RUSHES HELP PUMP UP NIKE AIR

Rushes completed VFX and grading for NIKE and Great Guns' new film 'Fresh Air'.

The film launched globally on April 1st 2010.  The 2.30 minute, 90 second will be aired on USA TV and as web content globally.  It plays on the reveal that Nike AIR has always used the air from their best athletes to fill their shoes.

The work unveils the ACU,  the Air Collection Unit, a special factory where luminaries such as Sharapova, Carl Lewis, Sanya Richards, Paula Radcliffe, Brandon Roy, P-Rod, Troy Polamalu and McEnroe go to and donate their air to put into Nike Air.  
David Koechner, star of Anchor Man and Curb Your Enthusiasm takes us through the piece as he reveals the best kept secret of Nike AIR.  The result is a brilliantly directed piece of comedy including an amazing cast of athletes and a warning that the Nike AIR may cause excessive performance.

Directed by Paul Shearer and Produced by Laura Gregory, DOP Angust Hudson, the team shot at Nike's WHQ in Portland, Oregon and Los Angeles.

Rushes' Matt Jackson led the VFX work; he explains "the first task was to compile footage from a number of sources including red camera and super 16mm film to build the edits. The footage was graded in spirit by Simone Grattarola and then came into flame to be conformed."
He continues, "we grained some of the red footage to match the film and tried to match the overall feel. A crash matte was removed using flames 3D camera tracker and projection onto planes. There were a number of screen replacement shots in the 'air monitoring lab', and a couple of green screen shots to composite - where the actor and star could not be in the same location. Finally a big Nike zeppelin was matte-painted into the last shot. There was a lot to complete in the time... thankfully we used Nikes patented 'grunt removal system' to great effect!"

Product: Nike
Production Title: FRESH AIR
Production Company: Greatguns
Director: Paul Shearer
Producer: Laura Gregory
DOP: Angus Hudson
GG's Post Producer: Sheridan Thomas
Film Editor: Will Judge
Music: ipp Music
Post Production: Rushes
Rushes Producer: Frankie Limata
Colourist/ Grading: Simone Grattarola
VFX: Matt Jackson
3D Animation: Matte painting and extensions by RUSHES 3D