twofifteenmccann Unveils Trailer for ‘The Un-Filmable Game’

Instead of making a live action trailer for Insomniac Games’ Sunset Drive for Xbox, twofifteenmccann created a fictional behind-the-scenes take on an attempt to film a trailer for “The Un-Filmable Game.”

The “Rules are Meant to be Exploded” marketing campaign for the title began all the way back in June, including a giant, interactive balloon of character Fizzie at E3. Fizzie is around for this effort, repeating a profanity-laced line at the end of the spot (visitors are asked to enter their date of birth before viewing). The ad promotes the game as too intense for a live action trailer (which has become something of the default for big game releases) as it parodies an attempt to make one for the game in which everything goes wrong, off-screen. It’s kind of a clever approach, and even finds a unique way to incorporate gameplay footage, but, unfortunately, it’s just too long for its own good, with the full-length online version clocking in at almost four and a half minutes. A 2:30 version will air tomorrow on Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken, and the integrated campaign will continue through the game’s October 28th release and beyond. (more…)

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twofifteenmccann Invites You to ‘Leave Your Limits’ for Forza Horizon 2

twofifteenmccann has released a live action trailer for Xbox One open-world racing game Forza Horizon 2.

Like a lot of live action trailers for games, the 90-second spot attempts to capture the feeling and excitement of the title in a live action format that captures viewers attention. “Leave Your Limits” opens with a nostalgic look at an electric slot car track. When one of the cars breaks through a wall rather than sticking to the track, the film shifts focus to cars speeding down a highway. The remainder of the spot uses racing footage of cars both on and off road, emphasizing the aspect that makes the game unique, the freedom its open world affords players.

“Leave Your Limits” finds a playful way to promote the game which should have fans ready for the September 30th launch while also piquing the curiosity of casual viewers. Appropriately enough, the spot is set to the song “Prisencolinensinainciusol” by Adriano Celentano, which is sung entirely in gibberish.

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Xbox, twofifteenmccann Fly Interactive Fizzie Balloon at E3

Fizzie, a character in the upcoming game Sunset Overdrive from developer Insomniac Games, made an appearance at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in the form of a large, interactive balloon flying in the lobby at the Los Angeles Convention Center from June 10th – June 12th.

Brought to life by Xbox and twofifteenmccann, Fizzie takes questions from the E3 crowd, offering up invariably sarcastic answers. In Sunset Overdrive, Fizzie “is a talking balloon that hovers over Sunset City and is the cheery face of the Fizzco Corporation while acting as the perfect corporate shill.” So what better place for Fizzie to make an appearance than the largest trade show in the video game industry, rife with event marketers attempting to woo customers and media alike. If you’re not lucky enough to make it to E3 this year, you can still keep up with Fizzie’s antics on Twitter via the hashtag #FizzieSays. For footage of Fizzie in action, check out the video above, and stick around after the jump for credits. continued…

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Check Out Twofifteenmccann’s Cinematic Campaign for Xbox One Exclusive ‘Ryse: Son of Rome’

Ryse: Son of Rome “Path of Vengeance” from H.K. McCANN on Vimeo.

Twofifteenmccann’s new campaign for Xbox One exclusive “Ryse: Son of Rome” is cinematic in approach and scope.

At the heart of the campaign is the 60 second TV spot “Path of Vengeance” (featured above) which sees the game’s protagonist, Marius, “fight his way from the wilds of the Roman frontier in Brittania, across the Coliseum floor and into the Imperial Palace itself.” In one of the spot’s more interesting touches, the action is accompanied by whispers from Roman citizens spreading his legend. Twofifteen wanted to represent how in ancient Rome “deeds of epic heroism were quickly spread by word of mouth, and the story changed based on who was doing the telling,” which they mimicked with the differing accounts of Marius in the spot. It’s a nice, immersive little detail that’s telling of the overall approach to the campaign.

In addition to the TV spot, Twofifteenmccann, in conjunction with production company Smuggler, created a web series featured on Machinima. Entitled “The Fall,” the series features four, five-minute mini-epics detailing Marius’ backstory, history and motives. The agency claims that each installment is a “mini epic film unto itself.” While that may be overstating a point, this is a very large-scale approach to market the game, and “The Fall” is a solid accomplishment in its own right. It also succeeds quite well at making the game look badass, with what appears to be a pretty compelling story. You can check out the first installment of “The Fall” after the break, along with campaign credits.  continued…

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