MPC Life Creates Aspirational CG Ostrich For Samsung in New Spot

MPC Life, MPC Advertising’s new character development team has completed Samsung’s new ‘Do What You Can’t’ spot.  The ad directed by MJZ director Matthijs Van Heijningen for Leo Burnett gave MPC the opportunity to create a fully photo-real and anatomically correct ostrich – and give him his own quirky personality.

The ad promotes Samsung’s revolutionary VR technology and hopes to change consumers’ ideas on what is humanly possible via the strapline – “Do What You Can’t.” Opening with a curious ostrich stumbling into a VR headset we see the character begin to dream of achieving the impossible. “We make what can’t be made so you can do what can’t be done,” Samsung proclaims as the ostrich reaches new heights.

A reference shoot involving several real ostriches took place in South Africa before the computer generated counterpart was re-born via MPC London Creative Director Diarmid Harrison Murray and MPC LA Creative Director Michael Gregory and a global team of experts in LA, London, Paris and Bangalore. 

About the project, Gregory said, “It was a wonderful job to be involved in. It really did have it all – a great script starring an engaging character, all beautifully shot and integrated with stunning VFX and Matthijs in the mix.”

Murray added, “This was such an amazing project to have been involved in. It was beautifully directed and such a strong story. You could tell from the beginning that if we got it right, this could be a special film. A photo-real ostrich definitely ranks as one of the toughest CG creatures I've faced, bar none. Their feathers are insanely fluffy and dynamic, and not like any other bird we have created before. We completely upgraded our existing feather system to deal with these challenges. You know you are onto something when we you start freaking yourself out with the realism of your own renders!”