I was gone from @wwe for almost 6 years…but now I’m back.
I realize a lot of the WWE Universe may not know that Matt Cardona isn’t just Zack Ryder with a different name.
Here’s a quick history lesson…
I’M NOT FINISHED…but I am complete…THE COMPLETE!
🎥: @kylecogan
Craned a piano onto a lake.
Bayhem’d a field with practical explosions.
Learned what a scuba grip does.
300M views later on minefields, congrats @faouzia , @johnlegend and the entire crew that worked on this wild one.
[ minefields ]
Directed by Kyle Cogan
Produced by Emma Buerklin
Director of Photography: Justyn Moro
Production Company: SIMIAN.LA
Head of Production: Zack Stauffer
Production Manager: Joshua Rowen-Keren
1st AD: Cody Burdette
2nd AD: Robert Main
1st Assistant Camera: Octavio Estrada
2nd Assistant Camera Day 1: Jen Pawlowski
2nd Assitant Camera Day 2: Amber Lane
Drone Pilot: Mike Yutkin
Aerial Camera Operator: Mila Yutkin
Camera PA: Justin Stacks
Gaffer Day 1: Pierre Habib
Gaffer Day 2: Albert Gonzalez
Best Boy Electric Day 1: Justin Sadler
Best Boy Electric Day 2: Mike Villa
Key Grip Day 1: Pablo Ruff-Berganza
Key Grip Day 2: Gerardo Paz
Best Boy Grip Day 1: Michael Moore
Best Boy Grip Day 2: Angel Villareal
Swing: Marco Gonzalez
Hydrascope Operator Day 1: Steve Miller
M7 Remote Head Tech Day 2: Garrett Dunn
Hydrascope Techs: Adrian Santa Cruz, Jesse Hinojosa Jr.
SFX Coordinator: Scott Harrison
SFX Techs: Dan Fetterly, William Rolick, Shane O'Ragalliag
Production Assistants: Leah Butcher, Jacob Falberg, Olivia Hytha, Linden DeGurian, Manny Liotta, Sara Kulas, Spencer Shipman, Beau Clarke
BTS:Trenton Barboza,Jason Pundt
BTS Edit: Trenton Barboza and Spencer Shipman
Set Medic: Bluedoor, Steph Mock
Location: Alejandro Prado, Rob Frank, Max Stockstad
Rigging Grips: Chris Keli, Victor Barrera, Antonio Saldivar
Trailer Drivers: Mathew Clark, Sergio Vargas, Mike Green, Pedro "Pete" Gomez
Boat Captain: Chris Papajohn
Water Truck: Chip Nissen
FSO: Raymond Padaoan
Faouzia Hair: Josh Liu
Faouzia Makeup: Samia Ouihya
Faouzia Styling: Rachel Haas
Faouzia Management: Tim Jones and Samia Ouihya
JL Grooming: Ron Stephens
JL Makeup: Darcy Gilmore
JL Styling: Dave Thomas, Matteo Pieri
JL Management: Taina Nieves, Whitney Collins
Storyboard artist: Zack Larez
Head of Post Production: Logan Powaski
Edited by Kyle Cogan
Colored by Loren White
VFX Artists: Kyle Cogan, Logan Powaski, Logan Hennessy, Julian Clark, NOA Graphics Studio
Commissioner: Andrew Reid
Mic Brooling was a 1/1.
He just got it. He could tap into that creative muse on command. It was magical.
He could explain a score with a few hand gestures and sound effects, make it click even for someone like me who doesn’t speak music.
Audio was more than a job. It was a religion. He was a sound preacher who connected to that realm of brilliance.
When he was working something out, he’d mumble, but hidden in those mumbles was genius.
I used to sneak voice recordings of Mic so I could listen back and learn. Or try. He always caught me. (Words out. If I think you’re great, I’ve probably secretly recorded you in your element. Sue me. I just want to remember. With how many times my brain’s been bashed in, I need the help.)
One time he let me record him… ok, thats a lie.
I told him the social team needed BTS of our project. Best lie I’ve told. In those VO session clips, you feel it, his passion, his energy. He was a true master. When he was excited, the whole room felt it.
