Wild Plum director/DP Ericson Core recently completed a three-spot package for Jeep via agency Global Hue that tested the limits of location scouting. On the three-day shoot, Core needed to film at locations as diverse as an urban cityscape, beachfront property, a dense forest and a beautiful mountaintop.
“We chose San Francisco as our base because of some of the great architecture and style within the city,” explained Core. “Then we were able to move to the Redwood National Forest, some of the great beach roads in the area, and finally the Sierra Nevadas by Lake Tahoe which just can’t be beat for their beauty. By being able to shoot portions of the spots in each location, we really were able to get a vast diversity of scenery that wouldn’t be possible in a single day.”
The spot, “Like A Cloud,” required the Jeep to travel through a lush forest filled with fog – headlights cutting through the thick haze. To achieve this, eco-friendly smoke machines were used by effects company ReelFX on a closed road in the Redwoods. “The effects guys did a great job of creating a realistic atmosphere,” said Core. “A lot of what is seen in the final spot is done in camera, with some smoke added in post to increase the density even more by Method. The work done by the effects teams really made for an excellent finished product.”
Core also praised the ARRI Alexa camera for its beautiful imagery, even in slow motion. “We weren’t doing crazy slow motion – we were at 60fps – but the images we were getting were just stunning. I can’t say enough good things about that camera system.”
The final spot in the series, “The Most,” showcased the Jeep’s handling in difficult terrain. This took the crew to the Sierra Nevada mountain range and Lake Tahoe, where the vehicle would be climbing rocks and pulling a boat out of the water. “The Sierra Nevadas just can’t be beat for their beauty,” said Core. “I’m thrilled we were able to pull off shooting there and I think the spots really benefit from the locations we found.”
According to Core, working with Global Hue was a great experience. “They were extremely open and collaborative from beginning to end which made the sharing of ideas that much more fluid,” he said. “They came up with some great concepts that I was very excited to shoot. It’s not often you get to work on three very distinct spots over three days, but it was a great challenge and I’m really pleased with the end results.”
“Like A Cloud” and “The Most” are currently on air. The third spot, “Maps,” will air later this year.