State of Play

Tech Solutions

Virtual Production LED Volume
Real-Time Environment Rendering
In-Camera Visual Effects (ICVFX)
One Set Studio Workflow
Practical Art Department
OSS Camera
Camera
Jib
Unreal Engine Asset Creation

Overview

Saxum’s Creative Director, Mark Steele, approached our team to help produce a 30-second broadcast spot promoting the Oklahoma Lottery as a lifestyle-forward brand. The creative concept relied heavily on seasonal authenticity and visual romance — specifically summer and fall outdoor environments paired with an oversized, cinematic moon. However, production was scheduled for December in Oklahoma, making practical outdoor filming nearly impossible.

Challenge

Weather conditions, dormant landscapes, short daylight hours, and inconsistent skies all conflicted with the desired seasonal look. Additionally, the creative vision called for a romanticized, enlarged moon, a visual element that would have been extremely difficult — if not impossible — to execute convincingly in-camera on location without significant VFX costs and scheduling risk. In short, the creative ambition and the realities of winter production were fundamentally misaligned.

Strategy & Approach

This creative approach allowed the agency key benefits including:

Maintain seasonal continuity, despite a winter shoot, without compromising creative
See final environments live on set, enabling real-time creative decisions
Capture cinematic visuals in-camera, reducing postproduction time and complexities
Keep the production schedule controlled and predictable

Outcomes

What would have required multiple outdoor locations, weather holds, and heavy postproduction was accomplished efficiently in a single controlled environment — without sacrificing creative intent.

“One of the best production days we’ve ever had… A grand slam all around… nothing but progress.”
Mark Steele, Creative Director | Saxum