Category Archives: Commercials

Custom Miniatures: Godzilla’s City for Salty Block Pictures

Commercials film production Miniatures Production Design Props / Sets Uncategorized No Comments

Oh no! There goes Tokyo…

A miniature custom set (in “N-Scale” or 1/150th scale) complete with tiny terrified humans plus freeways and buildings designed to collapse with a flick of Godzilla’s giant tail. Created by McGrew Studios’ production designer Hraefn Wulfson for Salty Block Pictures and their ongoing commercial series featuring beautiful new versions of the most-sought classic collectibles.

May 2018
Many thanks to Moises Lemus of Salty Block Pictures for a great collaboration!

Gojira!With @saltyblockboi @saltyblockpictures

Posted by Hraefn Wulfson on Thursday, May 10, 2018

 

Experimenting with calamity…

Posted by Hraefn Wulfson on Saturday, May 5, 2018

A second collapse…@saltyblockboi @saltyblockpictures

Posted by Hraefn Wulfson on Sunday, May 6, 2018

 

Shooting the miniature today with @saltyblockboi @saltyblockpictures

Posted by Hraefn Wulfson on Thursday, May 10, 2018

Only 28 inches tall…Some highlights from today's progress. Almost there… @saltyblockboi @saltyblockpictures

Posted by Hraefn Wulfson on Tuesday, May 8, 2018

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The last collapse test on building 2 prior to final details. Some highlights from today's progress. Almost there… @saltyblockboi @saltyblockpictures

Posted by Hraefn Wulfson on Wednesday, May 9, 2018

 

 

A final sweep for tonight. Sans The freeway…

Posted by Hraefn Wulfson on Wednesday, May 9, 2018

 

CFO SUPERHERO: PLURALSIGHT

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Pluralsight’s popular Chief Revenue Officer, Joe DiBartolomeo.

 

On stage in Florida at their January 2018 sales kickoff event-

 

 

 

Concept art: Adam Gunn, Pluralsight Creative Director.

 

 

Fitting day: Joe and Adam at Pluralsight’s Kaysville, Utah offices-

 

A base-layer batman suit, about to be cannibalized/customized-

 

 

Custom dye sub printed fabric in Pluralsight’s orange-to-pink gradient, fashioned into a superhero cape-

 

 

Cape pleating-

 

 

More custom dye sub fabric-

 

 

Prepping lighting elements for Joe’s chest piece-

 

 

Ready now for color change on its outer gasket-

 

 

Prepping chest feature with binding around circumference and velcro mounting surface-

Custom Futuristic Costumes: Pluralsight video and Pluralsight Live 2017

Commercials Cosplay & Characters Mascots Tailoring No Comments

Meet “Zero” and “One,” Pluralsight’s “future people”.

Appearing in the stunning video (above) shown during Pluralsight Live’s opening session, the branded mascots then appeared in person periodically throughout all three days of the event, intriguing and mingling with enthusiastic conference goers.

A full spectrum of colors enhanced the actors’ first set of costumes. A series of creative in-camera effects captured actors Phillip Istomin and Alexis Chanel being doused with paints and powders during the high frame-rate filming.

A great team includes the creators of the Pluralsight promo video,  JMills Entertainment.  Art direction and marketing by Adam Gunn, John Jensen and their colleagues at Pluralsight. Two sets of identical costumes for Zero and One custom built by Jennifer McGrew with Kelly Hawthorne.  Behind-the-scenes shots of the video shoot by Dee and Cory. Live performance scheduling logistics at the Grand America by Webb Event Production and the lovely Xenia Maritsas. On-location wardrobe tech and dressing by Jennifer McGrew.

Pluralsight Live User Conference, Salt Lake’s Grand America Hotel, Sept 19-21, 2017.

https://www.pluralsight.com/
http://www.jmillsent.com/
http://www.webbproduction.com/
https://mcgrewstudios.com/
http://www.deeandcory.com/

 

‘Future People’ concept art: Pluralsight’s Adam Gunn

 

Prior to all the paint and color that doused them during the filming… One and Zero in their snappy new white future suits.

 

Initial paint splash on the costumes. Model Phillip Istomin gets some great air on that paint while smashing the ceramic container with a white sledgehammer. Model Alexis Chanel calmly observes.

