How Vodafone Showcased Its Speedy Network Status
Taking to the streets of Qatar, British multinational telecommunications company Vodafone used its latest campaign to show just how fast its network is. Working with production company The Film House and agency Wunderman Thompson Dubai, the speedy trio of campaign videos, captured with three different filmmaking techniques, were able to showcase the country’s beautiful locations, as well as the power of speedy connectivity.
With a focus on timelapses, hyperlapses, and step-printing, three unique videos show the power that high speed networks can give you. Running as a nationwide print campaign, as well as online and OOH, the local population in Qatar have been watching the spots as they drive to work, walk down the street and scroll on their phones. With images captured over time, planning was key to getting each shot to be cohesive, so that the visuals could be captured in a total of four days.
Speaking to LBB’s Nisna Mahtani, The Film House’s chief executive officer Justin Kramer shares what it was like to create the spot in collaboration with the agency, how they focused on speed and why he hopes for a red light, just to watch the billboards for the campaign.
LBB> Tell us about when the idea for this speedy set of films was first mentioned.
Justin> The agency provided a clear roadmap for what the client was looking for. They produced a fantastic mood film which we built on to drive home the SPEED element of the storytelling.
LBB> What was the feeling you wanted to evoke for the audience and how did you set about achieving that?
Justin> Speed was the most important element. The film needed to reflect the advances in the network that spread nationwide. At the same time, we wanted the human element to be running at a normal pace whilst the world around them was flying by. This action is a direct result of a reliable network that allows the user to live and work with ease and comfort.
LBB> How did you find the locations to shoot and which was your favourite?
Justin> We’ve been filming in Qatar for over 10 years now, and we’re lucky enough to have access to many locations that are ‘off the beaten path’, but also the ones that are landmarks and eye-catching. My favourite location in this film is the magnificent ‘7’ by Richard Serra that stands tall in the Museum of Islamic Art park. That sculpture and location never gets old for me.
LBB> What was the shooting process like? How long did it take to capture all of the footage?
Justin> This particular project was unique in the sense that we had multiple units shooting simultaneously. One team captured hyperlapses in locations that featured only real population and no actors. The film took around three to four days total to film.
LBB> Can you share some details about how you achieved this look and feel? What are the processes of timelapse and hyperlapse like?
Justin> We used several different techniques in the film: timelapse, hyperlapse, and some step-printing. We also took advantage of new 360 cameras that gave us a lot of freedom in post-production.
LBB> The music adds to the ambience of the visuals. How did you land on the sound for each video, and what was the process of matching the audio to the video?
Justin> The agency was very involved in this selection. We knew what theme we wanted, but landing on the specific tracks was a very collaborative process.
LBB> What was the trickiest aspect of shooting this spot?
Justin> The trickiest scenes were the ones where the actor is in the foreground moving at normal speed whilst the background is in hyperlapse or timelapse. This took a lot of planning in the pre-production stage, but the team and I landed on a time-efficient and visually effective process that was far more relaxed than we had originally thought.
LBB> How has the audience reacted to the campaign so far? Is there one spot in particular that is catching people's attention?
Justin> The view counts are rising daily, so I suspect people are reacting well to it. It’s interesting to see these spots on digital billboards around town whilst I am driving. It’s the rare time when I hope for a red light so I can sit and watch them.
LBB> Is there anything else you’d like to share?
Justin> This campaign was a fantastic example of a production company and an agency working closely together to ensure the client would get what they envisioned. The collaborative spirit was (and is) alive and well in Qatar.
