Air New Zealand has connected the latest in-flight safety video with the Rugby World Cup in “Men in Black Safety Defenders”, a nod to the Sony Pictures film series. The video, launched in August 2015, features All Blacks captain Richie McCaw and Dan Carter as Men in Black agents, team mates Kieran Read, Keven Mealamu, Sam Whitelock and Israel Dagg, coach Steve Hansen and Kiwi musician Stan Walker. Cameo appearances include American actor Rip Torn as chief of the Men in Black with Wallabies great David Campese, former England captain Martin Johnson and former Pumas captain Agustin Pichot.
Men In Black Concept
Says Emmanuelle Borde, executive vice president, Sony Pictures Entertainment: “The creative concept and the parallels drawn between the All Blacks and the Men in Black are really clever. It’s been exciting to help Air New Zealand bring the Men in Black universe to life in this unique way.”
Air New Zealand head of global brand development Jodi Williams says the airline is crazy about rugby making the All Blacks the perfect partner for its latest safety offering.
Says Williams: “We recently extended our sponsorship of the All Blacks and New Zealand Rugby through until 2020 and thought what better way to celebrate than with a safety video.
“We’ve worked with the All Blacks on previous safety videos and thought it would be fun this time around to have them step into the shoes of the other highly trained Men in Black. The result is not only entertaining but makes people sit up and take notice of the key safety messages.”
Men In Black Credits
The Air New Zealand Men in Black campaign was developed at True, Auckland, by executive creative director Craig Pethybridge, deputy creative director Dom Antelme, art director Ian Sweeney, agency producer Jozsef Fityus, and group account director Helen Prangley.
Filming was shot by director Campbell Hooper via The Sweet Shop with producer Andy Mauger, executive producer Fiona King, director of photography Andrew Stroud, production designer Rick Kofoed, and editor Damien Shatford.
This video was created in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Content Licensing group, Sony Pictures Imageworks and Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Archives & Collections.
Post production and visual effects were produced at Beryl, Auckland by VFX supervisor and artist Mat Ellin, VFX executive producer and artist Andy Timms, VFX artists Stuart Bedford, Quade Biddle, Leon Woods, Hannah Walker, James Cordon, 3D artists Matt Pitt and Suraj Nayak, colourist Dave Gibson, graphic artist Sam Knight, producer Hannah Walker and production support Grace Taylor.
Sound and music were mixed at Liquid Studios, with music licensed via Sony.