[ philmblog ]

Here’s the launch film I directed, cut and graded for the all new Vauxhall Astra produced by Square Zero and for agency TRO.

It was shot on RED over two days on location in and around London. I’m used to having a few hours and a digibeta shooting cars for Fifth Gear so having a few days (even though that was a tight schedule), shooting with prime lenses and getting some great footage around London on a crane attached to a tracking vehicle was a nice luxury. We caused a few traffic jams shooting it but, hey, Londoners are used to a bit of traffic!

This is the director’s cut. It’s pretty similar to the main cut except I’ve cut a few sequences which made this an interactive film. It was designed so users could upload a photograph to a website and become a part of the film.

Alongside this film, I shot a four-minute-one-shot stunt sequence on a 360 degree camera to create a ‘virtual test drive’ where users could wear a set of goggles and become the point-of-view of a stunt driver on a movie set. It was a head scratcher to figure out but a great challenge. This ‘test drive’ is currently touring the UK so if you see an Astra in a shopping centre go and check it out… you’ll even see me acting!