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A message that matters Created in conjunction with Disguise Services’ Virtual Art Department, a public service announcement (PSA) on veterans’ mental health presented the perfect opportunity to employ VP A lot can be said in 30 seconds. For the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), PSAs often only last that long. Developed by The Audio\Visual
Crew, in collaboration with Disguise’s in-house Virtual Art Department (VAD) – part of the Disguise Services offering – Flicker of Time is a commercial created for the VA encouraging veterans to seek the mental health support they need. Headed by Andy Vallentine, a director and executive producer at The Audio\ Visual Crew, Flicker of Time features five distinct virtual backgrounds, all meant to authentically reflect daily life as a veteran. “The creative team wanted a visually compelling way to tell the story of veterans’ experiences, and VP offered an innovative way to do that,” Vallentine begins. “It felt like the perfect opportunity to push the storytelling in a cinematic and emotionally grounded way.” This wasn’t Vallentine’s first rodeo with VP, nor was it his first time working with the VA. “When this campaign came up, I was excited to be part of it,” he admits. To devise the virtual backdrops, he and his team at The Audio\Visual Crew went to Disguise Services’ VAD, and together they ‘identified key locations that would resonate’, including a battleground, a backyard birthday party and a group counselling session. “From there,” he states, “we worked closely with both the virtual and physical art departments to refine the details, making sure every element supported the storytelling.” The VAD designed each environment in Unreal Engine, while The Audio\Visual Crew “paid close attention to lighting and depth, ensuring the virtual worlds felt as real as any practical set,” describes Vallentine. “We used foreground props – furniture, trees, textured surfaces – to
in-house creative and technical teams, we can test content the week after meeting with clients – we know exactly how it performs and how to optimise it.” By using VP rather than shooting on location, The Audio\Visual Crew were guaranteed lower costs and fewer production restrictions. “We could shoot every environment in a single controlled space,” reveals Vallentine, giving them complete command over lighting and weather conditions. Shot on an LED volume at Los Angeles’ XR Stage, the PSA took only 12 hours to film in its entirety. Although VP is renowned for its efficiency, Vallentine sees it as something bigger. “VP isn’t just about cool visuals – it’s creating an environment where actors can deliver their best performances and stories can be told in ways that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. This project was a great example of how VP can enhance storytelling in a meaningful way.”
SETTING THE STAGES Several different virtual sets represented real scenarios for veterans
bridge the digital and physical worlds,” with production designer Brendan O’Connor and DOP Oren Soffer, ensuring each element matched its respective LED backdrop. “The goal was to create a world where the audience wouldn’t question what was real and what was digital – it all had to feel cohesive.” Carlos Perez, VP specialist at Disguise, noted “To ensure the content works efficiently with the wall on the day of a shoot, we test as early as possible. With
Visit va.gov for more information about veterans’ mental health services and support
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