LA-based mixed-media production studio Roger recently won Silver honors at the 33rd Annual Telly Awards for its Mobile Roadie spot. Commissioned as part of the app creator’s global push, the 60-second spot showcases customizable, self-service mobile apps for individuals and businesses worldwide. Led by creative director Terence Lee, Roger helmed the promo from concept to completion – combining live-action production, 2D and 3D animation and motion graphics.
“Roger consistently finds that magical balance between playfulness and formality, creating some of the most compelling and creative spots I’ve ever seen,” said Brock Batten, founder/creative director of Mobile Roadie. “When it came time to produce a video to market a new product launch, I knew exactly where to turn. They helped define our audience, craft our message, and transform a rough concept into stunning visual narrative that paid dividends.”
The action unfolds with the push of a mobile icon, as a series of vignettes show everyday people using Mobile Roadie apps on their phones and tablets. 3D-animated representations of the apps expand into real-world environments. Along the way, colorful graphics of analytics, sales tracking and customer pinpointing, among other key tools and features are highlighted. The interwoven vignettes visualize an ever-connected world of creativity, commerce and product engagement powered by Mobile Roadie.
“We wanted to introduce Mobile Roadie to the world in a way that would make people want to learn more,” said Lee. “By shooting real people and adding CG and VFX, we felt the story would be more approachable and express the true nature and scope of what these apps offer businesses and fans alike. The live-action characters brought a human sensibility that balanced with the technology elements showcased within the graphics and animation.”
Since Mobile Roadie creates custom apps, Roger came up with fictional companies such as a clothing boutique, a painter and an art gallery, and then created original app imagery using design assets provided by Mobile Roadie.
Joining forces and co-directing the spot was long-time Roger collaborator Jon Hyde of Boxer Films. Hyde’s naturalistic lifestyle photography was a perfect fit for the “on-the-go” aesthetic Roger was trying to achieve, and collaborating with Boxer’s production team allowed more resources to be allocated to the live-action portion of the shoot. The spot was shot over the course of three days at various Los Angeles locations. Each was chosen to believably stand in for key locations such as New York, L.A., San Francisco and Tokyo.
Roger’s production and animation toolbox included Maya, Cinema 4D, and PF Tracker for 3D camera tracking. The live-action was shot on a Canon 7D and DSLR, then composited and color-corrected in After Effects.
“We’ve known Mobile Roadie since it was built from the ground up, so it was great to tell their story,” said Lee. “The collaboration was smooth, with a good back-and-forth in terms of adjusting the creative to address specific features and services they wanted to highlight.”
Mobile Roadie from Roger LoudAndClear on Vimeo.
