Hooligan recently cut an interactive Web documentary about A BOY AND HIS ATOM, the worlds smallest stop-motion film (Guinness World Record). Conceived by agency Ogilvy & Mather, a team of four IBM scientists animated the groundbreaking film exclusively with manipulated atoms. A BOY AND HIS ATOM (:60) and the accompanying films debuted online on May 1st.
Led by editor Peter Mostert, Hooligan collaborated closely with Ogilvy & Mather and production company 1st Avenue Machine to document the unprecedented feat of art and science. IBM researchers previously made history in 1990 by moving individual atoms; the scientific-first was famously illustrated by rendering the company logo with 35 xenon atoms. Decades later, IBM has taken its atomic prowess to new heights. Using a scanning tunneling microscope that magnifies atoms over 100 million times, company scientists laboriously moved 5,000 atoms on a coin-sized copper plate to create the animation frames for the film.
A Boy And His Atom
Embed: http://www.youtube.com/embed/oSCX78-8-q0
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Behind the Scenes:
Embed: http://www.youtube.com/embed/xA4QWwaweWA
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We wanted to take people inside the lab and show them how the world's smallest movie was actually made, says Niels West, associate creative director, Ogilvy & Mather. When you meet the scientists and learn more about the project, you start to get as excited as they are about the atomic-scale world they work in.
The five-minute behind-the-scenes film edited by Mostert puts IBM's animated story in the context of real-world applications: moving and manipulating atoms to explore the limits of data storage. For example, current magnetic storage devices require a million atoms; IBM researchers have discovered that 12 atoms are sufficient.
10 ATOMIC SHORTS comprise the interactive portions embedded in the film, directing viewers to more in-depth video explanations about the related scientific laws and technology.
This was by far the most unique and interesting branded projects I've edited, remarks Peter Mostert, senior editor, Hooligan. It is not your typical behind-the-scenes film. In fact, it is as much an educational film. A primary reason IBM created this campaign was to inspire an interest in science, so our narrative focused on making their scientific discoveries palpable to the general public.
Provided with the final animated film, interviews and lab tours from onsite shoots at the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, CA, Mostert initially assembled a 15-minute cut for the agency. The two parties then distilled the film to five minutes using transcripts to key in on the important points that the scientists sought to express.
It was a long and challenging process in the beginning, Mostert recalls. Albeit fascinating, the subject was something I knew nothing about so there was a learning curve starting out. I culled through reams of footage for the first cut, selecting down and whittling them into a logical sequence. Once we fleshed out the story, I added b-roll to seamlessly blend the edits and dialogue together.
The branded film project also included two trailers (:30 & :15), as well as a video diary series chronicling the experiences and challenges the team of scientists faced making the film all in all, 25 pieces.
Working on this project, I became fascinated with the scientists, Mostert concludes. Whether you're a science buff or not, you can't help but fall in love with the characters as they passionately discuss their occupation. These scientists are true artists in their own right poetic in the way they view the world.
Client: IBM
Agency: Ogilvy & Mather North America
Chief Creative Officer: Steve Simpson
Executive Creative Director: Susan Westre
GCD/Art Director: Mike Hahn
GCD/Copywriter: Ryan Blank
Associate Creative Director: Niels West
Associate Creative Director: Ricardo Leme Lopes
Copywriter: Niels West
Copywriter: Lauren Costa
Art Director: Ramona Todoca
Art Director: Ricardo Leme Lopes
Executive Producer: Lee Weiss
Partner/Producer: Alicia Zuluaga
ACCOUNT:
Senior Partner/Executive Group Director: Kimberly Duffy
Global Management Supervisor: Nicole Vilalte
Account Supervisor: Kaitlin Giannetti
Assistant Account Executive: Carin Pinto
Production Company: 1st Ave Machine
Director: Nico Casavecchia
Executive Producer: Sam Penfield
Line Producer: Leanne Amos
Post Producer: Michelle Seidenfrau
Lead 3D: Beau Burrows
Editorial Company: Hooligan NYC
Editor: Peter Mostert
Producer: Lauren Basile
Assistant Editor: Stephanie Crane
Graphics: Lisa Kwon
About Hooligan
We are an artist-run coalition of award-winning editorial, graphic design and director talent. We launched in 2011, rallying some of the industry's top editorial boutiques under one roof. Located at NYC's Union Square, our stomping grounds are in the heart of the creative advertising world. Built around exceptional talent and experience, our manifesto is based on clean, old-fashioned loyalty to our clients. From Madison Ave. to Park City, we've garnered a trophy case full of Addy, AICP, Gold Lion, AICE, Loerie, MTV VMA and Sundance honors, among countless others. As Hooligan, you'd guess we stole it all, but the fact is we earned it by knowing what it takes to make our client's creative vision work. Call us fanatics, zealots, hell, call us Hooligan because, plain and simple, we fight for you. http://www.hooligannyc.com
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Hooligan recently cut an interactive Web documentary about A BOY AND HIS ATOM, the worlds smallest stop-motion film (Guinness World Record). Conceived by agency Ogilvy & Mather, a team of four IBM scientists animated the groundbreaking film exclusively with manipulated atoms. A BOY AND HIS ATOM (:60) and the accompanying films debuted online on May 1st. 
