Setting the stage

Most important to the client was generating a sense of anticipation and excitement. As a practical consideration however, the spot had to incorporate a graphic toolkit that ABC would use all season. We began by looking at different environments to place the dancers in, from studios to locations, removing them from their typical environment. Our research encompassed classic western duels, interpretive modern dance, cinematic battle scenes and live concert events. Ultimately, we created a Bigger-Than-TV campaign that promised something bigger from the show for a wider audience. We took the dancers out of the studio and created a duel in the desert. The cinematic and film-trailer-like execution suggested an epic event was coming, further heightened by removing any direct messaging and using only music and sound design. The LED walls were delivered as fully customizable toolkit elements and were versioned to carry footage and messaging throughout the season.