MUST SEE - Accord Ad

ChuckMC9 · December 01, 2006, 04:25:38 PM

This is really something to watch...

And you thought those people that set up roomfuls of dominos to knock over were amazing. There are no computer graphics or digital tricks in the film. Everything you see really happened in real time exactly as you see it.

The film took 606 takes. On the first 605 takes, something, usually very minor, didn't work.

They would then have to set the whole thing up again. The crew spent weeks shooting night and day. By the time it was over, they were ready to change professions.

The film cost six million dollars and took three months to complete including full engineering of the sequence. In addition, it's two minutes long so every time Honda airs the film on British television, they're shelling out enough dough to keep any one of us in clover for a lifetime.

However, it is fast becoming the most downloaded advertisement in Internet history. Honda executives figure the ad will soon pay for itself simply in "free viewings" (Honda isn't paying a dime to have you watch this commercial!).

When the ad was pitched to senior executives, they signed off on it immediately without any hesitation - including the costs. There are six and only six hand-made Honda Accords in the world. To the horror of Honda engineers, the filmmakers disassembled two of them to make the film.

Everything you see in the film (aside from the walls, floor, ramp, and complete Honda Accord) is parts from those two cars.

The voice-over is Garrison Keillor. When the ad was shown to Honda executives, they liked it and commented on how amazing computer graphics have gotten.

They fell off their chairs when they found out it was for real. Oh, and about those funky windshield wipers. On the new Accords, the windshield wipers have water sensors and are designed to start doing their thing automatically as soon as they become wet.

Click on the link below or copy & paste.

Flash » Honda Accord Ad

NJT5047 · December 01, 2006, 07:05:36 PM

"However, it is fast becoming the most downloaded advertisement in Internet history."

Ummmm, "was" the most downloaded advertisement...now we got Britney Spears advertising something...that's the already the most downloaded pix. Is this off topic? Didn't Brittany travel in a bus sometimes? Now we're back on topic.

JR

Jeremy · December 02, 2006, 03:20:37 AM

That Honda ad is pretty old actually - must be at least 18 months since it was on TV here. It's cleverly executed, but the concept is nothing new.

One British TV advert which always comes near the top in polls is one where a squirrel negotiates a man-made 'assault course' to reach some nuts, all set to the Mission Impossible theme. That must have taken hundred of takes as the squirrel worked out how all the traps worked. I can't remember what the product being advertised is, but it's very watchable.

Honda obviously have a very good ad agency. Personally I really like their animated 'LOVE' and 'HATE' diesel adverts, if you've seen those. They are really unusual - closest thing I can compare them to is the animataion style in the Beatles 'Yellow Submarine'. They haven't been on TV for a while now either.

Jeremy

ChuckMC9 · December 02, 2006, 07:08:40 AM

LOL JR - I had to go see what was going on with the celeb-gossip after you posted that. I think you're right. Isn't it something the things that will get attention. Made me look though

And I guess this post was off-topic - thought you guys might like to see 'parts as art'. I've been away from the boards so long that I wanted to contribute in some way, but sheesh! LOL

Brian Diehl · December 02, 2006, 07:55:40 AM

That was simply GREAT. I really enjoyed. Thanks for sharing ... even if it was off topic.

Dreamscape · December 02, 2006, 09:27:29 AM

Very interesting indeed.

Anyone try this with some ole bus parts.

Paul

Dreamscape

bubbaqgal · December 02, 2006, 03:43:01 PM

Better yet.......why not do it with actual old bus nuts?

NJT5047 · December 02, 2006, 08:57:50 PM

Quote from: bubbaqgal on December 02, 2006, 03:43:01 PM
Better yet.......why not do it with actual old bus nuts?

OUCH! That could hurt!

rwc · December 03, 2006, 07:23:51 AM

::)So Jr where do you find the britney spears ad. Post a link thanks. Rod

Jeremy · December 03, 2006, 01:14:30 PM

I've just found a copy of the squirrel advert I mentioned earlier - paste this address in your browser

It's a beer advert, but the 'product' bit at the end has been chopped off.

Apparently the advert is 15 years old now

Jeremy

Jeremy, you must have copied the wrong link. It was to a XXX site and I deleted it.
Richard

Len Silva · December 03, 2006, 02:59:33 PM

Swiss artists Peter Fischli and David Weiss have collaborated on kinetic installations since 1979. All of their work to date, whether in photography, film, drawing, or sculpture, has demonstrated a deep interest in the mechanisms that animate the universe of objects.

http://www.frif.com/cat97/t-z/the_way_.html

They apparently have sued Honda for using their ideas.

There is a short clip here
http://www.tcfilm.ch/pop_lauf1e.htm

Len