Visual Evolution

Visual Evolution

What do the MINI robot viral, "CSI’s" signature science-infused shots, vampires in Alan Ball’s HBO’s “True Blood,” the Fox Bot NFL campaign and the game hit Need For Speed have in common? Each of these iconic pop culture moments have been produced with the help of creative content developers at Zoic Studios.

Zoic Studios is a digital effects house that was launched by a team of VFX heavy hitters – and like its name, evolved into a company that produces integrated multiplatform content for advertising, entertainment, and the nexus of the two. Co-founded by EP Steve Schofield, the company is heavily involved in creating content for videogames, advertising, and television.  “This unique position,” says Schofield, “allows us to execute the type of integrated, media-agnostic concepts that agencies need.   Our philosophy has always been: build from a great idea, make sure the story is worth telling, and then unleash the power of the Zoic toolbox.”

The power of the toolbox is evident in the praises being lauded by industry leaders: “Zoic is a go-to FX place for us,” says Crispin Porter + Bogusky Co-Executive Creative Director Andrew Keller.  “They are just the sort of people we like: brilliant, humble, collaborative. Every time they are on the job I know it will be spot on.”  Josh Reynolds, Executive Producer at Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, agrees: “Zoic has always given us the highest level of creativity and customer service. Their producers are only rivaled by the quality of their artists. They are extremely deep and have the innate ability to work with clients regarding all aspects of a project. We enjoyed a truly amazing creative partnership as evidenced by the success of the Picture Book campaign they did for us for Hewlett Packard.”

The enthusiasm and commitment to leading edge content is especially evident in the burgeoning gaming arena – clearly an industry that has become a central figure in pop-culture -- on the likes of music, film and television. Advertisers have gravitated to its inclusion across a wide spectrum of products and brands, just as they would with any type of pop-culture icon.  This presence ranges from using game characters and environments, to actually producing entire spots to resemble the game world. And now with many game titles pushing the edge of visual fidelity, Zoic is able to produce ads with the actual game engine.

Advertising for these games has also taken the next step in complexity and maturity, rather than relying on the old standard of live-action to provide the framework for the story.  Now, in most cases, game spots exclusively feature either game footage or CG built from game assets as the visual hook.  Some of these trailers and ads have become groundbreaking spots, and are absolutely entertainment in their own right. These shifts have occurred because the consumers, the actual game players, are the most visually literate consumer group out there. They know when the application is CG -- so if it is, it better look great.

“We've always regarded the game industry as a vital part of what we do at Zoic,” says EP of Gaming Aaron Sternlicht, who joined the company after working with them on the client side of the gaming industry.  “We're a bunch of gamers over here, so we get it.  Basically, we know what we'd like to see -- what we think is cool in a particular game -- and that sets a great stage for our projects. This enthusiasm is evident to our clients and has allowed us to foster long-term relationships with game publishers and studios, as well as become a go-to solution for agencies trying to achieve that ‘game-look.’”

Revenge of the nerds?  More like wide-eyed confectioners. “We are a chocolate factory, filled with a bunch of kids with sweet dreams,” concludes company Co-Founder/Creative Director Loni Peristere. “The diversity of Zoic’s creative partners have given almost any idea a platform to explore. We make things we like.  Our success is giving us an even better platform to create our own ideas. Our partners can expect what they need from us creatively and technically, whether it’s a game inspired project, an ad idea, or an original TV series.  We are doing it all and having fun."