BMW created an unusual advertising medium in 2001. Employing well-known directors and a young British actor named Clive Owen, BMW Films released a series of short films called "The Hire." In each release, Clive Owens' "The Driver" met a series of challenges in a different BMW model, at the same time thrilling audiences and marketing the cars. The series was hugely successful, with more than 100,000,000 views on the Internet in four years, and this was before YouTube existed.
In 2016, BMW released one more episode of The Hire, with Clive Own reprising his role and co-starring with the then-yet-to-be released BMW 5 Series. Picking up where the original series left off, the new film, titled The Escape, again captured the magic, according to some critics; others thought that it sucked swamp water—but they were evidently in the minority. Last week The Escape was named Best Of Show at the One Screen Film Festival Awards in New York City.
In a way, the One Screen Film Festival branded content category owes its existence to the original "The Hire" Series. Short films with branded content had not been done the way BMW Films did it at that time, and there was no way to recognize its achievement. In 2003, the One Screen Film Festival established an advertising industry award competition to recognize the kind of original branded content film represented by "The Hire."
Therefore, for director Neill Blomkamp's "The Escape," produced by Geisel Productions and Anonymous Content, winning the One Screen Film Festival Best of Show was made possible by the original "The Hire" series because without it, branded content films might not have been recognized as award-worthy endeavors.
The One Screen Film Festival is part of a global nonprofit organization called The One Club for Creativity. It exists to celebrate creative excellence in advertising and design. This year's festival drew entries from 45 countries and included short films, commercials, music videos, passion projects, movie poster design, credits, and spec work.
Previously in 2010, The One Club for Creativity had honored the original "The Hire" series as the Best of the Digital Decade.
In case you missed "The Escape" when it was first released, or you just want to see it again, here it is.
To view the entire original "The Hire" series, search for "The Hire" on YouTube.com.—Scott Blazey
[Photos and video courtesy of BMW Films.]
