BMW
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BMW
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BMW
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BMW • BMW • BMW •
CREATIVE
direction
This project was one of three films in the larger Launch to Legacy campaign, each requiring a consistent visual identity while representing entirely different industries. Cohesion across all three commercials was critical. Every film needed to share the same level of cinematic polish, narrative rhythm, and creative tone to function as a unified campaign.
As Director of Photography and creative partner, I was brought in early by the team at 9Rooftops to assess whether the core idea was even possible to execute. The concept was ambitious, a visually seamless one-take narrative that blends the legacy of South Carolina’s manufacturing excellence with its future in innovation and technology.
The challenge was to make the piece feel grounded and aspirational at the same time. Our visual approach positioned the lead speaker in real time, while the world around him moved in slight slow motion at 36 frames per second. This choice created a subtle dreamlike quality, allowing the viewer to experience both present and future in a single frame. It was about capturing a moment in transition, a bridge between where South Carolina has been and where it is going.
In addition to the technical complexity of each commercial, we were tasked with maintaining visual consistency across all three. Each had to reflect the same level of craftsmanship, polish, and narrative clarity to feel cohesive as a campaign. That consistency became a creative challenge of its own, requiring a disciplined visual language that could flex across settings while remaining unified in tone.
The entire production hinged on precision. Every technical and creative decision was made to support the idea of continuous motion with hidden complexity beneath the surface.
VISUAL
direction
This piece was crafted to feel like a seamless one-take, though in reality it was filmed over the course of a full production day with complex staging, resets, and minute-by-minute precision. Shot entirely on an exterior location, the project demanded exacting control of light to preserve continuity across changing natural conditions. A Techno-Dolly was used to execute intricate motion control and perfectly repeatable camera paths, allowing us to thread moments together with mechanical accuracy while preserving a cinematic flow. Blended frame rates subtly heightened the surreal effect of time shifting around the speaker, with slight slow motion applied to supporting characters to stretch the viewer’s perception and emphasize the narrative’s emotional undercurrent. Our lighting design prioritized contrast, depth, and sculpted highlights to reflect a clean, modern sense of innovation. Camera movement was driven by intention, framing the subject with clarity while using the motion of surrounding environments to build immersion. Every visual decision aligned with the story of forward momentum and high-stakes craftsmanship, reinforcing the speaker’s clarity of vision within a shifting world.
IMPACT
The BMW segment of the Launch to Legacy campaign received two Telly Awards: Gold for branded content and Silver for digital environments, recognizing its outstanding execution in both creative and technical arenas. It served as one of three cinematic centerpieces for the South Carolina Department of Commerce. The work was widely praised for its precision and ambition, showcasing how emotional clarity can coexist with complex visual storytelling. Industry peers and media outlets highlighted the film as a benchmark for large-scale campaign work, noting its polish, vision, and consistency. It also reinforced 9Rooftops’ capabilities as a leader in branded storytelling and contributed meaningfully to reshaping South Carolina’s image as a future-facing hub for innovation and advanced manufacturing.
