You think your tennis game’s a little rusty? You’ve got nothing on the star of our new spot for Aleve and BBDO Toronto. In a spot that mixes live-action with photoreal VFX, we tell the story of a man suffering from arthritis as he attempts to play a game of tennis. Looking and feeling like the Tin Man, he struggles with even the simplest swings until he takes an Aleve, at which point the suit of armor dynamically shatters away, leaving him strong and nimble again. Director Richard Hickey worked with a costume designer to build the practical metal suit the actor wears, giving an unmistakable sense of authenticity to the performance. The minimal tennis court set adds to the humor and charm of this surreal concept, while keeping it grounded in the reality of the man’s condition. In post, our CG team then seamlessly rebuilt the suit only to explode it in all of its rusted metal glory. Replicating long lens high-speed photography, we made the particles explode outward with a weight and impact that matches the heavy substance. So next time you pick up a tennis racket, just remember… it could be worse!