Look for the red conduit... ...and the guys that put it there A :30 special effects spot promotes the use of firesafe conduit in highrises

Click to play video: LMCC/Chicago NECA-IBEW Fire Safety :30 spot Requires a JavaScript enabled browser.

Shortly after a major high-rise bank fire in Chicagoñwith no casualties, fortunatelyñwe received a call to do this spot from Tahan Advertising. Their client is the local leadership council of two organizations that are joined at the hip, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the National Electrical Contractors Association. Capitalizing on the public's attention to the issue of high-rise fires, the client wanted to promote the use of specialized red electrical conduit that resists fire. In Chicago, it can only be installed by union labor.

The storyboards originally called for three different shots with the conduit. The first would establish an alarm box on a wall, the second would transition inside a wall to follow the conduit, and the third would break out into a room in which an electrician and contractor are working with an alarm control panel. To smooth all of the jumps, we suggested combining all three shots into one seamless special effects move. It was assembled from three parts. The move starts with a live-action camera as the dolly booms up from the alarm box, transitions into a 3D-rendered animation that flies along the conduit, then transitions back into a live-action dolly shot that reveals the two workers. With careful color correction and matting, we pulled it off.

Martin directed, shot the effects shots and exteriors in HD, edited and composited. Alexei produced and Liz pulled focus. To meet budget constraints, stock footage was selected to round out coverage of high-rise lifestyle.

If you don't want this...



You need this...



to be wired up with this...



by these guys!



The city rests.