CUT THE NOISE
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Makers | CLIENT: Credit Karma
Produced by: Neighborhood Watch | Directors: The Voorhes | Executive Producer: Traci Carlson | Line Producer: Jayne Roberts
Production Manager: Will Wondra | Agency Producer: Antonietta Jean Emmanuel | Credit Karma Producer: Carlos Gerardo Martinez | Camera Assistant: Dylan McCallum | Cinematographer: Josh Verduzco | Gaffer: Dave Creaney | Art Team: Nicki Longoria | Art Team: Katie Lecroy | Woodchipper Fabricator: Bellwether Prototype | Custom Neon: Scotty Closter
We’d made some amazing work with Credit Karma in the past, so when they came back asking us to blow up a bunch of TVs and smash a wall of neon signs with a wrecking ball we were all in!
The scripts for these spots focused on all the different ways predatory lenders and credit card companies try to get people’s attention, then we systematically obliterated them.
Because Credit Karma was looking for a library of assets to cut in various ways, we focused on each predatory scenario and boarded out a range of shots. This allowed for nearly endless edits.
Next we got to prop making. We partnered with Bellwether Prototype who fabricated a wood chipper that ate thousands of custom made pieces of junk mail and shot out cash. Basic white mannequins were converted to animatronic sign spinners who then short circuited with sparks and smoke. We made a brick wall and hung custom neon payday loan signs all over it, then we smashed it with a wrecking ball (yes, we made the wrecking ball too). A 16' x 24' stage was built for 8' tall inflatable air dancers in order to hide power cords and the fan mechanisms, thus create a clean graphic surface. And we also created a scene filled with practical 3D pop-up banner ads which were rigged to clatter to the floor with the push of a button. And lastly, we blew up a bunch of TVs.
This project was intense. It involved a ton of engineering, testing, experimentation and problem solving. There were plenty of failures along the way, but stubbornness and an incredible team of people made this shoot a massive success. And somehow no one got hurt! You know what they say; safety third.