Digital Video magazine — July 2012
Unmistakably Wes Anderson: The Director Translates His Sensibility to A Car Campaign

Earlier this year, filmmaker Wes Anderson brought his trademark visual style to the small screen, directing a pair of television commercials for Hyundai Motor Group that aired during the live broadcast of the 84th Academy Awards ceremony. Clearly aimed at film-going audiences, the 30-second spots “Talk to My Car” and “Modern Life” feature Anderson’s typical quirkiness, filled with what The New Yorker called “a magnificent meta-ness” of adventure fantasy blended with pop culture iconography and dandyish accoutrement.

Many high-profile feature filmmakers occasionally direct commercials (witness Federico Fellini, Ingmar Bergman and Jean-Luc Godard), but few put their own stamp on them quite so boldly as Wes Anderson has. “Talk to My Car” is an homage to beloved films of the past, while “Modern Life” includes signature Anderson moves such as the ninety-degree whip pan, the tracking shot and the cutaway set, as well as the exquisitely curated clutter that serves as a constant element of Anderson’s visual style and iconography.

Anderson worked with production company Moxie to create the cinematic ads, which utilize a combination of 35mm, digital and stock footage. Venice, CA-based post house Public VFX, which collaborates regularly with such notable directors as Lance Accord, Stacy Wall, Tim Godsall, directorial duo Dayton/Faris and Todd Cole, was brought on board to handle visual effects, including pre-production planning, VFX supervision and green-screen compositing.

Public creative director Tony Smoller collaborated closely with Anderson both on set and off, while Public’s lead Flame artist James Allen provided on-set VFX supervision. “Everyone involved, especially Wes, was interested in making the film and Alexa footage work seamlessly side-by-side,” says Public executive producer Kim Nagel Christensen. “It’s a challenge that comes up again and again in the commercial world.” (Read full story…)