THE DIGITAL DIVIDE.(Product Information)

A train company crosses a chasm that separates two diverse worlds

Bridging the gap between the traditional world and the technology-driven cyber world can be difficult even for an industry veteran. Using computer graphics, Rhythm & Hues Studios made such a move appear effortless for railway company Norfolk Southern.

In a 30-second commercial identity spot called "Chasm" for Hollywood production company Sunspots, Rhythm & Hues created a 3D universe in which a CG Norfolk Southern train roars out of a brick and mortar-style city as its cyber counterpart launches from a virtual skyline. As each train crosses the deep gorge dividing the two diverse worlds, they form a metaphorical bridge linking the separate cities.

Nearly every element within the commercial is computer-generated, with the exception of composited live-action people and a few nearby props. In fact, the spot recently received two first-place international MOBIUS advertising awards in the computer animation and corporate identity categories.

"The advertising agency wanted to illustrate that its client Norfolk Southern was a vital part of digital commerce in the new millennium even as it continues to service traditional rail customers," explains John-Mark Austin, CG director for Rhythm & Hues' Black Box specialized production group. "The agency wanted something visually exciting and inspiring, with a larger scope than you usually find in commercials--not necessarily photoreal, but hyper-real."

According to digital artist Mike Johnson, the group incorporated design elements common to American cities into the traditional world. He describes it as "a blend of styles and eras emphasizing art deco and Manhattan of the '30s and '40s."

For the digital world on the other side of the gorge, Sunspot's director David Dryer looked to Frank Gehry's Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Spain, as a reference for that world's flowing, curvaceous forms. "Stylistically, the cyber world has a more unified appearance than the traditional world" says Johnson. "The area has a glass and steel look that's filled with digital numbers--mathematical formulas, symbols, and graph patterns."