Castrol X Alpine Esteban Ocon

The Brief: To organise and produce a highly technical car chase film, within a high risk environment, utalising a raft of different camera technologies to create a dynamic and engaging film.

Location: Millbrook Proving Ground, Bedford. 

This was a very different project for the DGTL team; the client wished to create a game simulation style video where two race car drivers would take on two timed trials around Millbrook Track.

Scenario 1: A slalom, start/stop and a skidpan. Part of this part of the brief would include a car tracking sequence; for which the team would be using the Titla Hydra Arm mini, mounted on the top of a Tesla Model Y. The drivers would incur penalties if they dropped into ‘ICE’ power rather than using the cars electric. The final edit of this part of the challenge is shown above.

Scenario 2: A single track alpine route. For this they wanted a drone to follow the cars, simulating a chase, aiming to tag the cars via a laser. If the drone ‘made a hit’ and managed to tag the car a red icon would appear on the dashboard notifying the driver, and penalties would be issued, with time added. The drivers would also have penalties issued if they dropped into ‘ICE’ power rather than using the cars electric.

The cars aimed to beat each other's time and the winner would be revealed at the end of the video via a PTC with a Castrol Engineer. 

The crew for this was extensive, and working within the safety perametres of the live Millbrook track had its challenges, as did working with the restricted hours of the talent (and of course the wonderful British weather) but over the two days the crew came together with great results.

Watch our Behind the Scenes film below to see how we did it.

Crew:

Director: Sam Wordsworth 

DoP: Troy Edige 

Producer: Amelia Wordsworth 

Assistant Director: Danny Rumbelow

Agency: Bright Partnerships

Camera Operator: Josh Jones

DIT: Carl Matthews

1st AC: Francois Earp

2nd AC: Luke de Borde

Drone Pilot: Luke Gale

Drone Pilot: Nico Turner

Sound: Ben Wiffen

BTS/Photo: Matt Conway 

Runner: Luke Daft

Assistant: Orla Conway

Agency Producer: Helena Hicks

Agency Creative: Ronan Malone