Lopez Negrete approached Charlex with the basic fish tank concept. The studio then determined the species, number and look of the fish; working closely with the agency to decide the best symbols and words for the fish to use. Aside from the extensive fish tank work, Charlex also handled retouch, additional color correction, and a technical composite of the TV reflecting in the fish tank as the gawking fish look on.
The selection of the fish was particularly paramount to the spot’s success. “Initially we considered doing completely branded fish, in Verizon colors, but ended up finding naturally colored fish to be much more interesting,” explained Charlex creative director Dade Orgeron. “We also found that small fish were better for forming the words and symbols. You could have more fun with their flocking behavior and the forms were much more legible. Lastly, we looked for fish with naturally expressive faces, so we could avoid having to over-exaggerate their expression in the final shot.”
Charlex VFX supervisor Steve Chiarello traveled to Mexico City to supervise the shoot, ensuring that director Simon Bross of Cortez Brothers captured the appropriate plates for the fish tank. Chiarello also shot reference of a live fish tank to ensure that the movement, light and color of the Charlex version would be as realistic as possible.
While the size of the job increased considerably after the agency considered a rough cut – jumping from four shots to 10 – Charlex’s CG department still managed to get the spot finished on deadline.
