The Mill worked closely with Wieden+Kennedy (Portland) and Iconoclast’s We Are From LA to create Samsung’s ‘The Travel Guide’. Compelling visual effects transform the Galaxy S8 into a portal for any explorer.
The spot follows travel blogger Moriah Yadon. As Moriah journeys from one Peruvian adventure to the next, the landscapes change through the screen of the phone.
Creative Director Tim Davies says, “We spent a considerable amount of time in previzto work out camera techniques and methodologies to achieve each shot. We realized that we needed to shoot it in 6K to allow us to push into the screen of each phone to transition into the next shot.”
Extensive 3D tracking was done on each phone screen to allow accurate tracking geometry that wrapped around the edges of the curved screen. This allowed the VFX team to pre-comp the interface and content of each screen onto each phone.
The spot was shot at 48 frames per second, granting the VFX team the flexibility to speed up or slow down the footage at any time. Previz Lead Mike Di Nocco comments, “In order to ensure the audience could read the displays on the phone screen it was crucial to time the phone segments accurately. We solved the balance between how long it takes to get to the phone, and how long we could linger on the screen.”
One intricate transition involved the camera traveling through airplane windows. 3D Lead Artist Ed Boldero says, “The shot where we approached the plane was shot through an open door of a real plane, and in order for us to complete this transition, we replaced the door with CG windows.”
To further enhance the visuals, 3D artists created the Peruvian national bird in CG, while the 2D team crafted the entire Machu Picchu landscape utilizing matte painting and photography.