LONDON & NEW YORK CITY - Creative studio Covert (www.wearecovert.com) recently teamed up with Go RVing and agency BVK to produce a :30 spot that encourages people to experience the beauty of RV travel. The :30 Just Beyond Your Door spot uses the open door of an RV to symbolize the freedom and opportunity that this form of travel offers - with the adventures of the open road being supported with the comforts of home.
Covert produced the commercial, which was directed by Anthony Rubinstein. Action commences with the silhouette of an RV door over beautiful landscapes, with the door ultimately opening and allowing a family to enjoy nature's offerings, be it a lakeside sunset or snowy mountain range. The project marks Covert's first full end-to-end production, which blends photoreal CG landscapes with live-action footage.
“Go RVing is the consumer-facing voice of the RV industry, with a mission to inspire potential RVers, spark curiosity and raise awareness about the benefits and accessibility of RVing through rich, authentic and diverse storytelling,” explains Nick Litwinko, Covert's executive producer. “Their embrace of narrative, collaboration and bleeding-edge virtual production techniques to elevate their brand mission was inspiring, and we were honored they brought us along for the journey.”
Agency BVK’s concept called for a range of environments that RV travelers can experience. Covert created dozens of CG landscapes using Unreal Engine, reflecting all four seasons and diverse regions of the country. The CG landscapes were loaded onto the volumetric virtual production stage, where the live-action was then captured. According to Rubinstein, each door transition was meticulously timed.
"The beauty of these transitions is evident in the smallest of moments, as elements such as sparks, dust motes or snow subtly trail into the next, creating a bridge between each setting and sharp visual contrast,” he notes.
The project began with an intense previsualization process, during which Covert planned each environment, blocking and transition utilizing CAD files for precise RV and camera angles. On-set, Covert focused on seamlessly integrating the exterior CG environments with live-action captures of the RV interiors and actors, dialing in lighting and grading adjustments in realtime. This ensured realistic reflections were captured on the RV surfaces, blending in-camera lighting with the CG in a way that would be difficult for green-screen shoot to achieve. The project was shot on the virtual production stage at Trilogy Studios (www.trilogystudios.com) in Fort Worth, TX.
“Traditional live-action would have been costly and time-consuming due to extensive travel,” explains Rubinstein. “More importantly, virtual production enabled precise execution of BVK's concept, with the client’s vision being affirmed right there on-set.”
Covert then had the final visuals printed onto film and re-digitized with the goal of creating an organic, analog feel. Gemini Films provided production services, with Jordan Busk serving as director of photography. Covert credits included creative director Dan Andrew, VFX lead Adrian Monroy, VFX artist Philipp Sorsoryan, CG lead: Morteza Parsadan, CG artist Kirill Khomenko and producer Margaux Baruch.