Method’s Subtle VFX Help Oscar the Grouch Shine in New Squarespace Spot
Squarespace’s new spot “A Cautionary Tale” follows lovable muppet Oscar the Grouch on a whirlwind journey as he rises to international fame. Oscar is suddenly thrust into the spotlight after a passerby views his garbage heap as art, and uses Squarespace to create a website that will share his “trash art” with the world. Method worked directly with the brand and director Jim Jenkins of O Positive to help Oscar truly shine through subtle VFX and finishing across the 2:30 longform spot and various cut downs.
Led by VFX Supervisor Doug Luka and Senior Flame Artist Stephen Morris, Method’s key tasks included crowd work for the on-stage interview and museum shots, and removing any glimpses of Oscar’s longtime Jim Henson Studios puppeteer. Jenkins shot about a dozen crowd plates on green screen, which the Method team composited together to enhance the final spot with a true fan frenzy. Method artists additionally removed the puppeteer from over 30 shots, digitally painting in the spaces behind him to fill the background.
Morris shared, “Anytime you get to work with Sesame Street characters or puppeteers of the caliber of Jim Henson Studios, it’s really special and brings you back to your youth. Sesame Street was a big part of my childhood as well as my colleagues’, and even watching the same shots over and over, it felt like a thrill every time. This whole project was a true pleasure and we’re glad to have had the chance to contribute a bit of magic to it.”
Method Studios is a global content creation studio known for photorealistic product development and seamless VFX. Method works alongside creatives and teams on brand work, advertising, live-event films and real-time productions.
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