MPC works directly with Adidas on powerful new campaign 'Futurecraft Loop' featuring Willow Smith

When Adidas wanted to showcase their new 100% recyclable shoes at their launch event, they needed a film to demonstrate the powerful and relevant message behind the campaign. MPC – working directly with the Adidas team – handled the VFX, finishing and grade for the film which consists of a series of fast moving vignettes operating in a continuous ‘loop’.

The film, which is directed by Maniac Films’ John Pina and features Willow Smith, shows that the recyclable product is more than just a shoe – it offers a tangible way to participate in change and a new way of thinking, inspiring people to take a ‘pay it forward’ attitude and look after the environment. MPC’s Creative Director Alvin Cruz said, “It’s always great to work with Adidas, and it's even more exciting to be a part of supporting their efforts towards a greener planet.”

The team at MPC worked on almost every shot of the film, seamlessly intertwining footage taken from different sources, cameras and cities, as well as creating set extensions and CG background replacements. “This was a big team effort between color, conform, and VFX. The projects saw us collaborate between multiple time zones and working in 4K and even 5K resolution. Pulling this off was a tremendous accomplishment in creativity, effort and planning, and it could not have happened without everyone bringing their best to the table,” said MPC’s 2D Lead Bilali Mack, adding, “We love the film and what it stands for and are proud to have been given the opportunity to collaborate with the Adidas team on project that we firmly believe in.”

MPC’s James Tillett graded the film, creating a consistent tone across the film. “The grade helped to subtly match the elements in the frame from scene-to-scene to elevate the sense of progression and continuity. It also helped highlight the different times of day and enhance each location and scenario, for example, separating Willow’s scenes from the runner scenes without making them feel like completely different films,” James explained. He added, “There was also a considerable variety of camera formats used in the film including Alexa, Red, DSLR and drone footage, so it was important that these were integrated seamlessly together.”

In addition to the online films, the MPC team also worked on the version which was adapted for the launch event. A total of ten 90-second 4K films had to be perfectly timed and mapped in order for them to seamlessly move from one projection screen to the next. “Teamwork was extremely important in pulling off such a huge campaign with so many moving parts,” commented Alvin.

This latest campaign marks a continued partnership with Adidas – we have worked with them on previous projects such as ‘Deerupt’ and ‘Creators’.