Audi Projection of Greatness: The all-new Audi Q7

90-second film conceived by Zulu Alpha Kilo and Sherpas Cinema features groundbreaking projection mapping imagery shot and lit only by moonlight.

In Projection of Greatness, a new 90-second film for Audi, the Q7’s ascent of a snow covered mountain turns magical with the live action projection of its soul. Accomplice Media Director Dave Mossop of Sherpas Cinema created the spot for Audi Canada and agency Zulu Alpha Kilo. The stunning display was captured entirely in-camera, with no CGI manipulation in post.

The aim of the film is to showcase the all-new Q7’s impressive mix of power, style and innovation, and how its greatness “projects” onto any terrain. It opens on a silver SUV making its way along a twisting, snow-covered mountain road under moonlight. The stars and the flying snow transform the vehicle into a fully animated version of itself that streaks up the side of the mountain.

“When I saw it, I had trouble believing my own eyes,” says Zak Mroueh, Chief Creative Officer at Zulu Alpha Kilo. “Consumers who see it may not believe it either. But the sequences were absolutely captured 100 percent in camera with no CGI involved. The result is stunning.”

Mossop worked alongside Zulu Alpha Kilo’s creative team and projection mapping specialist GO2 Productions to create the incredible imagery. The film was shot on location at Fortress Mountain, Alberta, 7500 feet above sea level. Temperatures during the nighttime shoots dropped to -20C.  “We were lucky to have two Q7 picture cars,” recalls Mossop. “Turned out, they were the only vehicles on the shoot that could handle the icy conditions.”

The production team used high powered projectors to map animated visuals directly onto the Audi Q7 and the mountain environment to create the 3D illusions. “We were presented with a wonderful set of challenges,” says Mossop, “including the difficulty of bringing vehicles, crew and a lot of technology to a remote and undisturbed location in the dead of winter.”

Mossop and DoP Bryan Kopman shot the opening sequence of the film with the real Q7 by moonlight alone. That was made possible through the use of newly developed digital cinema cameras capable of capturing high-resolution imagery in extremely low light. “We’ve had a great relationship with Audi for a couple of years,” says Mossop, “and we were thrilled to be given the opportunity to help concept this innovative project with Zulu Alpha Kilo and then overcome the technical difficulties to execute it.”

Credits:

Audi Canada:  Christian Schueller

AGENCY:   Zulu Alpha Kilo

Zak Mroueh, Chief Creative Officer; Allen Oke, Executive Creative Director; Jon Webber, Creative Director/Copywriter; Allan Mah, Senior Art Director; Tara Handley, Christine Pacheco, Clair Galea and Ola Stodulska, Agency Producers; David Tremblay, Account Director; Lance Kowlessar, Account Supervisor; Emma Brooks and Jamie Cuthbertson

PRODUCTION:  Sherpas Cinema // Accomplice Media

 Executive Producer: Malcolm Sangster

Director: Dave Mossop

Director of Photography: Byron Kopman

Production Manager:  Andrea Fehsenfeld

Edit:  Dave Mossop, Will Biname  BTS: Jay Baker

Post: Sherpas Cinema, BTS: Zulubot

Post-Production Supervisor: Tim Symes

Creative Consultant: Eric Crosland

Color: Eric Rosen, Color Matters

Audio: Jacob Yoffee, Composer/Audio Engineer

PROJECTION MAPPING:  Go2 Productions

Adrian Scott, Executive Creative Director; Craig McEwen, Creative Director; Joe Surachet, Art Direction/3D Animation; Nash Sittisarebute, Compositor/Visual Effects; Marie Laderoute, Production Manager; Scott Justis, Technical Producer; Liz Toscano, Production Manager; Dan Mulcahy Qlab, Programmer; Carr Salvo Lead Projectionist

Huge thank you to everyone involved.