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Just Happy Animation

 

Just Happy Inc. Executive Producer Robert Caruso began his animation career while working as a Director at Industrial Light & Magic. His first animation assignment teamed him with ILM’s academy award winning artists to inhabit Will Smith’s MTV Award-winning music video “Men In Black” with a dancing alien from Barry Sonnenfeld’s blockbuster motion picture. Following this early success, Robert has been fortunate to direct scores of animation assignments for clients’ Universal Studios, Columbia Pictures, Kraft, Reese’s, Proctor & Gamble, Sony, Sun Microsystems and Clorox. His animation work has garnered multiple honors including a Clio, a London International Advertising Award and an Anicom Animation Award.

Just Happy Inc. offers creative development and a full range of animation services to all our clients with expertise in 3D, CGI character animation, story, character design, performance and process.

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Just Happy Commercials

 

Just Happy Inc. Executive Producer Robert Caruso brings a deep commercial production history and advertising expertise to all JHI projects. As Director and Producer he has helmed over 100+ commercials for new media companies, top-tier advertising agencies and major fortune 500 clients. His commercial work has garnered multiple ad industry honors including a London International Advertising Award, Anicom Animation Award and a Clio. As Director, Robert has partnered with major commercial production houses Industrial Light & Magic, Rhythm & Hues, HKM Films and his former startup, Commotion Pictures. He has been fortunate to direct a range of character animation, visual fx, comedy and kids ad content as well as collaborate with scores of A-List celebrity talent.

Just Happy Inc. offers creative development and complete production services to all our commercial clients.

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Just Happy bits: An NFL Snowstorm In San Francisco

 

Just Happy Inc. (JHI) was once asked by beverage company Sunny Delight to film a winter football game during a lovely San Francisco summer. The hilarious creative sent director Robert Caruso off to mine the iconic NFL Films series for inspiration. Since the 1960’s, NFL Films’ earnest highlights have been a powerful visual history for the entire league. For our “NFL Film” we cast a fictitious expansion team, the Anchorage Otters hailing from the frozen tundra of Alaska.

To stage a convincing Anchorage football practice at Golden Gate Park’s Kezar stadium, JHI collaborated with an amazing production design team including matte painters from Industrial Light & Magic. The result transformed the S.F. landmark and original home of the San Francisco 49ers, into an authentic winterscape complete with falling snow, snowmen, and a custom wood carved Otter mascot.

The snow gags were loads of fun, laying out massive white blankets, dusting the actors with potato flakes, rigging football helmets with icicles and adding a cold breath effect to all of the actors in post production. All of this was married to cinematographer Adam Beckman’s brilliant hand held camera work shot on 16mm film, printed and then transferred to video in the same method used by hundreds of the classic NFL Films. But it was the talented ensemble team of actors, the use of the official NFL Films music score and most of all the dramatic genius of NFL Films voice star, Harry Kalas that made the parody work so well. A JHI favorite.

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Just Happy bits: Working With The MIB Worms

 


During our work at Industrial Light & Magic, JHI was asked to direct a commercial for Sprint that featured the hilarious alien worms from the Barry Sonnenfeld film, Men In Black II.

What made this project a favorite was the extraordinary experience of working with Rick Baker’s brilliant artists at Cinnovation. The memorable motion picture worms were brought to life by an ensemble of skilled puppeteers, animatronic geniuses and mad comedians.

For our commercial, a raised modern set was built inspired by the Bo Welch aesthetic of the two MIB films. For the wide shots, each full body puppet was controlled by two puppeteers working beneath the set. In close up the worms required more articulated movement and for these 4x scale versions were fabricated. These stunning over-scale worms were shot against green then re-sized and composited into the live action set in post. They required a team of 7 puppeteers, some operating large mechanical rods, while others drove eyes, mouth and antennae via a table crowded with RC controllers. The result was an awesome seamless dance of technical coordination and character performance.

But the highlight of this memorable gig was directing this improvisational team of actors. As we played with alternate lines and action, the Cinnovation artists never stopped inventing and adding to the piece, an inspiring experience indeed.

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Just Happy Music Videos

 

Robert Caruso began his film career as owner and Executive Producer of Commotion Pictures where he represented a roster of award winning video directors. This boutique startup began with an empty checkbook and a $17k music video contract for rap legends, Public Enemy. Five years later he and partner Andrew Linsk had built the company into a multi-million dollar business while completing over 50 clips including hit videos for artists such as Green Day, PJ Harvey, John Lee Hooker, Paris, Soundgarden and Mavis Staples.

Robert went on to helm additional videos during his six year directorial stint at Industrial Light & Magic. These projects included 3 Grammy and MTV honored videos for Hollywood superstar, Will Smith, including the multi-platinum hit “Men In Black“. This classic dance clip has been sighted often in countless Top 100 Videos lists and featured an animated dancing alien cast from Barry Sonnenfeld’s blockbuster motion picture.

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Men In Black Music Video, Will Smith

MTV and Billboard Magazine award winning Men In Black music video by Will Smith. Director: Robert Caruso, Producers: Allan Wachs and Shari Hanson, Production Company: Industrial Light & Magic, Record Co: Columbia Records, Choreographer: Stretch, D.P. Steven Ramsey, Production Designer: Peter Hampton, Editor: Bob Jenkis.

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Will Smith “Will 2K” Music Video

Will Smith “Will 2K” Music Video.

A time travel, millennium celebration showcasing dance styles from the 1920′s, 1940′s, 1970′s, 1980′s and beyond. Grammy Award Nomination “Best Short Form Music Video”

Director: Robert Caruso

Producers: Jack Hardwick, Paul Hill

D.P. Bill Pope

Production Designer: J.P. Flack

Choreographer: Fatima Robinson

Wardrobe Stylist: Frank Chevalier

FX Supervisor: George Murphy

FX: Industrial Light & Magic