STATE FARM “BATEMAN VS BATMAN”
BRYAN BUCKLEY // Hungry Man
When Gotham needed a hero, it got two.
One just happened to be way more prepared....
“Having insurance isn’t the same thing as having State Farm. It’s like getting Bate-man, when you need the protection of Batman.”
This was the tagline and underlying creative idea behind State Farm's latest campaign where Jason Bateman - aka “Bate-man” - appears in various vignettes throughout Gotham City, only to be saved by Batman when he comedically fails to save the day.
Parliament jumped at the idea of character and world-building to re-contextualize a time honored comic book hero that we know and love.
“Our team was responsible for crafting a visually stunning Gotham City, reimagining the Batmobile, and delivering a full suite of high-end visual effects to immerse viewers in a world that felt authentic, cinematic, and aligned with State Farm’s tone,” notes VFX Supervisor Jason Bergman. “From towering gothic skylines to dynamic action sequences, we ensured that every frame balanced blockbuster-level spectacle with the spot’s comedic spirit.”
Pair that with creating a unique, yet DC/WB-approved Batmobile - all within 5 weeks to complete the campaign.
Our Creative Tech team leveraged AI for concepting, Real Time technology to world build for set extensions and skylines, and Unreal Engine to create Gotham City and blend it with plates of downtown LA.
The team also augmented an armored truck drop onto a car in front of city hall, created a full CG set piece with vines and destruction for Poison Ivy’s lair, went from AI to concept art to a fully rigged & textured Batmobile in just 5 few weeks…and re-created LA’s 6th street bridge and skyline from scratch.
For the Batmobile specifically, the Parliament team combined automotive design principles with cinematic world-building. Artists developed the Batmobile through AI concepting, CAD & 3D modeling and photogrammetry. Practical plates enhanced realism, while CG integration, FX, and lighting brought scale, depth, and a tactile quality to the final film.
"Designing a new Batmobile is one of those rare creative challenges: daunting but thrilling,” notes VFX Supervisor and Creative Lead, Brandon Thomas. “The goal was to create something that felt immediately iconic, but didn’t borrow too heavily from any one source. We approached it like building a real car—thinking about weight distribution, engine placement, aerodynamics—before layering in the Gotham grit and flair. Shooting practically and integrating CG gave us a tactile quality that pure digital often lacks. It’s that blend of physical photography and digital craftsmanship that really sells the final result."
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AGENCY
Highdive
VFX SUPERVIORS / CREATIVE LEADS
Eric Mason
Jason Bergman
Brandon Thomas
CREATIVE TEAM
Kathleen Kirkman
Alex Koester
Myong Choi
Cynthia Soza
Juan Zavala
Sean Myers
Lawrence Jones
PRODUCTION
Kat Maidment
Mike Cimino
Anna Vegezzi
Mario Kotevski
Emma Fleischmann
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