Agency M&C Saatchi Abel set out to showcase the “Luxury of Choice” with the new RX 450h+, a HEPV (Hybrid Electric Petrol Vehicle) that allows the driver the choice of which driving mode depending on his or her situation.
I was asked to pitch for the campaign in September of 2023 and was awarded the job. My amazing team from And. immediately began pre-production. Filming commenced on November 19th 2023 and we filmed for 2 days in total. The first day in studio at Panavision South Africa studios here in Johannesburg, and the second day we filmed on location in Johannesburg CBD. The shoot went incredibly smooth, with our only hiccup being the uncertainty of Loadsheddin in Johannesburg for the night shoots. We relied on the street lights on the M1 highway, and as per usual South African custom, the lights were off even though the loadshedding schedule for that part of the city was not meant to be on. Fortunately just before we had to scrap the shot and move to plan B (Yes, I had 3 alternative locations planned just incase loadshedding was an issue) the lights suddenly turned on and we were able to get the shot.
We had to block the entire highway for the shot, and I cannot thank Anton Nel and his location team for organising with Metropolitan police to ensure the smooth shutdown and safety of the crew and drivers alike. We had a rolling soft lockdown which would have a few lead vehicles who would entire the highway first and begin blocking the 4 lanes. We would then get the all clear and the hero vehicle and camera vehicle would enter the highway. We would shoot for 30-45 seconds driving at 60kph along the highway and then immediately get off at the next offramp which was just over 1km away from where we had entered and the blockade of the highway started. Once we had reached our exit point, we would call all clear on the highway and the metropolitan police would then allow traffic back through.
It was so well coordinated and ran smoothly. So, again, a big thank you to the location team and metro police.
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove.
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however.