The concept of looking at life in kilometres lies at the heart of car hire company Imperial’s new TVC (television commercial), produced by Picture Tree for ad agency Switch.
Explains Picture Tree’s executive producer Gary King: “Because Imperial is positioned as the leader in mobility and literally adds kilometres to people’s lives by helping them to get around safely when they travel, Switch asks the question – what would happen if life was measured in kilometres?
“Switch’s concept is based on the premise that when you live for the road the way Imperial does, every kilometre is a unique moment and a rare experience. Therefore, let’s live life in kilometres.’
Filming this panoramic commercial required the Picture Tree crew to travel extensively across South Africa, with the use of remote helicopters to shoot some of the footage. The latter was used for wide shots that show off the scale and beauty of South Africa.
King continues: “To start with we flew to Port Elizabeth and then drove to Plettenberg Bay. From there, we drove to Knysna, Wilderness, George, Outeniqua Pass, Uniondale, Colesberg, Gariep Dam, Graaff-Reinet and ended off the trip in Bloemfontein. After we flew home we shot a Johannesburg leg in Alberton.
“As logistically challenging as this job was, one don’t often get the opportunity to have so much fun on shoots. It was a hectic filming schedule that required us to travel continually and chase the light and the clock.’
Logistics included coordinating the vehicles, obtaining various local permissions, casting locals for some of the cast and organising traffic / road control. There were also weather issues as well as animals, namely a large flock of sheep in the pouring rain. As bad luck would have it, it rained for the first time this year in the area in the Karoo where the crew had to shoot.
The Octocam (model helicopter), supplied by Aerocam in Plettenberg Bay, filmed footage at the Outeniqua Pass as well as the Gariep Dam.
King describes the quality of the remotely shot footage as excellent. “The stability, maneuverability and ease of set up and use, was remarkable.’
For the rest of the footage DOP Willie Nel shot on an ARRI Alexa and various GoPro 3 cameras.
The commercial was edited at Left Post Production.
“Alun Richards did the superb original composition that was used for this campaign,’ concludes King.
screen africa magazine – june 2013
