press release
CMT 'Music ID's 06'
Eyeball and Expansion Team Mesh Modern Styles With Traditional Themes for CMT
Helping viewers connect the country spirit with their own lifestyle.
NEW YORK February, 2006 - Building upon their well-received work for Viacom's Country Music Television (CMT) in 2005, design-based production company Eyeball and music company Expansion Team have continued their foray into country-music culture, creating a new package of ID's for the Nashville-based network.
Shooting on location in the vast expanses of Colorado, where the spirit of country music seeps from the environment, the new spots build upon the authentic yet fresh quality of the previous CMT ID package, which highlighted the individuality of various country musicians. "We used a similar idea, but rather than showing the personalities literally, we were interested in delving deeper into the influences and inspirations of each character," said Carlo Vega, who, along with Adam Gault, directed the spots.
Each ID is a mixed-media collage in motion, melding the likes of grandma's paisley wallpaper with checkered tablecloth and weathered wood planks. Other iconic symbols - from big, brassy belt buckles to a deck of playing cards - are seamlessly integrated throughout the different spots using 3D effects and creative camera moves.
"Often with graphic ID's, you find yourself having to get the viewer to familiarize themselves with the visual elements, which can take up a lot of animation time," said Limore Shur, creative director at Eyeball. "I think that the elements we chose allowed the stories to begin sooner, which helps viewers connect the country spirit with their own lifestyle."
But these spots were for a music network and had to be more than just visual feasts. To this end, Expansion Team's Alex Moulton guided the aural side of the collaboration. Armed with a mandate to maintain the style and feeling from the previous year's spots, he again enlisted
Bill Doss, of Athens, Georgia, who had contributed his talents to the previous CMT package. Using as inspiration the stories Eyeball had created, Doss and his band, The Sunshine Fix, created multiple "jam" tracks that Moulton then edited and enhanced to match the mood of each ID. This required some creative production, as maintaining a recognizable and authentic vibe takes more than just playing in a certain style. "We didn't want anything to sound like it came from a modern studio," said Moulton, "so a lot of the music was recorded using a single vintage Neumann microphone, with the band situated around it."
With the rough tracks in place, designers animated to Expansion Team's rhythms and melodies. Finally, sound design was added, articulating the graphic movement and live-action footage with the music. The result is an ID package that meshes Americana and the soul of country music with a stylish and vibrant aesthetic, reinforcing the die-hard-fan's love and enticing new viewers to take a second look.
"We knew we could expect great things from Eyeball and Expansion Team," said Michael Engleman, CMT's Director of Broadcast. "They retained the natural aesthetic that we appreciated so much and stayed true to the music, while continuing to push the boundaries. We couldn't be happier with the results."
