Honda - HW5

The essence of speed with slow motion water.

The craft in this piece is CG. The dancers were shot using the Phantom HD, a camera that shoots HD at 1000 frames per second. We built an above ground pool on a stage at South Bay Studios. The whole scene was lit with one of the most powerful lamps available, called a Softsun.

The story behind why the craft ended up Computer Generated, is quite funny. Please read on ...

These are pictures of the prototype craft we were supposed to use for the shoot. When we were shown the craft at Honda's campus in Torrence, we pointed out that we would need to have it painted so that it was the same color on both sides. Robb explained that when we mounted it on a gimble and shot it against the green screen, this would be important. The people from Honda looked horrified. They explained "This is a priceless prototype, the only one in existence." We were not to touch it, paint it or sit on it!

On the way back Robb pitched an alternate treatment. How about we don't show the craft. How about slow motion water, the essence of speed. maybe dancers and perhaps brief teases of the craft? Marty Brinkerhoff humored Robb and said lovely idea but they will never go for it.

Later that day we recieved a call from Marty, apparently Honda wanted to go with Robb's alternative treatment! Why, we asked? It turned out that just after showing us the priceless prototype, they moved it back to the R&D building on the back of a pick-up truck and somehow it fell off, smashing the prototype to pieces. There was no craft and no way to get a replacement! 

Without that good/bad luck we would never have had the chance to have so much fun with this shoot!

This is the ripomatic or concept piece that we put together to sell the concept. Click on the image to the left to launch the video.