CHARLEX, a visual effects post-production house, helped the National
Football League thank their fans with a 60-second spot aired during
American football's biggest game, the Super Bowl. Headed by Alex Weil,
Charlex founder and director, the Charlex artists used a mix of film,
digital effects, graphics and editing to create the look of the "Thank You
2000" spot. The commercial begins on a shadowy checkerboard. Suddenly light
floods into the room as a uniformed football player makes his way to an old
projector. George and Ira Gershwin's "Someone To Watch Over Me" plays over
the scratchy highlight footage of football fans filmed over the last
four-and-a-half decades. "We were trying to capture that special, nostalgic
magic that's been particular to pro football all these years," says Weil.
"We were after a sort of CINEMA PARADISO feel. Between all the great
football moments where the players are glorified, amidst all those scenes
that we've grown accustomed to, we wanted to show the fans."
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
