This two-minute Christmas commercial from U.K. department store chain John Lewis & Partners is a joyful story of friendship, which celebrates the magic of holiday moments experienced for the first time. Titled “Unexpected Guest,” the piece created by adam&eveDDB in London and directed by Mark Molloy of production house SMUGGLER follows the story of Nathan, a 14-year-old boy on his way home from school who spots a flashing light in the distance and chases it to the woods beside his home; it is here that he encounters 14-year-old space traveler, Skye and her ship from another galaxy. The ice is broken as Nathan adapts his own Christmas jumpsuit by adding a star and twinkly lights–just like Skye’s. They form a friendship and we watch as Nathan helps her to discover the magic of her first Christmas. 

We then see Nathan introduce Skye to some of his favorite Christmas experiences, bringing her fairy lights from his family’s tree; amazingly she is able to power them herself with her super powers. After a festive meal with family and friends, Nathan brings Skye a mince pie, and she delights at trying this for the first time. Together, their friendship grows while watching Christmas films and playing in the snow. 

The time comes when Skye has fixed her ship and must return to her home planet and the pair are to be separated. It is a bittersweet, heartwarming moment where Nathan gifts her his Christmas jumper, the same one he was wearing when they first met, and the pair say goodbye just before she boards her ship. As Skye leaves, she disappears into the night sky and leaves a twinkling star on a Christmas tree in the distance. Watching all through her eyes reminds us of the magic of a first Christmas, and the moments that matter. 

This year’s soundtrack to the film was performed by up-and-coming British talent Lola Young, a 20 year old singer-songwriter from South London. The track ‘Together in Electric Dreams’, originally released by Philip Oakey and Giorgio Moroder in 1984, was chosen as a celestial complement to the advert. 

Credits

Client John Lewis & Partners Agency adam&eveDDB, London Richard Brim, chief creative officer; Matt Gay, Feargal Ballance, creative directors/copywriters/art directors; Patrick McClelland, copywriter; Sally Pritchett, executive producer; Clio McLeary, integrated producer; Claire Peacock, assistant producer; Ben Sharpe, head of integrated production; Martin Beverley, chief strategy officer. Production SMUGGLER Mark Molloy, director; Ewen Brown, producer; Marketa Husecka, production manager; Greig Fraser, DP; Nathan Parker, production designer; Rosa Dias, costume designer; Michele Baylis, hair & makeup artist; Ali Fearnley, casting. Editorial Work Editorial Stewart Reeves, editor; Rain Keene, edit assistant; Ellie McNaughtan, editing producer. Postproduction/VFX nineteentwenty, London Bill McNamara, VFX supervisor; Ludo Fealy, 2D VFX supervisor; Ben Thomas, CG VFX supervisor; Jamie Stitson,Adam McHale, Humayun Mirza, Nicole Palucsis, Jessica Hayes, David Ince, Joseph Dymond, Chrys Aldred, Matt Hutchins, 2D artists; Ivan Tomovic, Andrew Maccabe,Alison Stott, James White, Guido Pagotto, Mike Farrar, David Rencsenyi, 3D artists; Emilis Baltrusaitis, Aurelien Ronceray, DMP & environment artists; Anthony Scott, motion graphics; Jake Lunt Davies, Nathan McKenna, concept; KaiVan Beers, colorist; Elliott Ward, color assist; David Keegan, VFX producer. (Toolbox: Maya, Nuke, Nuke Studio, Houdini, Baselight) Capture Surveying, Pudsey, U.K. Philip Anderton, LiDAR scans Music Supervision Leland Music (Abi Leland, Ed Bailie, Toby Williams). Music Track: “Together In Electric Dreams. Philip Oakey, Giorgio Moroder, composers; Lola Young, artist; David Kosten, music producer. Master: Universal Music Group/Island Records. Publishers: BMG Rights Management (UK) Limited (50%) /Warner Chappell North America Limited (50%)

MySHOOT Profiles