Spotlight Goldtooth and the CG goodness

Pictured above, left to right: Kody Sabourin, Tyler Weiss, and a sweet-ass hyena.

We worked with fellow local creative agency Goldtooth on our CD package design for the band Splitting Adam, which got nominated for a Grammy. It involved taking 360˚ photos of all five band members and merging them into a single composite character. Then Goldtooth built a 3D animation that morphed the character from a lamb to an ape (it all makes sense in real life, trust us). Then the animation got turned into a hologram that sits in the package on a sliding panel above the CD. Whew.

We didn't win the Grammy. But we made some pretty sweet new friends...

Rethink: Names, titles and job descriptions, friends.

Goldtooth: Kody Sabourin, creative director and president, and Tyler Weiss, audio director and vice president.

Rethink: What, in a nutshell, does Goldtooth do?

Kody: Goldtooth is a creative agency and a full-service production studio. We do the writing, directing, and we shoot or create all the visuals, sound and music for commercials, games and other audio-visual projects. Computer graphics, animation and motion graphics are our primary business-- we're usually creating marketing material for video games.

Rethink: How long have you been in business?

Kody: We've been in business for nearly two years. We'll be having our second annual BBQ in July. You guys should come!

Rethink: We'll think about it. Collectively. As a unit. Stop distracting us.... Favourite recent projects?

Kody: All of our projects have been a blast, but honestly, the most memorable is probably our :30 commercial for NBA Live, which we conceptualized, fully executed and delivered in seven sleepless days. The final commercial featured a CG version of NBA star Dwight Howard walking from the dressing room out to the arena with coloured smoke trailing off him, revealing live-action screens displaying recent basketball play-off footage. We animated Dwight doing a dunk and slamming into a 3D version of the video game cover. We also wrote the song that plays under Mos Def's voiceover in the spot.

Tyler: That's right-- Mos Def. We are that cool.

Kody: Who is this guy?

Rethink: Speaking of big shots... Tyler, what was it like going to the Grammys?

Tyler: Ha! It was definitely a great experience and I'm happy to have had it. Although memories are slightly foggy and some pictures had to be destroyed, I think our friendships with Rethink and Clinton Hussey (the photographer on the project) have gotten stronger.

Rethink: Any other recent accolades?

Tyler: We had a chance to work on the holographic effects for the film District 9 this past summer. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, including best visual effects. Congratulations to Vancouver industry friends Image Engine and The Embassy for their amazing VFX work on the film.

Rethink: Upcoming work we should watch for?

Tyler: Goldtooth will have something epic for E3 (a massive video game convention in L.A.) this year. And keep your eyes out for the next Deus Ex instalment. Kody and our team have been working hard and we are excited to show it off.

Also... Look out for a huge budget project involving Rethink and Goldtooth that will put both companies on the global map and create two financial superpowers.

Rethink: Nice. What other projects would you like to work on?

Tyler: I'd like to work on going to sleep at a normal time. I would also like to work on having normal human relationships.

Kody: More "me time" for silent writing, and breathing.

If you'd like to work with Goldtooth or talk about breathing, contact them via their website at www.goldtoothcreative.com.

If you've worked with Rethink and would like to be considered for Spotlight, contact lian..@rethinkcanada.com.