HYPHENATE

A creative visual effects studio hyphenating concept and execution, we empower stories to transcend confines of the optical lens.

We develop proven visual effects strategies and arrive at each and every project with a catered approach. As technical creatives, our collaboration and insight from the outset is vital in facilitating a seamless transition into our visual effects pipeline. This approach puts creativity and innovation at the forefront with uncompromising efficiency, breathing life into any vision, large or small.

Venom F5: America’s Hypercar

Precision is vital when showcasing fury on the road. Seriously, the Hennessy Venom F5’s engine, nicknamed “Fury” delivers 1817 horsepower. This demanded meticulous planning ahead for a suitable tribute to this hyper-car's capabilities. From day one, time and resources were met with efficiency and ingenuity. We were able to capture all relevant 3D data on-site, which laid the foundation for a seamlessly integrated VFX post-production workflow. In turn, we were quite proud to showcase our teamwork with Hennessy and showcase this professional speed demon in the wild.

The Lich King’s Ice Cream Citadel

Working on this project with GenPop and Blizzard allowed us to bring a character who is beloved by many fans, and our team into reality. We turned our focus to incorporate alluring yet subtle layers of SFX. Our goal was simple. Breathe in intriguing visual quality and playfulness into a story out of a child’s imagination. Please watch, but be warned. If the sky morphs into a stormy, dark, and ominous cloud, chances are it’s nothing. Ignore the signs of impending doom (frozen skulls, foggy mist) and proceed to get your ice cream. Be polite to the Lich King. He’s a new employee here to tell you about the select flavors in-store: chocolate, strawberry, death, and rocky road.

Cyber Mondays

Sometimes you need an extra layer of detail. Here’s an example of subtle intricacies that we included in this spot. We made it snow to commemorate all the deals Overstock held on Cyber Monday, but one unhappy camper was Ron the moose! Getting judged on your name is tough, although it’s not too bad when you’re replacing the most famous reindeer on earth. 

Sustainable Realities: Armenia VR

Cinematic VR technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the challenge lies in pushing boundaries and maximizing its potential at the moment, before the next best thing comes along. In this particular feature, we showcase its capability by diving into a rural community from the Mets Mantash region of Armenia. Immediately, we are transported inside a tight-knit circle. We see the anxieties that arise of those amid a difficult situation that no community should face–– one that can profoundly impact their quality of life. Our access grants us a visual on what this group grapples with from sustainable work sources to new economic standards. Through the VR lens, we were able to spotlight the stories of these dairy farmers and milk makers to detail their adversity through a worldwide sustainability initiative by the United Nations. 

This campaign was centered around rural communities with limited access to first-world resources. Viewers are presented with an opportunity to immerse themselves in a town of people so incredibly far away, yet so familiar in our everyday plight towards a prosperous and happy life. 

Total Eclipse Cross

Re: Our most adventurous stint outside of the office.

We raced the clock to reach a once in a lifetime moment, it was a doozy of a trip packed with unpredictable scenes along the way. We had not one, but two unparalleled jobs to bring to the table. One: capture totality during the eclipse. Two: showcase it while in the actual Mitsubishi Eclipse.

We focused on craft and disappeared into the visually-pleasing backdrop of the very story we were constructing. In total, we survived and conquered thirty-six hours of on-site post-production, sixteen hours of filming, no sleep, and last but most importantly, one minute and thirty seconds of eclipse totality. An unforgettable life experience...caught on camera. This moment was documented through the very best language; adventure.  We hope you enjoy the hard work that we put into it. 

The Lich King At Blizzard

The Lich King’s plans to demonstrate his command of mortal enterprise have finally paid off! Witness as the Lord of the Scourge takes his first indomitable steps to conquer a new realm: Blizzard Entertainment.

Usually, he freezes entire bodies, but this time it’s contained down to a cup of coffee and a poor co-worker’s hand. Please take a look at this special touch we had fun with.

Chromasound VR

Our dedication to innovative storytelling in VFX encourages us to explore every avenue in creativity. Working in collaboration with Redbull Media House, we created a multi-faceted, immersive VR experience to be paired dually with their live broadcast series, called “Season of Festivals”. We captured Cinematic VR footage from all over the globe for this. Scenes from Primavera Sound in Spain, Bestival on Isle of Wight in the UK, Bonnaroo in Tennessee, Austin City Limits in Texas, and Lollapalooza in Chicago appear in this highly creative world of sounds and experiences. Our animation ideas were conceptualized from the booming excitement from being in the moment, and living in that exhilarating present space. We wanted to bring that to life, and have it parallel the universe of music festivals. We hope you enjoy our creation.  

Wonders Of Un’Goro

At the root of any adventure there is fate. The adventures of Professor George H. Doyle are examples of that in the wild. He’s a rugged traveler who conquers the unknown. We were blessed to have this opportunity to work with Blizzard once more for a series about his travels in Un'Goro Crater. We leave you with our favorite quote, danger is simply an opportunity in disguise. 

