The GEICO gecko stood in front of a well in a market area.

May I Have Your Attention

Framestore Pictures Director Chris Waitt and Framestore Creative Director Andy Rowan-Robinson flex their creative humor for GEICO to mark the launch of Marvel’s new film, Eternals. In ‘May I Have Your Attention,’ the Gecko leaps back in time to Ancient Babylon where the immortal alien race are silently guiding humans throughout history, imagining what it might have been like if he himself was one of the Eternals. Addressing a captive, if not bemused, audience of townspeople, he explains the benefits of saving money on vehicle insurance (perhaps just a little ahead of his time).

Animation
Effects Simulation
Animation Supervisor
Visual Effects Supervisor
Direction
Characters
back shot of animated gecko character, geico mascot standing in front of a well in a desert city

The goal of the project was to place the Gecko in a historical setting, both as something fresh for the brand, but also as a way of connecting with the Marvel film which spans across various historical periods. 

Alongside The Martin Agency, Chris and Andy were tasked with overseeing the project from start to finish. Bringing a cinematic level of production design, the scene was directly influenced by the film, carefully mimicking backdrops, props and costumes.

The Framestore VFX team based in New York worked their magic on the animation of the Gecko, light rendering, compositing and a final color grade by Steffan Perry in London. The Babylonian environment shots also called for set extensions with digital matte painting, including rebuilding the historical Ishtar Gate as referenced in the Eternals film, while the first and last shots were created completely in CG.

back shot of animated geico mascot watching a the marvel eternals film on a geico laptop
back shot of geico mascot talking to a group of people in a desert city

“This project was such a great opportunity for me to lean into my comedic directorial background while reimagining the iconic character of the Gecko in a historical setting,” said Waitt. “Working closely with the talented creatives at The Martin Agency on animatics, castings and edits, we were able to achieve a cinematic look and feel in line with the film.”

Credits

Agency
The Martin Agency
Production
Framestore Pictures
Director
Chris Waitt
Director of Photography
Eric Treml
Managing Director
Jennifer Siegel
Head of Production
Anne Vega
VFX
Framestore
Creative Director
Compositing Lead
Karch Coon
CG Lead
Romain Faure
Animation Lead
Will Frazier
Animator
Kevin Rooney
Compositor
Jasen Aziz
Digital Matte Painter
Ben Wallant
Senior Producer
Sue McNamara
Colourist
Steffan Perry
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