 

A ‘before’ and ‘after’ set of custom costumes in the shop. All ready to head to the Grand America Hotel for Pluralsight Live

HMA (Hide My Ass) Commercial Costume Design: Chamber Media

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Many good, innocent people lost their clothes in this fun commercial that underscores how vulnerable you are whenever using unprotected public wi-fi. For client, HMA (Hide My Ass) app.

 

Thank you to KJMagnetics, a great resource for the rare-earth, neodymium magnets we used in our effects. Thank you also to props wiz Wray Featherstone- your off-camera choreography made the execution of all our breakaway wardrobe possible. Turns out, too, that saving all our metal corset stay ends and bits for all those years was essential. Awesome concept, crew and content:) Thank you,  Chamber Media!

 

Ad Stuffed With Nudity and Shaved Back Hair Makes a More Serious Point About Wifi Security

“Butt Bumper” Commercial Costume and Props Design: FiftyFilms

Commercials Corsets and Waist Training Props / Sets Tailoring No Comments

We built and installed the visual joke that sells The Advocates’ message in FiftyFilms’ hilarious 2015 commercial.

 

 

 

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McGrews’ production designer Hraefn Wulfson vacu-formed a real bumper several times, laminated all the pulls together, then attached them to a custom wooden frame.

After some choice rumpling, primer and some chrome paint, he treated the tail lights to some fun effects as well – – one broken and one flashing- akin to how your own car’s tail lights would be after an accident.

 

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Costume designer Jen with actress Cherie wearing a corset (underneath her blouse). Two specialty plastic gun holster clips sewn to the corset’s back hold the bumper’s strap in place, as Cherie does her grocery shopping, knocking merchandise off the shelves.

 

The commercial’s unmistakable message: Some accidents just follow you around and keep causing trouble unless your lawyers are The Advocates!

 

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Our thanks to everyone on the FiftyFilms production crew. This was a fun design challenge plus a most entertaining shoot that kept us constantly laughing:)

Custom Superhero Costume: Littlest Wonder Woman – Josh Rossi Photography

Commercials Corsets and Waist Training cosplay Cosplay & Characters costumes Props / Sets Tailoring 7 Comments

Famous Photographer, Famous Daughter

 

 

A project that’s had 33 million views and counting as of January 2017.

 

When Jessica Alba, George Takei, and even the new Wonder Woman film director Patty Jenkins are talking about your work, trust us, it’s pretty cool.

 

McGrew Studios and Josh Rossi Photography have wanted to work together on a project for several years, and at last we finally have!

 

10/20/2016

 

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The convergence of his daughter Nellee’s 3rd birthday,  the 75th anniversary of Wonder Woman, Halloween 2016, plus the new Wonder Woman movie trailer all culminated in a personal project for Josh that hit viral status within just several days.  As Josh told KSL TV in an interview at our studio, “All the trending buttons have been hit with both the timing and subject matter of his project,” (not to mention Full Time Photographer‘s original click-bait article title that waves a design and labor rate in readers’ faces).

 

 

Josh’s project has generated a BIG range of discussion, contention, admiration and even scorn– throughout comment threads on all the websites that have reposted the project or created their own new features about it.

 

At McGrews, we are naturally just agog at all this activity and very proud to have played our role in this fantastic project.

 

Some of the videos, articles and links:

joshrossi.com

INSIDE EDITION’S Feature

Hanssie Ho’s *Full Time Photographer* article

KSL TV’s Feature

People Magazine’s Feature

 

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Nellee is one cool, three-year old superhero!

 

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Costume made by McGrews’ cartel members Jennifer McGrew with Diane Thompson, plus custom sword and shield by Randy Crit Killen. We love how great Josh’s photos make our work look:)

 

We made Nellee’s costume using several types of leathers along with worbla details, lacing, grommets and a variety of trimmings. We designed her leather bodice to be adjustable in the back as well as on the sides, because she will grow fast!

 

Her leather skirt pieces are sewn onto their own waistband which is attached under the bodice, and this whole element is alterable so it can also be adjused as she grows. Nelee’s armored spats lace up over her boots and should also endure two or more shoe-size increases. We made Nellee’s shoulder straps expandable, and for adjustability over time,  plus created her pauldrons to slide on her straps.