I’d see him in the hallway and he’d say, “Saw the latest cut. This is gonna be fucking cool.” If I wasn’t pumped yet, the fact that Mic liked it made me want to make it better.
First pass was always gold. Even when he’d caveat with “This isn’t 100 percent,” but it was, because he gave 100 to everything.
When you explained your concept, or notes from above butchered the current creative , he’d say, “Oh… that’s gonna take some time.”
And time he gave. He was a giver in every sense. Even if he hated something, he’d try to plus it up and make it the best for you.
Going to his bay, you were stuck for an hour minimum. He’d break down all the ways the spot could go and what would make it great.
Man, I wish I could cut him off one more time saying, “I trust ya Mic, you’re the best, but I gotta go.”
He never made it about himself, and he’d never admit it, but he was a mentor to me.
It’s wild how much someone can impact your life in so little time. I learned decades of knowledge in two short years.
Crossing paths with Mic changed me as a creative.
He made every project better. Every person better. And he made me better.
He was truly the best.
Fuck, I’ll miss him.
@faouzia [ la la la ]
So this first clip was never part of the plan. We had a tight day of multiple setups for two different songs, covering all the social needs for Ms. Faouzia and her team. As we were going up the Atlantic Records elevator, my right hand manz and yin to my yang @loganpowaski mentioned how cool it’d be to shoot the 360 cam in there.
We definitely didn’t have time to add anything to the day, but a good idea is a good idea. Faouzia did one take, no rehearsal, no lights, just a quick five-minute grab to see what we could capture. So glad we did. It ended up being one of the most fun elements we shot that day.
And as you can see in the second scene of this clip, we shot some fun stuff. Dp @pierre.habib captured the fanciest… danciest hands in the biz @abby_chung and @e.m.i.l.y.j.o .
Had a blast whipping up these visuals for Faouzia and her team.
@indycar [ champagne ] DC
CD: @kylecogan
Producer : @meghan_rock
Production Coordinator: @wbantle
Creative PA: @danymedina16
Editor: @tedchalfen
VFX: Shell Blevins
Color: @kbaycolor
Sound: Christopher Fina
Fox Sports President, Marketing: Robert Gottlieb
SVP On Air Promos: Bill Battin
VP marketing: Blake Danforth, Keith Hritz
[ the data revolution ]
Director: @kylecogan
Production Company: @6degreesfilms
Executive Producer: Patrick Koitzsch @patrickkoitzsch
Producer: Luke Gilbert
Arcium Head of Marketing: Alexander Miles
Written by Alexander Miles & Kyle Cogan
1st AD: Constantin Preda
Director of Photography: Zayd Ezzeldine @zezzeldine
1st AC: Chris Powers @vhrispowers
2nd AC: Carolina Thompson
Steadicam Operator: Nick Almanza @the.nick.almanza
Gaffer: Monty Sloan @monty_sloan
BBE: Dallas Calkins @dallasraecalkins
Key Grip: Nathan Kadota @nathankadota
BBG: Thorn Shaffer
Projectionist: Paul Sangster @futurelighting
Production Designer: Amanda Saltz @bathsaltz_
Art Assistant: Kelly Butler @kellybutla_
Pas: Moises Ledesma @moisesledesma83 Phil Batiste
Post-Producer: Logan Powaski @loganpowaski
Post House: VERSION3 Post @version3post
Editor: Kyle Cogan
AE: Logan Powaski
VFX: Kody Kurth (@kodykurth ), Lucas Clark (@lucas.rfx ), Justin Hwang (@hwangproduction ), Ankit Singh
(@choudhary_ankit_vfx ), Kyle Cogan, Logan Powaski
2D/Motion GFX - Brad Chmielewski @beerad
Colorist: Keyhan Bayegan @kbaycolor
Music Editor: Mic Brooling
Music: Joseph William Morgan - “The Awakening”
Sync: Position Music @positionmusic
SFX & MX: Austin Rapbaum @rapbaum
Sound Design: Jack Goodman @jackgoodmansound
Voiceover: Uduak Inyang
VO Agency: DN Talent, Vince Lebica Talent: Aysia Collins @ay.sia