Breaking the Day VR

Thrill-seeking careers are one of the most exciting ways to make a living, professionals are taking life-risking moves to capture the moment it culminates from suspense––to full blast adrenaline. And we were right next to them trying to capture that moment! In this campaign, we were tasked by Red Bull TV to create an engaging narrative to accompany a new series they were filming called “Breaking The Day,” featuring 6 completely unique individuals from around the globe who have thrill-seeking careers. The kick? It’s all Cinematic VR content. This means a 360 approach and a full bird’s eye view as to what these badass professionals are up to on the daily. Our focus for this particular spot was a nomadic adventure photographer, Krystle Wright, who is usually accustomed to heading into the unknown. Only this time, her latest ambition to capture a rock climber on the famous Tasmanian spire, nicknamed the Totem Pole, while suspended above the ocean, has never been done before. We find ourselves directly above her and see this real cliff-hanging story. Immerse yourself with a compelling cinematic experience full of suspense and watch. 

Let’s Be Frank VR by Ben Harper

Our partnership with Red Bull brought us this extraordinary opportunity to push the threshold into a whole new dimension with what could be accomplished with Cinematic VR at the time. This was the first and only project of its kind, captured start to finish at 120 fps and brought to life with seamless photoreal VFX in every single direction, and nook and cranny you look. Our detailed nuances poise your eyes for a challenge to spot the details that bring the narrative full circle. There are some exciting easter eggs here, like our lead, Andy carrying a camera. Or some, let’s be frank, cheeky gems. Dig deeper into the technical challenges we faced fighting 120fps crop sensors, motion control, large parallax, and more. 

40 Series

When it’s more than just a product, say a lifestyle––it’s important to showcase how what we see translates to what is possible. In this multi-platform web-based campaign, MVMT watches introduced its latest line,  the “40 Series” to over 1 Million Facebook and Instagram followers. Our vibe, colorful and playful, and sophisticated shows what elegance would look on you like in your own customized fashion. This mesmerizing and straightforward visual was a satisfying moment for the team. 

Get A Car

Freedom of choice removes any cluttering thoughts of the unnecessary. Quite simply, it frees your individual choice to stand out amongst the rest. We invested in the small details to embolden our main focus, subtle pleasures and a smooth flow for this spot with FAIR. This memorable and cheeky campaign encourages you to stop getting fooled by the numbers, and instead go and get what you’re after. In this case, a car. Get in. 

BRAVIA OLED TV

What better way to showcase a television? A stimulating display, complete with bursts of color and sound you always dreamed of at the foot of your bed, and best of all your fingertips are in control. You’ve transcended regular television, you’re living it. And no, you’re not seeing double, or triple, just clones. Can you hear this parade? No, but, you feel it. Finally, you can truly be immersed in sound and vision. 

Your Choice

Our introduction of AT&T’s Unlimited plan in this spot meant transforming a visualization of ultimate freedom into a reality, and making it catchy. Are you familiar with music sampling? Well, we took the same concept and created a mash-up of featured shows and created our own little story of snippets. The art of creating from something already out there is a tricky thing. We were especially thrilled to bring in the Goku and Dragon cameos. Take a look at our representation in having the freedom of choice, it’s the future. 

Seahawks Scratch

Fun fact number 201, Seahawks fans once caused a minor scale earthquake in Washington while cheering in the stands. While there is power in numbers, you, as a single individual, you still have a passion that makes a difference. Serendipity brought these two Seahawks fans into the wild, where they made an impact on their environment a second time. The fire these two carry for their team caused quite the rumble; it may even be considered a new wonder of the world. 

Independence

This one goes out to all the pioneers out there. The trailblazers, the artists, the tradespeople, the artists & musicians, the creatives, skateboarders, and car modifiers. From rural to city, we raise our glasses to you. Just think of all the synchronicities in everyday life that result in your freedom of choice. To all those who go against the grain. You don’t just break the mold, you smash it up with a lightning bolt of creation. Cheers. 

Thought Contagion

Music videos are mini-movies. The shot lists can be massive, and they must be all up to standard from the big picture to the last detail. For this reason alone, we understand that deadlines can seem impossible for a small team of creatives that have big goals. In this spot, we teamed up with Creative Director, Sam Oshin to execute all aspects of Post-Production with regard to Design, Animation, VFX, and Composition for an amazing feat. This story was such a blast to go all in on. What we fell in love with was the storyline and its attention to detail. Not to mention we are huge fans of Muse. It brought back a lot of nostalgia too. We all remember being in love, and the sparks that flew. We also really missed playing at the local arcade, so we honored that. Not to mention, we also remember our thirst for blood and the way it controlled our minds. We embodied that here.

On The Bright Side

Nothing brings folks together better than a united mission: to party. That's precisely what our campaign with Mike's Hard Lemonade focuses on. The bright side of life. It tastes better with friends in your corner. 

