It's titled "Harmony." We haven't seen this video on television, and that's too bad, because it's very good.
BMW hired CinemaStreet Pictures to produce an ad for xDrive, BMW's "intelligent" all-wheel-drive system found on many of its numbered car series and all the X-vehicle lines. The spot was directed by Ed Han, who has worked on videos for Lexus and iRobot (the Roomba people), among others.
Obviously, the video features CGI—computer-generated imagery. Either that, or someone is really good at making free-rolling tires perform synchronized dancing in the rain. Director Han explained, “We knew that CG was the only way to pull off the ambitious concept, but we also recognized that the success would hinge on the level of execution.”
“Great CG work is all about that final three percent,” Han continued, “All those fussy little details are important to create the realism and believability. You really have to dirty up what the computer gives you, otherwise it’s too sterile.
As is often the case, it takes a memorable sound track to complete a good video, and that’s what Singing Serpent provided for this ad.
It’s short, it’s sweet, and it’s not real, but that’s okay. Ed Han puts the “car” into this 21st century car-toon and in a few seconds, provides us with a clear impression of what xDrive is about and who makes it.—Scott Blazey
[Photo and video courtesy of CinemaStreet Pictures.]
