectacular, and the story, accented by the hyper-real infrared scenes, empathizes with anyone who has ever lost someone important to them. Arsenal FX is especially proud of the infrared supervision that gives the "other world" scenes a look like no other. It was a thrill to work on this new Canon technology, and we look forward to exercising our experience with the Cinema EOS system in the future.

Arsenal FX has also completed a several spot campaign for television and web for Bare Escentuals, a makeup company whose message goal is to reveal the natural beauty of a woman through their product. The end tags were created completely by the Arsenal Design team, employing Maya and After Effects for the 3D graphics, and the cleanup, color and compositing was done in Flame. In addition to the air spots, there is a round of Bare Escentuals focus reels on the models used for the air commercials and how they were cast finished primarily for the web.

On the horizon for Arsenal FX: WWE Films, Kia, Bulova.

October 17, 2011
Fresh off a U.S. Cellular campaign, Arsenal FX is proud to present "Treehouse". Taking the stellar 3D work of Blacklist, Arsenal FX integrates it seamlessly into the thought process of the imaginative boy whose mother just saved enough on her wireless bill to afford a rocket, a spaceship, or anything else one would typically buy with extra cash. "Treehouse" is one of several spots that implement dreamlike graphics as they enhance real life stories finished by Arsenal FX. The graphics were cut into the image on Flame and After Effects, and further color correction and sky replacement was performed on other spots in this series.

On the horizon for Arsenal FX: Arsenal FX is in post-production for two films by WWE Films: "Bending The Rules" and "No One Lives". The latter is a slasher horror film right in time for the grimmer holidays, and the former is a buddy action comedy starring Jamie Kennedy and Adam "Edge" Copeland of WWE fame. Arsenal FX is also working on several short films by actors who have already dazzled us on the silver screen and are now delving into the world of directing through Freestyle Media's 'Women In Film' project. Projects include "Kaylien", directed by Zoe Saldana, "Proper Sendoff", directed by Eva Longoria, "Free Hugs", directed by Olivia Wilde, and "Project Imagin8tion", directed by Bryce Dallas Howard. Many of the films express a positive social message and all of us at Arsenal FX hope they move you the same way they moved us.

April 27, 2011
Time to put up the X-Ray screen and examine Arsenal FX's surgical signature on the music video to Dr. Dre's "I Need A Doctor". We're putting the spotlight on the other-wordly effect given to Estella Warren's performance as the Oracle, the guardian presence who waits over Dre though his recovery. As seen in the breakdown, Estella was shot completely underwater in a blue backed tank. A small army's work of roto was then employed to create the mattes that allow the water's effect on her hair and silky robe to sell the astral space she exists in. Clever vignetting protects the Oracle's modesty while several layers of sparks and effects give her a translucent feel while still emitting light. Additional work less highlighted includes removing the anchors and underwear Estella wore, erasing air bubble interference and operating the majority of time with raw footage before receiving colored work days before delivery. It was this precision handiwork from the FX and Design team that pumped critical life into this tale, earning Arsenal FX a spot on Shoot Magazine's Spring Top Ten Chart.

April 21, 2011
Arsenal FX has gotten into the spirit of the season in one of many new Walmart spots. Incorporating a variety of oddly harmonic products, the ads display the humorous situations found in the modern American family resolved by the ease and price range of Walmart. The artistry includes everything from seamless split screens to general beauty, though the concentration of the work was a universal issue found in all spots. Artist Terry Silberman battled the very nature of interlacing and a rolling shutter issue to create a much smoother conveyor belt effect found in every piece. Easter comes only once a year, but you'll be "finding" great work at Arsenal FX every day.

Revving down from over a month-long operation, Arsenal FX is proud to present an entire line of Kia cars, airing now. Helmed by recent Arsenal FX addition Steven Gibbons, our VFX pit crew got to work assembling a collection of spectacular-looking vehicles that look just as good on your grandfather's rabbit-eared set as they do in real life. The series of over 20 spots required full conforms, graphics placement, and overall beauty. With this particular Sportage, there was a considerable amount of rig removal taken out of the car's reflection, wheel replacement and badge enhancement as the car travels throughout the city, and secondary color correction to give the car that brilliant red that would make a lobster jealous. A modern music selection completes the admission of Kia as a premier auto manufacturer of this generation.

On The Arsenal FX Horizon: Kia returns with more beautiful car footage for Arsenal FX to make even more spectacular.

April 6, 2011
It's nothing close to basics when you add Arsenal FX to ASICS! Arsenal FX adds its' dynamic look to the logo graphics in this 30 second representation of the eternal struggle: man vs. gravity. Three hip scientists use wind pressure to organize and elevate ping pong balls to form the shape of ASICS' new lightweight footwear collection, 33 By ASICS.

