“New Beginnings” was a test commercial for Colony Wines that the geniuses at the agency eventually rejected in favor of a really crass comparison ad. At the time (early 80’s), it pushed the state of the art for effects. It was produced before computer effects and nonlinear editing were commonplace, and was created using the hardware Ultimatte and proprietary McQ techniques.

Officially, I was the special effects coordinator and editor, but the fact is that I directed the spot as well. Not only was it a lot of fun, but I won a bet with the incomparable Lawrence Grunberg (DP) over the effect of zooming through an Ultimatte blue glass-painted window! (I also did the wine pour myself.)

Note the black band at screen left during much of the spot. This was the result of pushing the technology of the time, and fortunately, didn’t show on an overscanned monitor. Alas, since it never went to air, it didn’t matter in the long run.

       Lon McQuillin