Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Jonathan Glazer's Bravia Ad


The second Colour Like No Other advertisement for Sony Bravia has been online and on screens a while now - long enough for the second version of the commercial to be released. As described in the making of featurette, what we have is basically a firework display not in light and fire, but in paint. Tons and tons of the stuff spraying all over a Glasgow housing estate. 250 people worked for ten days just to rig the numerous bottle bombs, and the clean up couldn't have been a picnic either.

Jonathan Glazer directed the spot, and he did so very well indeed. Glazer is the man behind more good ads and music videos than I dare to mention (but you could just pick up his Director's Label DVD, it's incredible), as well as the feature films Sexy Beast and Birth. Well done Jon, your work really paid off again.

Bagsy the gig for year three.

As well as the fountainous erruptions of vibrant paint, there is also a somewhat myterious and unnerving cameo appearance by a clown. Dramatically and aesthetically, the clown works perfectly but his exact nature and narrative purpose are somewhat enigmatic.

Version one of the ad is set to music (the choice of which is another Kubrick homage by Glazer, no doubt), while version two uses the original production sound and, honestly, I prefer the latter. It is, quite literally, explosive stuff.

At time of writing, I can't find version two online, but it is screening in cinemas across the UK right now. If you do find a link to it online, please add it in the comments below.

2 comments:

Rich Johnston said...

They could have CG'ed it for a fraction of the cost with no discernable difference.

Brendon said...

That's almost true.