 

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Something Josh brought up after the KSL interview at our shop was the idea of creating and marketing patterns for kids’ costumes. Based on the overwhelming response to this project’s release on the web, it’s something we may seriously consider.

 

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We wanted this costume to be something that replicates the cinematic version and something that she’ll enjoy for a long time. We predict she may wear it until she is five or older!

 

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Would you like a pattern for this Wonder Woman costume that you could create for your own 2-4 year old? Tell us what you think.

 

Tags:

wonder woman toddler photography surreal kid photography child photography comic con photography comic con cosplay cosplay fashion wonder woman outfit marvel costume DC comics wonder woman costume dad spends $1500 on daughters costume josh rossi photography full time photographer

Props and effects wizard Crit Randy Killen’s process photos.
He made Nellee’s Wonder Woman sword and shield.

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Crit even made a cool bag for Nellee’s sword and shield.

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Johnny Killen helped his dad, Crit, with this project.

 

 

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Sword and shield delivered to Josh!

 

Follow and see more from Crit on Facebook-

Custom Mascots: Clinique

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Custom mascot costumes for Clinique.

In face-hiding as well as face-revealing varieties, at the preference of each store’s regional manager.

Katrina Kirkland, Naia Folidei and Rory Sepulveda pose in costumes designed as popular Clinique Cosmetics products at the grand opening of the Meier & Frank in Riverdale. The one-story department store is the eighth in Utah to open and is expected to generate between $200,000 and $300,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city. (Robert Hirschi/The Salt Lake Tribune)

Katrina Kirkland, Naia Folidei and Rory Sepulveda pose in costumes designed as popular Clinique Cosmetics products at the grand opening of the Meier & Frank in Riverdale. The one-story department store is the eighth in Utah to open and is expected to generate between $200,000 and $300,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city. (Robert Hirschi/The Salt Lake Tribune)

 

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To ‘hide’ or to ‘reveal’ is always an interesting consideration when you plan to create a walkaround or mascot for your business or product. The face-revealers interact the most purposefully with shoppers, passing out free samples during a department store grand opening.  The anonymous mascara-wearer is far more mischievous and sees through a scrim of metallic fabric.  For all twelve of these costumes we used high density closed cell foam and replicated the Clinique logos with pretty satin-stitch embroidery over appliques.

 

Katrina Kirkland, Naia Folidei and Rory Sepulveda pose in costumes designed as popular Clinique Cosmetics products at the grand opening of the Meier & Frank in Riverdale. The one-story department store is the eighth in Utah to open and is expected to generate between $200,000 and $300,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city. (Robert Hirschi/The Salt Lake Tribune)

Katrina Kirkland, Naia Folidei and Rory Sepulveda pose in costumes designed as popular Clinique Cosmetics products at the grand opening of the Meier & Frank in Riverdale. The one-story department store is the eighth in Utah to open and is expected to generate between $200,000 and $300,000 in annual sales tax revenue to the city. (Robert Hirschi/The Salt Lake Tribune)

Giant Custom Stage Props for USANA

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A BIG custom props commission.

 

Precision cut foam pieces with plenty of sanding, assembly and application of ‘Screen Goo’ (a custom coating painted on that makes the show’s 3-D projections look spectacular).   Hraefn Wulfson, Russ Adams and Crit Killen combined forces to create these for USANA’s annual convention at the Energy Solutions Arena.

 

Salt Lake City, Utah. September 2015.

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Custom Mascots: Ogden-Weber Area Technical College’s “Randy Robotech”

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Ogden-Weber Applied Technical College was the first trade-tech school in Utah to develop a branded mascot to promote its educational mission and programs.

Robert Hirschi, multimedia journalist for the Salt Lake Tribune, created a behind-the-scenes account of some of the steps in this creative process as well as the people behind it. Interviewed are OWATC creative directors Brock Porter and Jenny Everson, plus costume maker Jen McGrew with Katrina Kirkland-Cornia. The documentary details the mascot from concept to realized costume for a performer to wear at job fairs, parades, etc.

2002, Salt Lake Tribune archived servers.