Client
Vera Bradley
Vera on Ice
Holiday commercials aren't typically produced in December. By then it's often too late. So when Vera Bradley asked us to create a spot featuring ice skaters outdoors, the biggest hurdle was finding the ice...in October.
The Ice
We found the solution at an elevation of 5,750 feet at the Sun Valley Resort in Idaho. This resort features a refrigerated ice rink open year-round and a US Figure Skating affiliated club. With perfect timing, the first snow of the season arrived the night before the shoot, and added a magical touch to our set design.
Filming during the blue hour provided a beautiful palette, and with a bit of post-production magic, we transformed our footage into a gorgeous night skate.
The Skaters
While we've choreographed with dancers before, this was our first experience with ice skaters. We quickly learned that directing ice skaters is akin to directing an airshow. They need plenty of space to gain speed, and all the action must occur within the relatively small frame of our camera. Our skaters demonstrated impeccable timing and consistency, take after take.
The Music
Music was crucial—we needed a great tune that was fun and familiar, but not too familiar. We envisioned a jazz-influenced take on a piece from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite and entrusted John Sneider at Store Front Music to bring it to life. He masterfully produced and composed our soundtrack, adding the final magical touch to our production.