MasterCard’s launch of the PayPass card features a series of five humorous videos starring celebrities, including Moving Day, which stars comedian Michael Cross, who is shown moving a variety of off-the-wall items in the back of a cab.
The goal of the campaign is to show how the tap and go card works and where it can be used, according to Matt O’Rourke, creative director at McCann World Group’s MRM Worldwide. The card is being promoted to young people, who can follow Cross’ example and use it in a cab.
The video was shot on the streets outside Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. It was shot on film with a 16mm camera.
Cross is seen in the back of the cab with a series of props, from a lamp to an antique clock to a large painting to a harmonica and finally a flaming duralog. “We added flames in post, because you couldn’t light it in the back of the cab,” O’Rourke said.
The crew from Chelsea Pictures, led by director Evan Bernard, shot the video with the taxi on top of a process trailer. “We were towing the car on a platform with lights rigged around it,” he said. There were also exterior shots of Cross entering and exiting the cab. The team had a police escort for the shoot, but the street wasn’t blocked off.
The humor is in the array of props and Cross’ quips about them, such as “Please drive carefully, I didn’t get the extended warranty on this,” when he shows the clock.
“We had to manage his insanity,” Bernard said of Cross. “He wanted to light the duralog in the cab.”
The video began running on Feb. 25 after a MasterCard TV spot on the Oscars promoted the website, www.priceless.com, where the spot plays. It’s also been playing at YouTube and Google Video.
Director Hans Emanuel Joins Caviar For Commercials and Music Videos
Production company Caviar has signed director Hans Emanuel for U.S. commercial and music video representation. The film and advertising director fuses his keen--and Berlinale Film Festival Award-winning--eye for cinematic storytelling with a commercial background across multiple genres including beauty, automotive, dance, and visual effects-heavy projects, to produce creative for clients like Kia, Nivea, Nissan, L’Oreal, BMW and more.
Caviar executive producer Salim El Arja noted, “Hans has a unique ability to blend stunning visuals with heart and humor, rooted in his confidence as a craftsman. This allows him to focus on drawing exceptional performances from actors--including celebrities--and crafting films that are not only visually striking but also deeply engaging and often hilariously comedic. His sensibilities align perfectly with Caviar’s vision, and we’re excited to collaborate with him on work that pushes creative boundaries.”
Emanuel added, “Caviar is a renowned name, certainly since I began my career. They have a solid reputation for quality work, and I’ve always respected them as a company. Life is about where destiny makes you flow with the people you need; thanks to a series of projects, I was introduced to Florence Jacob with Caviar Paris first, and the rest is history. I feel they can support my career growth with their comedic expertise and filmmaking prowess.”
Prior to joining Caviar, Emanuel had been repped by production house Stadium. He was born and raised in Santa Monica, Calif., to a Mexican-German mother, benefiting from a culturally diversified upbringing that carried through his education interests. Knowing he wanted to be a filmmaker from the start, he began his career in the luxury and beauty field,... Read More