Client
FreddyCategory
FilmDevelopment
Direction Craft Production Music CompositionPartners
DLV BBDO, Milan Italian Team of Rhythmic GymnasticAwards
New York Festivals 2014 ADCI Awards 2014Timeline
09/2013 - 10/2013exploring an ancient visual technique
An experiment with an ancient visual technique, the kaleidoscope, starring the Italian National Team of Rhythmic Gymnastics.
"Making an audiovisual experiment based on the kaleidoscope theme and with no use of postproduction is an old desire that I had for years".
Luigi Pane ^:g director
The art of dance and reflections
In this campaign abstr^ct:groove found a lyrical and contemporary way to visually push this simple idea of four gym outfits, shot through the mirrors of a thaumascope. The symmetrical patterns and multiple reflections created by a kaleidoscope served as the perfect metaphor for the art of dance and gymnastics – and a means to demonstrate the ease of movement offered by the dance and fitness apparel manufactured by Freddy.
"We thought about rhythmic gymnastics and its own tools: hoops, balls, ribbons, clubs. And then we thought about how to play with big and small scales. The ball used for gymnastics could be substituted, in the following shot, by a small ball viewed from a small thaumascope, for example. Or the dynamic movement of the ribbon could be 'synthesized' by a colored liquid that flows through a worm-pipe. So we started to make experiments, to compose the music, to design the backgrounds... and this is the result!"
TheCreatorsProject - interview
Small scale models and simulations
No post-production was used to create the kaleidoscopic effects seen in the film. Abstr^ct:groove designed and built four thaumascopes of different sizes and shapes, the biggest being about 30 feet long with a triangular opening of about 8 feet and the smallest being about 5 feet in length with a square opening of about 2 feet. Considerable storyboarding preceded actual production. abstr^ct:groove studied small scale models and then simulated the movements in CGI to determine how well they would work.
The film is directed by Luigi Pane, who was personally involved in set design, soundtrack scoring and the combined choreography of the gymnasts and backgrounds. The motion design is powerfully aided by exceptional performers: The Italian National Team of Rhythmic Gymnastics “le Farfalle”, choreographed by their trainer Emanuela Maccarani. You can take a look behind the scenes to find out how the film was made by watching the video below.
