E3, 5G, CG. Six simple characters, one big idea. With this project, Hornet had the great privilege of creating the intro film for Verizon’s first-ever keynote speech at the world-renowned E3 gaming convention. Verizon wanted an intro film that would both set the tone for the keynote and also pull viewers into the immersive world of gaming. Hornet's in-house Creative Directors Eric Lane and Corey Langelotti responded by co-directing, designing, and bringing to cinematic life the title sequence. Produced over the course of a tight 4-week turnaround, the film offers a grandiose mashup of visceral video-game aesthetics, sculptural CG, and a broadband-esque undercurrent of symbolism.
Conceptually, the film explores the idea of “Versus.” Gaming is about competition after all: The battle versus aliens, versus friends, versus yourself. The design meanwhile is at once refined and elegant yet also atmospheric and dark. The colors throughout are minimal yet maximally effective, with Verizon’s brand colors of red, black, and white the sole inclusions.
“A lot of what we did visually was to simplify the script, funnel everything through Verizon’s branding, boil the key ideas down, and create images that pumped the script full of metaphors. On top of that is a layer of visceral & gritty video-game aesthetics painted in.”
-Eric Lane + Corey Langelotti
There are numerous symbolisms etched in throughout: the video-game controller forged into the rock like Excalibur’s sword, handing over the power to the audience; the Renaissance-like Valkyrie shot to promote more women in gaming; the red light bursting forth to signify 5G’s power. These quick-reads propel the film with a broadband-esque undercurrent.
Technically speaking, there were a number of intriguing “firsts” for Hornet with this project. This was the first job co-directed by our in-house CD’s; the first time working with the fine folks at Berlin’s WOODBLOCK studio to aid in the CG animation; the first time we’ve used Unreal Engine to create real-time 3D. And the fact that all of these new experiences came together in such a condensed time frame was the whirlwind icing on top.
Verizon's live-stream keynote was all about the future of gaming, and Verizon 5G's role in shaping that future. As Verizon Chief Marketing Officer Diego Scotti explains, “The gaming industry is catapulting forward at a pace no one could have anticipated 18 months ago. We estimate that five out of six consumers in the US have played a video game at some point in the past six months.” The 5G network is the innovation that makes all other innovations possible.
