Automotive and tech

A car is sold by its driver and its reflections, and a tech product by a designed world and its sound.

• Casting: a car does not sell itself; the driver does. When a film is purely visual, the director still writes an internal story. Tech launch films often open on a deadpan human performance.

• Camera [proven]: shoot from the car designer's perspective and respect the proportions. The hero angle is front three-quarter. Walk round the car and try heights (eye level, about 1.7 m, and near the ground) and both long and wide lenses. Speed is relative: moving towards a slow car makes it feel fast, and matching its speed shows it clearly. Board in thumbnails, about thirty for a thirty-second film.

• Light [proven]: the body is a mirror, so light the reflections, not the car. In the studio, use large panels lit by strips, a black horizon line and warm and cool on opposite sides, and hunt down stray reflections. Outdoors, choose the sun's position with care: an overcast sky can help.

• Art direction: a designed world. Option: use it when the plan names a designed world for a tech film [single strong source]. Build a world that expresses the product's idea, such as a laboratory crossed with an art installation. For cars, the driver's wardrobe carries the driver's story [best available, not yet validated].

• Edit: cut ruthlessly. Rough cuts are almost always too long, and two shots together tell what one cannot. Deliver alternative takes.

• Sound: record the real engine, tyres and wind, and keep them under any score. In tech, sound design can carry the product story.

• Product hero: front three-quarter, clean lines, controlled reflections. For tech, the object in a designed space.

• Confidence: high for car light and camera, and medium for tech.

Seedance levers:

• the vehicle locked like a product, its leading end stated;

• designed reflections;

• camera speed relative to the car;

• screens blank in the shot, with the interface composited as a graphic.

Biggest risk: mirrored badges.

Watch for in your takes:

• mirrored badges;

• random chrome reflections;

• the wrong end of the car leading;

• screens with an invented interface.

Sources

• Bill Bennett ASC (No Film School).

• Jeff Zwart (Porsche Newsroom).

• Daniel Börjesson (LBB).

• NOTHING Headphones by Kode (shots).