BETWEEN LIGHT AND DARK

Volvo is proud of their Scandinavian heritage and it has always been a big inspiration. This film that will be played in motor shows all around the world, was supposed to remind of Volvos roots, to capture the essence of Scandinavia. 

The challenge with this was to find the road between two genres, nature film and car product presentation. It couldn’t be either but still needed elements of both. 

We wanted to speak to the wievers emotions and recollections. We wanted to convey the smell of grass, the feeling of sand between your toes and so on. 

Niclas Bergman, Director  ”Speaking from a scandinavian viewpoint, we have learned to live between sunshine and rain, between winter and summer, between light and dark. Because of this, I think that we also have learned to appreciate the beauty of the moments in between. This is our scandinavian heritage.”

Even the music, composed in house inspired by Jan johansson, goes along with the concept of balance. It had to include both major and minor chords to reflect the mood of Scandinavia. 

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in august 2013. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars.

SPA - Scalable product Architecture is Volvo’s up and coming platform. This will change how they construct and design cars in coming years. This will create a breed that is 100 % Volvo. Concept Coupé is the first of three concept cars showing the possibilities of SPA.  The first car is all about design. We thought a new beginning needed a celebration like a new years eve, fireworks and all. 

Since there was no car to film we had to build everything using 3D graphics. To enhance the feeling that this is for real, that this is no fantasy car, we thought it important to still approach this piece as we would working with analogue film technique. 

As filmmakers we respect the art of storytelling. Storytelling is not a mathematical formula. When using 3D it’s easy to get stuck in numbers, the exactness of a geography or an object. When shooting analogue you can move your objects around or change lens to best fit every camera angle. How it looks in reality or in the mathematical world of computers is not just interesting. What you search for is story and compositions that best convey the message.

With this in mind, before we started constructing 3D wise, we planned the film out like we would working analogue. Then we reproduced this with the help of computers.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in august 2013 for Volvo Cars.

Volvo is launching a groundbreaking enterprise regarding motors. Our friends at A+A gave us the mission to produce two Volvo commercials, one for Diesel and one for Petrol, that will be shown all over the world. 

The major part in this paradigm shift are considering effectiveness without loosing engine power. Instead of, like before, using as many cylinders as possible, Volvo are now maximising every cylinders performance. They’re also blowing air into the motor which creates greater pressure, hence the result: more energy.

So these films explains Volvos new philosophy regarding motors. In essence, the latest word in fuel efficiency.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in june 2013 for Volvo Cars.

Volvo is face-lifting their most important car models, the best selling 60 - cars.  Edithouse got the honorable job of telling this story visually. This was a package of 13 films that are supposed to cover many of Volvo’s future marketing needs. We filmed in Barcelona and Saragossa and made out a plan to gather as wide a range of coverage as possible. 

One of the project high points were when the Chief Constable of Saragossa cordoned off city traffic in order for us to drive through the whole town as fast as allowed:) 

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in april 2013 for Volvo Cars. Agency SCP.

In a product presentation there are many technical aspects that has to be covered. You don’t want the audience to loose attention and miss out on some of the new functions the car has to offer. When making a film like this there is therefore extra important to search for a way of grabbing the wievers attention. 

This time we wanted to give it the shape of a reportage, a little more easy going and fresh, with a moving camera. By using the energy of a news reportage we could enhance the feeling of discovery. Like a reporter telling the latest news.

 Produced by Edithouse Film Works in april 2013. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars. 

Can’t beat the feeling when a late summer day suddenly blossoms and makes it seem like fall is cancelled. We entered the ocean with a wooden boat, explored lonely shores and landed islands left in peace by the last summer guests.

Edithouse Film Works got the opportunity to make a film that would be shown when Volvo where to reveal their brand new concept car in Frankfurt 2011. The intention of this project were to enhance Volvo’s connection to Scandinavia, to catch a little bit of the Nordic soul on film.

