September 29, 2009

Vh1 Launches ‘The T.O. Show’ Campaign With Sound Design From Nutmeg Audio Post

NEW YORK, NY -- Go for two: VH1 needed both intensity and space in the :30 promo for their highly anticipated new program “The T.O. Show.” They called on Nutmeg Audio Post (www.nutmegaudiopost.com) for a standout sound design that would show why the multidimensional athlete Terrell Owens (T.O.) was a star worth watching.

Nutmeg Senior Audio Engineer Mike Vitacco collaborated closely with VH1 Director/Writer Tyler Greco, starting with an extremely productive pre-production, to craft “T.O.” into an arresting promo. Set in a surreally empty football stadium, Owens plays chess with himself, as the camera continually rotates 360 degrees to show the many scenes of celebrity, solitude and psychological intrigue that are his everyday life.

Vitacco’s sound design draws viewers in deeper by employing subtly unexpected sounds and judicious use of space. “This promo explores the internal struggles and multiple identities we all deal with,” Vitacco explains. “I wanted to accentuate the visual openness of the spot. The empty football field with the lights gives the idea that maybe he’s in front of 80,000 fans, or maybe in his own world.”

Vitacco adds, “I try to give every project its own fingerprint, by employing original, organic sounds that I create, instead of whooshes from a library. The sound of champagne pouring into a glass is actually a modified tape shuttle effect, flashbulbs popping are robot gulps, and my guitar through a Moogerfooger delay is also there -- the result is an alternate reality. But it’s not just what the sound effects are: It’s also the space that we were able to lend to each of them. Nothing is rushed, and nothing is stepping on something else.”


It’s in the Mix:
VH1’s Greco teamed closely with Nutmeg from the beginning, planning the visuals in synch with Vitacco’s sound design concepts and an artfully minimalist hip hop track from composer Eddie Cooper of Explosion Robinson. Jamie Hubbard of Cause & [Effect] ensured the video editorial kept sound and visuals perfectly sharp.

“When we collaborated on the pre-production, I did a read of the script myself so Tyler would know exactly how much time he needed for each camera movement,” says Vitacco, who also oversaw the ISDN record of Owen’s VO, and the subsequent mix. “Advance sound work like that helps him not to rush the visuals, and contributes to a top-notch spot.”

“’T.O’ really started with the sound design and music,” adds Tyler Greco. “Once we conceptualized this stark, surreal stadium setting, the audio became just as important as the camera work. Mike’s work really pushed the spot – when it’s over, viewers really have a sense of what the show is about, who T.O. is, who he isn’t, and that they want to know more.”

“Whenever you work at Nutmeg Audio Post, you know you’re going to get a unique perspective on sound,” Greco continues. “Nothing is cookie-cutter there, because they give you a fresh approach. That’s important, because then you get what we accomplished with ‘T.O.’: a one-of-a-kind spot that stands out from the pack.”

“The T.O. Show” airs every Monday at 10:00 PM EST on VH1.

About Nutmeg Audio Post:
Nutmeg Audio Post is New York City’s comprehensive audio post facility that puts creativity first. Founded in 1979, it is home to an elite staff of mixers and support staff committed to providing world-class audio post production and sound design for HDTV and SDTV, film, radio, online and interactive media. For more information, please visit http://www.nutmegaudiopost.com or call 212-921-8005.


Creative Credits:
Client: VH1
Project: The T.O. Show promo

Agency: Vh1 (In-House)
Director/Writer: Tyler Greco
Vp On-Air Promos: Tony Maxwell
Senior Director On-Air Promos: Adam Wilson
Supervising Producer: Michael Flexner
Line Producer: Amber Harris
Executive Producer: Wendell Wooten
Evp Creative & Consumer Marketing: Nigel Cox-Hagen
Svp Branding & Design: Phil Delbourgo

Audio Post: Nutmeg Audio Post, New York
Mixer/Sound Designer: Mike Vitacco

Music: Explosion Robinson, New York
Creative Director: Stephen Hermann
Composer: Eddie Cooper

Editorial: Cause & [Effect], New York
Editor: Jamie Hubbard

Web Resources:
Click here to watch the VH1/T.O. Show promo:
http://clients.nutmegaudiopost.com/toshow/Vh1_TO_30_WEB.mov

Click here for more info about Nutmeg Audio:
http://www.nutmegaudiopost.com

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