Writer-director Christian Schilling headed a team of commercial film students from the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg, Germany, to make this branded spec short for Duracell. Schilling is an alum of SHOOT’s 2018 New Directors Showcase.
Titled Revived, this piece introduces us to Carl who was born with a cord on his back, on which you have to tug, serving to wind him up like a music box. As a young soldier he awakes on a rubber boat in the middle of a rapid river. Suddenly they are attacked and his friend Henry floats lifeless in the water. A race against time begins, while fragments of his childhood shoot through his mind.
In the end for our main character with his wind-up cord, the power of friendship and the power of the battery is the salvation. The power of friendship charges the main character like a Duracell battery.
The film–which went toward earning diplomas for its creators–was made over the past couple of years with two shooting blocks–during mid-2019 and then at the end of that year. Approximately 80 crew members and just over 100 extras were involved in the making of the film. Just a few weeks ago, visual effects were wrapped on the project and it was released.
Credits
Production/Creative Christian Schilling, writer-director; Simon Drescher, David I. Dincer, DPs; Christian Arnold, Daniel Kottirsch, executive producers; Jan Scheurer, production design; Laura Schaffler, costume designer. Editorial Ernst Lattik, editor Music Alexander Wolf David (wolfsrudelmusic), Peter Sainio, composers; Deutsches Filmorchester Babelsberg, orchestra; Meike Katrin Stein, orchestration. Sound Design hyve.audio Robin Harff, Floyd Fürstenau, sound designers; Johanna Roth, Foley artist; Max Hartstang, Foley recordist. Audio Mix Robin Harff, mixer. Postproduction Slaughterhouse Philipp Breidthardt, post producer. Color Grading acht.studio Maximilian Baule, colorist. Crew Austria/River David I. Dincer, underwater cam operator; Justin Braun, on-set VFX supervisor; Jeannine Bieri, makeup artist; Vanessa Kilchenmann, costume design assistant. Crew Germany/Village Michael Hessenbruch, production coordinator; Boris Katrev, additional VFX; Coline Cisar, costume design assistant; Paolo Celano, Jeannine Bieri, makeup artists/prosthetic. Casting Kastwork Ltd. Cast Agencies BCCreative Ltd, Katie Threlfall Associates. Cast Alex Hope, Angus Dunican, Oskar Netzel, Anton Krymskiy, Natascha Kuch, Gesine Hannemann, Anna Maleika
This holiday spot for BMW, “The Gift,” tells the heartwarming story of young Tim, who wants to bring special joy to his beloved grandmother. At the same time, BMW reflects on its journey toward the Neue Klasse (New Class) by spotlighting an icon of automotive history—the BMW 1500, which in the 1960s marked the dawn of a new era for the brand. The film highlights how the joy of driving connects generations in more ways than one.
The story begins with a stroll through a festively decorated city center. Tim and his parents are on the hunt for the perfect Christmas gift for his grandmother. Despite their traditional suggestions, the 7-year-old confidently rejects each one. Finally, Tim spots the ideal present in a shop window--a gift that will bring immense joy to both his grandmother and himself. Initially hesitant, his parents decide to trust their son’s instincts. On Christmas Eve, surrounded by family, Tim’s grandmother opens the giant package to find a BMW Junior Seat. Instantly, they both know: Tim and his grandmother can now enjoy unforgettable rides together in their classic BMW 1500. After all, joy is the most precious gift, and the joy of driving bridges generations.
Filmed in Vienna, the holiday piece is set to the 1980s holiday classic “Christmas in Hollis” by the hip-hop group Run-D.M.C.
The concept and creative direction for this holiday campaign were developed by the Hamburg-based creative agency Jung von Matt in collaboration with BMW’s marketing team and the Munich-based production company Hochkant. The 100-second film was directed by Marc Schölermann. The film will be distributed across BMW’s YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram channels. Additionally, the campaign will feature activations on Netflix in both... Read More