Many thanks to Magnus Tingsek who composed and performed the music.
You can hear more music from Magnus here:
http://open.spotify.com/artist/7ld5C8ya3nwAnCTHG923VE

Volvo Concept You was produced by Edithouse Film Works in september 2011 commissioned by A+A and SCP.

When Volvo cars set in motion one of their biggest engine platform overhauls ever, and in the process stated that “we will develop smaller, more intelligent engines, with so much power that they will turn V8 engines into dinosaurs”, many people had their doubts - bold statements, but could Volvo deliver? This film provides an in-depth look at the petrol and diesel version of Volvoʼs Drive-E engine, and all the advantages they provide.

Shot in between opening hours at the Macba museum in Barcelona, the Vice President of Powertrain engineering, Derek Crabb, provides us with a closer look at the technologies that makes the Drive-E platform tick. The shoot was a race against time; trying to keep continuity in a large hall mainly lit by a moving sun.

The film premiered at the Volvo cars test drive in Nice.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in August 2013. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars.

 The assignment was to create a film for people supposed to test drive the Volvo Truck Family's "tough guy", the FMX. The feelings we were asked to awoke were  "Should I really do this" or "Wow, I've done this." To make the film a bit rough, we found inspiration in War Journalism,  and Spaghetti Westerns.

Volvo Trucks Extreme driving was produced by Edithouse Film Works in may 2013. Commissioned by A+A.

Today is the first day of Paris Motor Show 2012. Volvo launches two new models, The All-New Volvo V40 Cross Country and All-New Volvo V40 R-Design.
Edithouse Film Works got the opportunity to make the opening film that would be shown at Volvo´s press conference.

“With Flying Colors” was produced by Edithouse Film Works in september 2012. Commisioned by A+A.
Music composed by Stereomaniacs (http://www.stereomaniacs.com/)

Winter doesn’t invite exercising. You have to find motivation big enough to overcome darkness and cold. Mattias Daldborg from Garmin wanted us to make a film about the Garmin Forerunner 910XT, an advanced GPS-enabled watch for multi sport practitioners. The film would focus on how the watch can increase motivation for cross country skiers, especially by using the Virtual Racer function (data about your earlier efforts that you can compete against).

In order to depict the growing motivation, we tried various ways of gradually increasing the film’s intensity. The Virtual racer is portrayed by a shadow version of the skier himself. In addition to the skier approaching and finally passing his shadow, we tried to enhance the drama with metaphorical means. The skier is traveling from darkness to light and from coldness to warmth. Even the sound makes a dramatic journey, the music grows from ambience, bass and drums to a richer piece of music.

Kristian Söderström, director, “We wanted to create the presence of physical exercise using both image and sound. An example of this is that we created music from the skier’s breath. The sound of breathing is there as a beat that comes and goes. ”

Garmin Winter Training was produced by Edithouse Film Works in January 2012 commissioned by Garmin.

ACTIVE LEISURE

Since the new V40 is packed with features, we wanted to film it in the real life situations where it’s supposed to operate. In situations that potential customers can relate to. We depicted this by creating the character Jim whose daily routines like work, visit to the gym and socializing with his acquaintance gets woven together with the presentation of the V40s functionality. We wanted to home in on what Volvo as a brand stands for. The’re offering cars that promote active leisure.

The film was awarded at the World Media Festival 2013.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in april 2012. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in february 2013. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars.

It’s not every day that Volvo release a new car. It’s clearly an event when it happens. Therefore, we were especially pleased when we were asked to produce the first movie about the new V40.

The film’s purpose was to present the car visually as an introduction when it’s unveiled to the public for the first time in Geneva 2012. Reveal films is a genre in itself. It’s about evoking as much interest as possible. You want to highlight some angles and features that the maker is particularly proud of. The car has to be shown in it’s best light.

