72andSunny was tasked with creating a trailer for Guitar Hero Live, the first new entry in the Guitar Hero franchise in five years, and aimed with actually putting viewers in the action.
Following a nod to Spinal Tap-esque backstage shenanigans, “It’s About To Get Real,” which is shot to give viewers a first-person perspective, puts the viewer right on stage in front of a live crowd. Created using additional footage shot with director Giorgio Testi and co-director Jamie Jackson from the live action shoots used for the game, the trailer assures viewers “This isn’t what it ‘feels like’ to play the new Guitar Hero. This is the new Guitar Hero.” Viewers are treated to the kind of audience reactions gamers can expect when they perform poorly in the game (We’re not sure why someone would bring a sign reading “You Suck” to a concert they payed to attend, but there you have it) before giving them a taste of what it’s like when things go right. At the end of the spot, 72andSunny introduces the game’s two modes, GH Live, which viewers have already experienced, and GHTV, which lets you play along with a continually updated library of music videos. The trailer should definitely get Guitar Hero fans psyched for the game’s fall release, as it gives viewers an idea of the kind of radical changes they can expect from the series following its long absence.
“The creative center of both Guitar Hero Live and the trailer for the game is about bringing to life the visceral thrill and terror of being up there in front of thousands of people,” said Tim Ellis, chief marketing officer of Activision Publishing.
Credits:
Client: Activision Publishing
Product: Guitar Hero Reveal Trailer
Title: It’s About to Get Real
Activision
Chief Executive Officer Activision Publishing: Eric Hirshberg
Chief Marketing Officer Activision Publishing: Tim Ellis
VP of Global Brand Marketing, Head of Digital: Jonathan Anastas
Consumer Marketing Manager: Orlando Baeza
Consumer Marketing Manager: Karen Starr
72andSunny
Partner, Chief Creative Officer: Glenn Cole
Partner, Chief Strategy Officer: Matt Jarvis
Group Creative Director: Frank Hahn
Creative Director/Writer: Tim Wolfe
Creative Director/Designer: Peter Vattanatham,
Lead Designer: Garret Jones
Lead Writer: Evan Brown
Designer: Ryan Dols
Writer: Jack Lagomarsino
Director of Film Production: Sam Baerwald
Film Producer: Kara Fromhart
Business Affairs Director: Amy Jacobsen
Business Affairs Manager: Kelly Ventrelli
Junior Business Affairs Manager: Amy Shah
Group Brand Director: Mike Parseghian
Brand Director: Torie Gleicher
Brand Coordinator: Laura Black
Group Strategy Director: Bryan Smith
Group Strategy Director: John Graham
Production Company – Pulse Films UK
Director: Giorgio Testi
Co-Director: Jamie Jackson of Freestyle Games
Director of Production: Claire Wingate
Line Producers: John Bannister & Isabel Davis
Game Developer – Freestyle Games
Jamie Jackson – Co-Director (co-director under Production and Creative Director under FSG)
Jonathan Napier – Projects Director
Mike Rutter – Art Manager
Joel Davey – Producer
Gareth Morrison – Assistant Art Director
Andy Grier – Lead Audio Designer
Jon Newman – Senior Audio Designer
Mike McLafferty – Audio Designer / Licensed Equipment Liaisons
Neil Watts – Lead Animator
Jason Pickthall – Lead Concept Artist
Phil Bale – Lead Environment Artist
Pete Nicholson – Lead Character Artist
David Moulder – Lead Technical Artist
Neil Dodd – Lead UI Artist
Editorial – Spotwelders
Editor: Robert Duffy
Assistant Editor: Sophie Kornberg
Executive Producer: Carolina Sanborn
Producer: Lisa English
Game CG & VFX- Framestore UK
Pedro Sabrosa – VFX supervisor
Alan Woods – CG supervisor
Russell – Horth – Compositing supervisor
Kate Windibank – Compositing supervisor
Robin Reyer – Lead Technical Director
Liz Oliver – Senior Producer
Helen Kok – Line Producer
Color Grade – Framestore UK
Colorist: Edwin Metternich
VFX & Online Finishing – Framestore LA
Executive Producer: James Razzall
Senior Producer: James Alexander
Production Manager: Eric Kimelton
Flame Artist US: Bruno De la Calva
Sound Design – Human
Sound designer: Gareth Williams
Producer: Jonathan Sanford
Audio Mix – Lime Studios
Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan & Jessica Locke
Engineer: Zac Fisher
Assistant engineer: Kevin McAlpine
Logo Mnemonic Animation – Blind
Tobin Kirk – Executive Producer
Amy Knerl – Head of Production
Greg Gunn – Creative Director
Scott Rothstein – Producer
Daniel Zhang – Animator
Shawn Kim – Animator
Henry Pak – Animator
Ash Wagers – Compositor
Lawrence Wyatt – Designer
Ayla Kim – Designer
Logo Mnemonic Sound Design – Barking Owl
Sound Designer: Michael Anastasi
Head of Production: Whitney Fromholtz
Creative Director: Kelly Bayett