The elbow-grease on Arsenal FX's part is seen in the falling graphics as the ping pong balls lose their momentum and fall back to Earth. Watch as the animated logo falls at speed and hovers, while the components of the suspended shoe continue falling seamlessly in front and behind the words. Receiving this piece as a full conform, it took some masterful compositing at the hands of Terry Silberman to create the effect, eliminating what could have been hours to days of painful roto. Both gravity and graphic limitations have met their archenemy in "Ping Pong Ball Shoe" by ASICS!

March 17, 2011
Call us a doctor! Dr. Dre releases his second single, "I Need A Doctor", from upcoming album Detox in this music video epic. The film chronicles his rise to success with N.W.A, the controversial public relationship he had with Eazy-E, finding a friend for life in Eminem and his breaking back into the music scene with what is considered to be his final artist album. The Arsenal FX crew brings this tale to life through a total of 105 FX shots, ranging from 3D compositing, wire removal, archive footage beautification, and masses of 2D compositing.

The bulk of the work is exemplified in the Oracle who choruses the voice of featured artist Skylar Grey as Dre makes his symbolic recovery in physical therapy. Two versions were created for the Oracle: One for the music video seen here, and the second for Dr. Dre & Eminem's live performance, seen nationally broadcast at the 53rd Grammy Awards at Staples Center. The Oracle was keyed out of a blue screen underwater, and underwent pass after pass of roto, clean-up and effect work to gain her shimmery other-wordly look. Not that anyone would complain about working on Estella Warren, who played the Oracle.

More to look forward to from Arsenal FX: Car season is upon us and all the big names are getting their final polish & wax at Arsenal FX before hitting the streets. Look out for new coats of awesome on Cadillac, Kia, Lexus, Saab and more to come as the sales events continue. Gary Numan, eat your heart out.

January 31, 2011
Arsenal FX is proud to present a brand new look through the history of Saab's rise as a premiere automaker in "The Story Of Saab". Culminating to the reveal of the 9-5 Aero, Saab's roots as an aircraft manufacturer and sports rally brand are shown through both historically astounding archival footage and the state of the art graphics used to design the automobiles of today. Utilizing the power of Flame, Maya and After Effects, this spot is as modern and stylistic as the car it is highlighting.

Chaptering work lasting longer than two months, Mattel is just finishing a multi-product commercial campaign with Arsenal FX. Integrating classic and recently-released theatrical Disney footage, as well as 3D animation and colorful graphics, these spots were conformed and finished entirely on Flame. Toy lines include "Monster High", "Disney Sparkling Princesses", "Polly Pocket", and many more. The amount of information and technique stocked into each piece is something every child will enjoy and every adult (especially those in post!) can appreciate.

More to look forward to from Arsenal FX: Teaming up with director Allen Hughes and HSI, Arsenal FX begins work this month on the methodological music video for Dr. Dre's single "I Need A Doctor", featuring Eminem. The project was primarily shot on the Arri Alexa and Phantom and will include multiple effects, including underwater compositing. These effects will be seen later this year in Dr. Dre's ad for "Beats" headphones and his Grammy performance. The project will be worked on in Flame, Maya and After Effects.

November 29, 2010
Arsenal FX has just completed a commercial campaign for Kenmore washers, which can be seen airing now. The spot features 3D cloth simulation on a background manufactured by the motion graphics team, and composited together in both online/Flame and After Effects. Beauty work and overall color were also adjusted online to create the stunning final product that looks as modern as it does seamless. End graphics were also envisioned by Arsenal FX.

June 15, 2010
Arsenal FX helps bring back Les Grossman - the Hollywood blowhard played by Tom Cruise in Ben Stiller's "Tropic Thunder" - for a show open and other sketches that aired during this year's MTV Movie Awards...
Read More

March 26, 2010
Arsenal FX has added noted Senior VFX Artist Terry Silberman to its staff. He rounds out a company roster comprised of Owner/Artist Mark Leiss, and Joseph Grosso, who has been promoted to Senior Flame Artist...
Read More

January 11, 2010
Arsenal FX has secured Deirdre Rymer of BlushLA for exclusive representation in the West Coast & Texas markets...
Read More

December 29, 2009
A pair of wintry spots - for LL Bean and US Cellular - from Arsenal FX has the right effect on the trades...
Read More

November 5, 2009
Flame Artist/Compositor/Graphic Artist Joseph Grosso, of Arsenal FX, Santa Monica, CA, recently completed work on the Hype Williams-directed Jay-Z video "Empire State of Mind."...
Read More