Since the car for reasons of confidentiality must not be driven outside prior to the unveiling, the filming takes place in a studio environment. In these circumstances you’re usually limited to a stationary car in a room. The Challenge therefore lies in making something small and confined look bigger. It’s very much about style, lighting and editing. It’s movie magic.

Volvo V40 was produced by Edithouse Film Works in February 2012 on behalf of A + A.

To show cars on a motor show has its challenges. It's al about creating curiosity and catch everyone's attention. Making a suggestive exciting countdown is always a good start. 

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in april 2012. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars.

EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

Edithouse is used to producing films in the international arena and also to deal with odd situations. We have shoot cars in the land of Lord of the rings and negotiated with the Chilean Air Force. This time we were asked to go to Japan to make a film about UD Trucks biggest international launch ever, the truck called Quester. When working in different cultures it’s important to be prepared for unexpected situations. Our motto is: Expect the unexpected.

Odaiba Beach, Imperial Palace, Meguro River and Mount Fuji was some of the amazing places we visited during our two week shoot. Tokyo is a beautiful city, especially when the cherry blossoms fall and settles like a pink carpet on the ground.

We thank Valentin and Byhr for this assignment. To put it in Japanese: ビッグ は, この 旅行 の ため に ありがとう ござい ます This means: A big thank you for this trip.

 Produced by Edithouse Film Works in may 2013. Commissioned by Valentin & Byhr for UD Trucks.

TOUCH OR BECOME INVOLVED

As society becomes more and more dependent on technology. As communication via android phones and social media is becoming more common than physical interaction. One can speculate whether this leads to a kind of dehumanization.

With Sensus Connected Touch you can, no matter where you are, with a simple gesture of a finger, send a picture to Grandma or share a song with someone. With this film we wanted to highlight that a system like this is not just about the technical / literal touch, but also about the possibility of touching peoples emotions, human touch.

 Produced by Edithouse Film Works in december 2012 for Volvo Cars.

The most important thing when filming cars is to mirror light in the paintwork. Grey weather makes the car look lifeless. We were asked to film the Volvo V50 in Copenhagen in October, a month with very few hours of sun. The challenge then became to create our own “sun”.

We built mirrors, one meter in height, with handles to be able to angle them to the right position. These mirrors made it possible to transport and aim the light in our preferred direction. This gave us sunny and warm images, despite the fact that it was raining half the shoot. Now the film is running as a commercial on TV, produced by Forsman and Bodenfors.

Volvo V50 were shot and produced by Edithouse Film Works in October 2010, commissioned by SCP

A well kept secret.

Volvo Concept Universe is the new concept car produced by Volvo. It has been a well kept secret. Before the 19th of april 03.15 am, CET, not even one picture had leaked out to the press. At this hour the car was revealed in the great car room in Shanghai. Edithouse was hired to produce a number of films for this special occasion.

Meetings with Volvos design team led us into a world of solar systems, light and luxury, a world from which Volvo Concept Universe is sprung. With the help of computer animation we placed the car in a universe of design rather than on actual roads. During two days of shooting inside a studio, we created a world of diamonds, light, ice and structures of cloth. We were inspired to produce a film that represented the philosophy of the car as closely as possible: the universe and it’s origins.

Niclas Bergman, director 

”-The feeling of premium that Volvo wanted to communicate with Volvo Concept Universe called for something unusual. To get close to the textures and to illustrate the luxury we placed in front of the camera we decided to work with a high speed camera, phantom, which can expose up to one thousand pictures per second. This creates an extreme slowmotion effect and becomes a study of details. This was time consuming, but it was time well spent. The meeting between design concepts and practical performance have resulted in a film with a personal voice. We are communicating premium in a new universe, the future universe of Volvo.”.

A white stripped-down studio environment is used for presenting the new XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept. 

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in december 2011. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars.

When a new car is presented at an International Motor Show, there is a traditional presentation structure. A countdown loop will usually start the event. This is followed by a reveal video where you see a first glimpse of the car. Then the car itself is revealed in front of the audience and the company CEO talks about it’s features.

