On 14th January Renegade kicked off a global seeding campaign for MINI's first slow motion 3D film. A technical 3D world first, the 90-second spot sees the MINI family do battle with a five-tonne monster truck, which is designed to leave 3D-hungry audiences on the edge of their Cinema seats.
Set at night in the floodlit Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, a sell-out crowd of eclectic and rowdy monster truck fans are silenced when the 1,800-horsepower truck – nicknamed No Mercy – takes to the air in an attempt to jump over a fleet of MINIs.
In sensational 3D slow motion the crowd takes to its feet as their jaws, hotdogs and beverages spill to the floor and the 66-inch tyres skim tantalisingly close to the roofs of the four-strong line-up of: MINI Cooper Convertible, MINI Cooper Clubman, MINI Cooper S and MINI Cooper S Countryman.
As No Mercy hurtles through the air and the crowd cheer, it’s not clear whether the flame-emblazoned four-wheel cannonball will complete its trajectory. The action slows down in painstaking frame-by-frame 3D detail the second the truck takes off, leaving the crowd looking-on in horror or joyous anticipation as the day-glo orange and blue rocket makes its leap of faith amid an explosive barrage of pyrotechnics and a rock opera soundtrack.
Slow motion close-ups of the driver and crowds’ faces add to the suspense and drama, leaving viewers wondering whether the MINIs are crushed or the truck completes the jump.
Responsible for the nail-biting epic was Robert Jitzmark, the acclaimed Swedish director, who employed a crew of 120 people, including one stunt driver, six 3D technologists and scientists who were on hand to calculate the truck’s chances, and film with a 21st century 3D rig. The set required 30,000 cubic yards of sand to be imported and the entire shoot from preparation to jump took six days to complete. A mix of stadium lights and special helium-filled balloon lights helped enrich the 3D quality.
Veteran stunt man Russell Steeley was behind the wheel, a monster truck driver who nearly ended his career as soon as it started. The first time Steely jumped he thought he broke his back: "I landed so hard, it knocked the wind out of me," he said. "I sat after that to let my back heal." Some drivers might reconsider their dedication to monster trucks. But Steeley spent six months recuperating and then got back in the truck.
MINI’s Amsterdam-based advertising agency, BSUR, is the creative engine behind the film. Executive creative director, Jason Schragger was at the jump and explained the inspiration behind the story. “MINI is a pioneer of automotive design and driver experience. Digital 3D is so new that we worked with its pioneers to ensure MINI vs Monster is an exciting and immersive experience. What we have filmed is a game changer – 3D is the future of screen entertainment and the future of advertising.
“This new 3D technology makes you really feel like you are in the crowd and are part of the jump. When you see No Mercy actually flying, you experience every detail, it’s better than being in the stands and you can’t help but gasp when the truck lifts off and skims the MINI family, which look eye-poppingly stunning in 3D. 3D is immersive and puts viewers at the heart of the action.”
While TV technology can’t yet deliver the same 3D experience, a high definition, 2D version of the film has been rolled out globally on- and offline.
In less than two weeks Renegade'seeding campaign has generated nearly 100,000 YouTube views. The three teasers and trailers that we seeded a week before the launch have each surpassed 20,000 views each -- another world first for MINI.
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