Secret Frequency Lays Down Track for Cricket’s New Nationwide Coverage

May 12, 2010 - PRLog -- Chicago – A new animated Cricket TV ad--“Do the Math”--from Element 79 Partners features the green “K” from Cricket--who dances excitedly about the new nationwide coverage that’s being offered by Cricket. The agency creatives (Chris Laubach, Adam Samara, Jess Hanebury and Michael Gabriele) wanted Secret Frequency to create a sound track that had tightly integrated sound design and music, which would convey the enthusiasm of the K.

“We love to work on animation and motion graphics projects.  They require a lot of imagination since there is no sync sound and the animation itself is inherently imaginative and not literal.  In ‘Do The Math,’ I wanted to create a stretchy sound for the K that wasn’t irritatingly squeaky,” says Jeff Van Steen—founder and president of Secret Frequency.  Jeff experimented with balloons until he arrived at some great stretchy sounds and then recorded them into Pro Tools.  Jeff further manipulated those sounds with various audio plug-ins to make them “more stretchy than balloony.”

The music combines a driving rhythm section made up of piano, bass and drums with horn accents.  “Jeff and I wanted to compose a track that expressed the confidence and excitement of the K,” says Harry Burgan—composer at Secret Frequency.  Jeff and Harry composed the sound design and music simultaneously.  “Working on both parts of the sound track at the same time enables us to maintain an appropriate balance between sound design and music.  Working this way prevents the sound design and musical composition from becoming overproduced.  Typically we like the sound design and music to be featured in alternating and complimentary moments within the spot,” adds Jeff.  Jeff also likes to manipulate the pitch of the sound design elements such that they are in harmony with the music.


Credits:

Advertiser:  Cricket Communications
Product:  Cricket Wireless
Agency:  Element 79 Partners
Creative Director:  Chris Laubach
Copywriter:  Adam Samara
Art Director:  Jess Hanebury
Producer:  Michael Gabriele
Animation Company:  Daily Planet  
Lead Animator:  Jon Alder

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Secret Frequency was founded in 1994 by Jeff Van Steen. We specialize in the integration of sound design and original music--sound • music • design—and our canvas has expanded from creative stereo to creative 5.1 surround sound.