Splash Studios' Adobe x Bowie Film Wins Eurobest Grand Prix

The Adobe x Bowie film won the Eurobest Grand Prix. The film details the collaboration between the software system and the late rockstar’s estate owned by RZO to advertise an immersive gaming experience. Adobe x Bowie, directed and edited by Splash Studios’ Rigel Kilston, marked the 50th anniversary of Bowie’s transformation into the alien rockstar Ziggy Stardust. 

“I felt like this was one of those once in a lifetime opportunities. At Splash, we are often blessed to work with some of the most beautiful footage from around the world. But when dentsuACHTUNG! gave us full creative reigns to craft this piece, I wasn’t going to let this chance go to waste. No detail was overlooked and we brought in the best people,” said Kilston. 

Adobe x David Bowie from Rigel Kilston - Splash Studios on Vimeo.

The film is set to the 1972 classic “Star”. The original budget constraint had led the agency to hire a composer for the sound track but the director was not going to let a film about David Bowie be set to anyone else’s music. After some Negotiation, he was able to convince Adobe to spring for the track and convince the four entities who hold the rights, Sony, Universal, BMG, and RZO, to agree to a price that worked for everyone.

Kilston even donated a number of treasured personal items to the set as props. “It was very special for RZO to grant us access to never before seen BTS album photos, while also bringing in some of my own artwork to the set and place them side by side in the film,” said the director.

The immersive gaming experience is modeled off of Mick Rock’s iconic 1972 photograph of Bowie in his London dressing room. Using this photo as source material, a 3D composited environment allows you to step into the room and explore your own personas. Users can treasure hunt for 3D props and then combine the items with Photoshop brushes, color palettes, and stickers turning analog elements into digital personas.

The award winning film was produced by Amsterdam agency dentsuACHTUNG! and Blond Velvet with the vibrant visual effects done by uni_verse.