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.