Martini Archives - chuck studios

Social Switch Campaign

A film made with robots, camera flips and an interchangeable set

The briefing



Creative Communications agency BAAS Amsterdam, came to us with an exciting campaign they developed for Martini. The campaign donning the title ‘The Social Switch’ revolved around switching from being alone at home to enjoying an aperitif with good friends. The catalyst for the switch was Martini — the perfect aperitif accompaniment. The campaign called for two 15” films, in multiple social media formats, and additional six-second cut-downs. The challenge for each film was the transition moment, it needed to stand out but also fit seamlessly in the edit — a challenge that immediately excited our Director Kristy and got her creative juices tingling.

The approach



We were thrilled to be working with Martini — a brand equally as iconic as it is chic. This meant we had to create something awesome and that’s exactly what we did.

In a three-day shoot we split our time between gorgeous closeups, epic motion control shots and a fun live-action day.

To shoot the motion control shots in slow-motion meant we required the Bolt, a robot arm designed to shoot sequences where the camera moves at high-speed between two or more points. This meant we could capture a closeup of a slow-motion pouring shot and then move straight into a wide in the blink of an eye. We rigged the Phantom Flex 4K to the Bolt which enabled us to follow and capture the action at 1000 fps and more.

Katarina, our art director, designed an amazing set that was interchangeable to accommodate two sets. She also cleverly decorated the sets with old Martini posters —a nod to the brand’s stylish longevity — and creatively inserted the ‘red’ of the brand with props.

Shaun McAdam, our liquid stylist, not only perfected the fake ice cubes and the droplets on the side of the glass; but matched the colour of the Martini cocktail with alcohol-free liquid for the cast to drink — let’s just say he wasn’t the most popular on set.

The Martini cocktail called for blood oranges as a garnish. A seemingly easy task, until we learnt that they were out of season. Then production-food-magic happened when Didi, our Producer, and her personal fruit guy, sourced the impossible blood oranges for the shoot.

Erik, who happens to be our liquid specialist, helped out on creating those refreshing closeups. The shots were captured at high-speed on the Phantom so that they could be played back in slow-motion. This showcased the texture and appeal of the product. An additional bonus with shooting at high-speed means you can speed-ramp during the edit.

As the film was supposed to be upbeat and depict social interactions between young people, we focused on fun camera angles, a diverse cast and exciting camera movements. The Bolt also added a dynamic feel to the film and upped the production value.

True to the title of the project, a 180-degree flip for the switch was created with a 360-degree rotation. To achieve this flip we used the Lambda rig. You can see the effect during the microwave sequence.

Kristy strived to produce an outdoor summer look. That was achieved using hard light to replicate the summer light. This created strong shadows and high contrast, making the glasses filled with Martini sparkle in the golden light and reflect their red colour.

Additionally, to create a more cinematic look, a subtle red light can be seen reflected, at times, on hands, faces, and on the table surface. Yet another nod to the red colour of Martini
On the first day of shooting, we won the trust of the client as she remarked on how impressed she was with the level of professionalism and the attention to detail we placed on each shot.

The film went live on July 5th on social media (Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook) and on the NL and Belgium websites.

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