Director Eric Crosland and the creators of “Into the Mind” and “All.I.Can” apply their wizardry as extreme filmmakers to a commercial celebrating those who take on winter’s greatest challenges.
The majesty and the brutality of winter is captured in awe-inspiring fashion in a new national ad campaign for RAM Trucks. Directed by Eric Crosland of Sherpas Cinema for The Richards Group, High Octane is an homage to avalanche techs and highway crews who work to keep mountain roads passable for all including athletes in the face of dense snow, blinding winds and bone-chilling cold. Trucks equipped with snow plows blast through six-foot drifts; helicopter crews use explosives to trigger massive avalanches. “You are the right-of-way,” intones Sam Elliott in the voice-over. “You are a 6.4 liter abominable snowman with ice in your veins.” The spot employs the tagline, “Guts. Glory. RAM.”
Creative Directors Rob Baker and Jimmy Bonner of The Richards Group were introduced to the Sherpas last fall and they immediately began exploring ways of employing the breathtaking production techniques used in the Sherpas’ award-winning adventure films All.I.Can and Into the Mind for RAM. “Jimmy and I talked with Eric even before we had a script,” recalls Baker. “We were looking to do more than create a great 30-second spot; we wanted to create something that would cause viewers to say bad words for good reasons. We wanted to produce content that would disrupt the category, content that people would want to share through social media.”
“The concept came together in a very collaborative and organic way,” adds Crosland. “Rob Baker is an incredible writer and wrote terrific copy; that inspired me to come back with a visual treatment.”
Eventually, they focused on telling the story of winter road crews, avalanche techs and the people and athletes who need access to the snow for adventure. That story offered unique dramatic possibilities, Baker notes, and provided a way to highlight the capabilities of RAM truck (which has a gas-powered hemi engine) and include some of the spectacular athletic feats for which Sherpas Cinema is famous. “We hoped to pay tribute to the everyday heroics of the people who overcome enormous obstacles to keep roads passable so that other people can get to work or pursue their recreational activities,” Baker says.
The production of the commercial involved a variety of mountain locations in Canada. The avalanches were created and shot live in British Columbia and Alberta. Opening the commercial is an aerial image showing a valley of clouds girdling white-capped mountain peaks. That was shot from a helicopter equipped with a time-lapse camera. “We were in the helicopter with a Cineflex camera mounted to the nose, moving extremely slowly in a straight line,” Crosland recalls. “That created the illusion that the clouds are moving toward the camera in thick, undulating waves.”
The commercial also features shots of extreme skiers and an incredible shot of X Games Gold medalist Heath Frisby performing a show-stopping backflip on a snowmobile while vaulting over a snowplowing truck. Among the more memorable images is the face of a real-life Canadian highway worker conducting traffic in blizzard and high avalanche conditions. “He’s worked as a sign man for 40 years,” notes Crosland, “and he actually drives a RAM truck—with a pair of coffee makers built into the dashboard. He adds an authentic backwoods flavor to the commercial.”
“Winters in North America can be incredibly harsh, but they are also beautiful,” Crosland adds. “I wanted to capture the loneliness of winter. You sense the emotion of the dead of winter in the overcast skies and a sign blowing in the wind.”
The ability of the Sherpas to capture unique and inspiring visuals under the most challenging conditions impressed Baker. “They’re Canadian Yetis,” he says. “They know the terrain, the weather and how to capture the beauty of landscapes in stunning ways.”
Baker also credited The Richards Group Executive Broadcast Producer Paul Nelson and the production team for managing the production’s complex logistics. “Despite all of the complications of weather and travel, they managed to get the right trucks, the right gear and the right people where they had to be when they had to be there,” he notes. “Those guys deserve a ton of credit for the spot’s success.”
Crosland and Sherpas Cinema also handled the post production work for the spot. The original score was composed by Jacob Yoffee, who also wrote the score to the Sherpa’s feature Into the Mind. “It was inspired by Mongolian folk songs,” Crosland notes. “It includes samples of chanting and traditional Mongolian stringed instruments mixed with dub step and electronic beats.”
“Working with the Sherpas made us better” concludes Baker. “We had an enormous goal that the Sherpas pulled off even beyond our huge expectations. Those guys crushed it every single day. We are in awe of how good they are.”
The Sherpas Cinema are repped in the US by Accomplice Media, Jeff Snyder and Mel Gragido, executive producers.
Video Credits
Agency: The Richards Group, Dallas.
Rob Baker and Jimmy Bonner, creative directors.
Production: Sherpas Cinema.
Eric Crosland, director; Eric Crosland, David Mossop and Stefan Van Borbely, directors of photography, Malcolm Sangster, producer.
Editorial: Sherpas Cinema.
Eric Crosland, David Mossop and Jay Macmillan, editors.
Music: Jacob Yoffee
Contact:Jeff Snyder
Executive Producer
Accomplice Media
310.893.1147
Contact Jeff via email
www.accomplice-media.com
Mel Gragido
Executive Producer
Accomplice Media
310.893.1147
Contact Mel via email
2024 AICP Awards Tour Concludes with Stops in Dallas and Chicago
The 2024 AICP Awards Tour concludes with stops in Dallas and Chicago this month as it wraps up its tour of cities across the U.S. The National Tour brought presentations, panels and screenings to marketers, advertising agencies, production and post production companies. The AICP Awards will be in Dallas on Thursday, November 14th, at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, followed by the Chicago event, set for Thursday, November 21st at The Old Post Office. Tickets are available now for both events at www.aicp.com. In Dallas, the program kicks off at 6:45 pm with a happy hour, followed by the screening and panel discussion at 7:30. The evening ends with a networking reception from 8:30 to 11:30. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is located at 2201 N. Field Street in Dallas. Appearing in Dallas will be Abe Garcia, Chief Creative Officer, Dieste; Julia Melle, Director of Brand and Content, Southwest Airlines; and Isaac Pagán Muñoz, VP, Executive Creative Director of PepsiCo Foods. The panel will review selected winners from the suite of the AICP Awards programs, offering insights into what made them rise to the top of their respective categories and share their viewpoints on key trends in the industry. The Chicago stop starts at 6:00pm with a happy hour, followed by the presentation and screening at 7:00pm. A reception caps the event, starting at 8:00pm and concluding at 11:30pm. The Old Post Office is located at 433 W Van Buren Street in Chicago. The panel there will feature 2024 AICP Awards Curators and Winners from the marketer, agency, production and post production sectors who’ll highlight this year’s winners. The conversation will include a discussion about the winning work, including insights... Read More