Digital production studio Digital Domain was tapped by RSA director Carl Erik Rinsch to help Dodge envision what the future holds for those who love to drive. Via ad agency Wieden + Kennedy Portland, the cinematic :60 spot "The Future of Driving" imagines a sci-fi universe where humans allow robots to brush our teeth and walk our dogs -- but refuse to hand over the keys to our cars. Digital Domain created this futuristic world, including its technologies, machines and cityscapes. The spot premiered online in mid-April.
"The Future of Driving" posits a frightening future in which the increasing reliance on technology has resulted in a human race devoid of independence -- where machines groom, feed and dress us. Anime-style smiling faces and the polite, ingratiating voice of technology appears in every digital screen and machine. One god-given right mankind refuses to relinquish, however, is the right to drive.
Digital Domain handled all the visual effects, 2D and 3D animation and motion graphics, including the design of all the holograms and fantasy user and gestural interfaces that populate this futuristic world. VFX Supervisor Jay Barton led the Digital Domain team, working closely with longtime Digital Domain collaborator Rinsch to design the look, color, tone and feel of the 'face' of technology and ensure its consistent implementation throughout this future world.
"It's always great teaming up with Carl because he has such a unique and distinct vision," said Barton. "This Dodge spot feels like an epic feature film experience -- it's darkly funny and within the first 30 seconds, we hope the viewer is already sick of seeing this saccharine digital mien beaming from every corner of the world. This enables the defiant act at the end to feel like rallying cry the viewer can relates to."