5 HOUR ENERGY

We pride ourselves on prioritizing innovative VFX thinking. We honor the process of creating and purposely challenge ourselves. We appreciate "outside of the box" solutions for tricky problems. We admit this ingenuity sparks an eagerness inside of us. Our ambition is fueled and ready to go; It makes the vision seem easily attainable. In this particular spot, we experienced that, and this effect became one of the most complex challenges we came across in a long time. Once the nitty-gritty started, and our hearts and minds were fixated on this "cutout" effect. We quickly realized it was not going to be as simple to execute as we initially believed. We considered various creative solutions, both 2D and 3D. Time and time again we hit a wall. Our goal was to consistently have our cutout effect perfectly outline our character through the full range of motion. We wanted that seamless match. On top of this, we had to maintain proportionate distribution around the entire contour. We aimed for seamless integration and wanted that. Nothing less. 

Ultimately, we created a custom toolset using Blink/Python in Nuke. With this toolkit, we fed tracking data and boom, there it was. An accurate and automatically generated cutout for any character input we desired. The fruits of our labor were finally there. Well, in this case, not there––and that's exactly what we wanted. 

Our solution provided us with a brand new toolset, which gave us full control over scale, distribution and spacing at any point within the workflow. When it gets tough, we put our minds together and get creative.

Dierks’ Day Off

Country singer Dierks Bentley does a lot on his day off.  Painting a shipwreck in stormy seas, time-traveling with technology never before known to man, and playing in a black metal band are just a few activities this renaissance man can do. We were there to help launch him off onto whatever it was he had planned next. The exhaust fumes on the jet pack didn’t even leave a mark on his pants. Good thing, we’re excellent at what we do. 

Stop searching.  Start laughing!

Do you suffer from search fatigue? Well take a breath of relief, for we’ve teamed up with TikTok to spread the gospel of content. This was a quirky project to edit with an entertaining finish. We highlight the funk that folks get into when scrolling for hours with no remedy to boredom in sight. Take a look at this wacky edit and share it with your fellow scrollers. 

Wisconsin/Out

We don’t mean to be cheesy, but our dream vacation is in Wisco. There are very few places on earth that serve as a versatile playground for adults who are kids at heart. Wisconsin is one of the midwest’s best, simply because you can zigzag back and forth from an adrenaline-filled rush to a calming peace. From building snowmen sculptures to snowboarding/skiing to an exciting game of poker––You have everything you need for a daring adventure. Best of all, you can still finish it off inside with some cozy R&R. And don’t get us started on the sights. This spot shows it all, and even has a giant elephant professor we may or may not have created. 

Phantom 2

Life moves fast. Our trajectories may lead us into the most unthinkable dreams, or into the future. Put your shoes on and step into the newest cutting edge technology for your feet with these HOVR Phantom 2’s that track your movement better than any GPS and feed you real-time coaching. Become a better runner and athlete by reducing the risk of any injury and wearing shoes that truly fit you. We put in a lot of emphasis on making this shoe come to life with no foot insight during the beginning establishing shot. Frame after frame, we continued this rhythm and matched the energy of this unbelievable shoe. Fall into the beat and enjoy it.  

Whatever Happens

Telling the story of those who have suffered through major disruptive events can feel daunting to some, but not to our team of visual storytellers and VFX creatives. We collaborated with Servpro to exemplify the fortitude that families hold during life's toughest moments. Our CG animation depicted the care and restoration that occurs when reconstruction happens in the hands of professionals who care. Any significant event, whether fire-related or flood-related, is an alarming thing to imagine, let alone visualize. This representation of the services offered during recent flooding shows the unity that happens when vital pillars of the community are put back into place to uphold its citizens. And it's done with a modern flair that gives you a look at our thought process. Servpro's services were illustrated with layers as the story unfolded within seconds. Our hope is that these packaged narratives show the strength of character that parents, teachers, workers, and entire communities go through when rebuilding. 

Chinese New Years

Chinese New Year is a time to concentrate on family, feasting and the image of Paul George coming to life within the pages of your Clippers book. This is not a dream, but our dedication to quality when it comes to the minor details. Our specialized look features animation with a true sense of depth, one that invites you into the pages of a book. Celebrating the New Year with your hero is something you may never get to do ever in your life again, so why not celebrate it with one of NBA’s all-stars. 

Super Bowl Pregame Show

It’s not every day that you’re able to work on a spot you absolutely know hundreds of millions of people will see. When we were asked to work with FOX to announce the LIV Super Bowl pregame show, we could hardly contain ourselves. The time and path we took required a commitment to long and steady hours for milliseconds of screen time. We dove into this with all of our resources and manpower. Our result: an interactive zoom, that acted as a portal which welcomed the viewer into every frame, and continued to propel them further inwards. This play on perspective gave us the visual adventure we dreamed about from the get-go. If you’ve heard of the powers of ten, this is more like the multi-dimensional 100. 

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