Directing VW's 'Life' Spot: Giant Films on Bringing Whimsy to Automotive Safety
In Volkswagen's 'Life' spot, directed by Giant Films director Karien Cherry through Ogilvy Cape Town, the everyday distractions that occupy our minds are brought to life in whimsical CGI, while the Tiguan’s new IQ Drive features ensure a smooth and safe journey.
Karien spoke with LBB’s Olivia Atkins about maintaining the heart of the campaign by crafting a simple, playful narrative that contrasts the traditional high-energy car ad, while also putting safety at the forefront of the campaign. From casting an actor with just the right balance of calm to collaborating closely with VFX artists, Karien shares how she infused magic and humanity into every frame of this unique automotive spot.
LBB> What was the brief that you received from Ogilvy Cape Town?
Karien> The creative insight was around how busy life is – and how we’re juggling stuff all the time, even when we’re behind the wheel. Which obviously isn’t great for safety, but that’s exactly where VW’s new IQ drive features step in. The script followed a character’s journey through a city as the things preoccupying their mind are brought to life – all while the new Tiguan ensures an effortlessly smooth, safe ride. The agency wanted to land the idea with a whimsical, playful tone – something that felt quite different to the high octane ads we’ve come to expect from this category.
LBB> How much creative freedom did you have to interpret the script? What inspired the direction you decided to take?
Karien> Our creative freedom was really around how we brought to life the things on our character’s mind. We really could have taken it anywhere, but it felt important to me that these things felt as real to our viewers as they were to our character.I stayed pretty close to the creatives’ original ideas, tweaking a few things here and there, but mostly I focussed on the filmmaking and execution of the idea. The feeling of the film, the tone of the performance, and the direction of the animation was where I had most creative freedom. We weren’t mandated to use realistic CGI to bring to life our character’s thoughts. We could have used any technique, even stop motion. In the end, it was important to give the CGI elements a sense of character and performance. I love the elegance and simplicity of storytelling for commercials, where one idea is allowed to play out in a myriad of subtle, surprising ways. It’s a chance to create characters and incorporate them into our real world.LBB> While this is a car ad, it feels rooted in magic and humanity. Why did you choose this approach, and how did you balance it with staying true to the automotive ad genre?
Karien> The agency really planted the seed and I loved the gentle approach they wanted to take. The legacy of the brand is so human so, I wanted to stay true to that. I’ve always loved work that’s simple. There’s so much power in being able to really distil your filmmaking down to the essence of an idea. I focused on keeping things simple and effortless, while also being beautiful and whimsical. The automotive genre covers a broad filmmaking spectrum, but ultimately the best ones evoke some sort of feeling, don’t they?
LBB> Can you tell me about the use of CGI in the spot and your involvement throughout the editing and VFX process?
Karien> I involved the VFX team from the very beginning! They even contributed to the pitch deck, and from there, we worked closely every step of the way – storyboarding, developing the character designs and creating each element's personality through the character animation etc. Each element had its own challenges, but design-wise, the robot took the longest to get right. I’ll be honest – I’m not looking to do CG balloons again anytime soon!LBB> What was your thought process behind the song choice?
Karien> Tonally, I knew the film needed something heartfelt and mellow – and conceptual lyrics always elevate a piece of work. I was lucky with this song – I stumbled across it during a late night research rabbit hole and when we popped it onto the offline, it worked a charm. The client had the insight to recognise what it did for the film and bought the track.
