Perfectly matched and crystal-clear cgi effects and an original musical track from 42 members of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra combine to create a sense of magic in a seamless commercial pool produced for the Chrysler ns minivan.

Produced by Jet Films and directed by John Mastromonaco for agency bcp, the pool of three spots features in-studio blue-screen film sequences of children playing in open spaces composited with computer-generated bubbles, marbles and airplanes. The cgi elements point to the van’s design overhaul and were produced by Hybride Technologies.

In ‘Avion,’ the van’s increased visibility is highlighted as the kids watch in amusement while a squadron of paper airplanes darts toward the front of the van. The planes’ reflection is mapped onto the vehicle, and a miniaturized representation of the two kids who seem about five inches high playfully running across the van’s dash.

As a single rebel plane zips away and enters the van, one of the kids jumps up to capture it.

In another spot, the children play under an open, endless Prairie sort of sky when live-action/cgi-generated bubbles (with the kids neatly reflected on their surfaces) enter the frame dispersed in a manner which highlights the model’s 22 air vents and 200 major design modifications.

‘cgi goes beyond the physical limitations of live-action photography. With the help of a computer, the sky is the limit, your imagination is the limit,’ says Sylvain Archambault, who produced the seven-day Cite du Cinema shoot for Jet.

Archambault says it’s the seamlessness and lack of obvious technique that creates the magic.

‘We did all kinds of tests over two full months to achieve perfect translucency and the environmental match. We’re proving again Montreal is a leader in cgi. (The production) has an international feel and (it) certainly was not done with an international budget. We have the technology and people to do it. Before the agencies were afraid because of a lack of experience in this (cgi and compositing) domain and would want to go to l.a. or New York,’ he says.

Hybride credits go to Philippe Theroux for the 3D animation, Michel Gervais for the Flame editing and Pierre Raymond, who supervised.

Jet’s crew included sound and music designer Sylvain Jacob, l.a.-based dop Gary Waller and art director Guy Beauchemin.

bcp credits go to copywriter Pierre Jacob, art director Gilles du Sablon and producer Anne-Marie Piran.

Recent spot production at Jet includes a Chrysler Dodge Ram truck commercial shot for bcp by director Michel David and dop Steve Danyluk and featuring Montreal Canadiens new head coach, Mario Tremblay, a Pacini Restaurants spot for agency LG2 from French director Louis Pascal Couvelaire, and a Watson underwear commercial out of agency Taxi, l’agence, also directed by Couvelaire. LRB