Xbox - Rendezvous with Death in Gears of War - (2008) :60 (USA)

From director Joseph Kosinski of Anonymous Content, T.A.G. SF, and Venice-based Digital Domain comes Rendezvous, the new trailer for the Xbox 360 blockbuster game, Gears of War 2. Looks like XBox is aiming for a second shot at the Grand Prix’s of all ad award shows. ;)

The narration is an adapted version of the famous poem of the same name by Alan Seeger (1888-1916), a Harvard educated American who joined the French Foreign Legion in 1914 and fought for the Allies during WWI. He was killed in action by machine-gun fire while heroically cheering on his fellow soldiers in the successful assault of Belloy-en-Santerre during the Battle of the Somme.

The Delta Squad are back. Open on soldier Marcus Felix dragging the body of an enemy Locust - a reference to the opening scene of the French movie "Nikita" perhaps? Fellow soldier and best friend Dominic Santiago lays on the floor struggling for survival. Marcus hands Dominic his weapon and continues on his quest for a "Rendezvous with death".

Client: Microsoft Xbox
Spots Title: Rendezvous
Air Date: July 2008

Agency: T.A.G. SF and McCann Worldgroup SF
CD(s): Scott Duchon, Geoff Edwards, John Patroulis
Art Director: Nate Able
Copywriter: Mat Bunnell
Sr. Producer: Vince Genovese

Prod Company: Anonymous Content
Director: Joseph Kosinski
EP: Jeff Baron
EP/Head of Commercials: Dave Morrisoan
Head of Production: Sue Ellen Clair
Producer: Julien Lemaitre

Post/Effects/Editorial: Digital Domain
President, Commercial Division: Ed Ulbrich
VFX Supervisor: Vernon Wilbert
CG Supervisor: Peter Plevritis
EP: Karen Anderson
VFX Producer: Melanie LaRue
Digital Production Manager: Chris House

Music: Trans Am
Song: Diabolical Cracker

Audio Post: Lime/LA
Mixer: Rohan Young
Asst Engineer: Joel Walters
EP: Jessica Locke