This time we felt like doing something new. So we made two movies. We made one film that was shown before the unveiling of the car, landing in the question “What would be the perfect car?”. Then, instead of letting the CEO talk about the car’s features, we did a film showing this. A movie that explains why the XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept is the perfect car.

XC60 Plug-in Hybrid Concept was produced by Edithouse Filmworks in januari 2012 commissioned by A+A

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in september 2012 for Volvo Trucks.

When the chlorophyll is working it’s magic nature gets painted in accent colours. It therefore felt like a challenge to create the feeling of summer in the middle of grey Swedish winter.

Erik Eger, Director: ”As a director I get inspired when spending time in the environment I’m supposed to visualize.”

To enable that kind of creative basis visits to warm environments were made, such as hothouses and the rain forest room in Universeum.

Erik Eger: ”When you dwell in 20 degrees, you awaken connections and images that usually stay buried during winter. The more senses involved, the stronger the inspiration.”

The creative result of the green study visits later functioned as a map for the film crew when building a summer paradise on a sound stage. With the cooperation of  Blomsterlandets’ gardeners and along with careful lightning you could almost smell the scent of summer.

As a production company with 15 years in the business we have learned to choose film locations with care. Sometimes finding a perfect location just isn’t enough. When Resia wanted to front that they fly to destinations all over the globe, we needed at least three locations with altogether different characteristics to get the message through.  The choice fell on Cape Town South Africa. There you can find a broad range of scenery which gives you many possibilities when staging a situation for the camera. With a half hour drive between every location we built New York, Marrakech and Saint Tropez.  Africas’ southernmost town is the world in a little box.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in april 2013 commissioned by A+A for Volvo Trucks.

Valentin and Byhr asked us to update a commercial for Pågens new sourdough bread.

No matter the size of a production, Edithouse always put a lot of focus into pre-production. To visit the set and to pre visualize are key antics of a solid planning. Our directors often use their 3D knowledge to build up the forth coming film shoot in the computer. If you know the advantages and limitations of the set, it’s geography, one can already at the writing desk decide which lenses to use and so on. When sufficiently prepared you also have the possibility to be spontaneous during shooting, if you should find a better solution then the one already planed. 

The difference between knowing and assuming can determine a film's success or failure. Doing mistakes is totally alright, but it’s better doing them before the actual film shoot. 

 Produced by Edithouse Film Works in april 2013. Commissioned by Valentin & Byhr.

Realistic design

Design Movies are a well proven genre. In search of a new angle, we spotted a typical cliché in these films. The designer often is portrayed in an exclusive way. The Profession's constitutions, beyond artistic sketches on paper, remains a mystery. We therefore decided to try and clarify the role of the designer, or at least show that there is a human being and a real job behind the upscale facade. We selected narrative techniques that would establish a more reality-based tone. Three main designers were talking about the trucks' design philosophy. A product designer told about every trucks new features and also was filmed during field studies in environments where the trucks operate.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in april 2013. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Trucks.

Skanska celebrates it’s 125:th anniversary this year. They were looking for someone who could capture their spirit on film. For those of you who didn’t know it, that’s what we do at Edithouse. Forsman & Bodenfors gave us the confidence, resources and the challenge to make a complex film, by corporate movie standards.

To depict a business that has deep roots which grow towards the future, a timeless and safe operation, we felt that a sense of unbroken time would serve the story. Since this was a dialogue driven film, a feeling of real time could put the actress narrative in focus without distraction from cutting.

With the above aesthetics as a template, we created image transitions that move the actress from place to place while hiding the cuts. We move effortlessly between Skanska environments on different continents. This was made possible by Green screen technology and 3D graphics, in collaboration with the team at Haymaker.

We want to thank Forsman & Bodenfors for their cooperation. We want to thank Skanska, who dared to stick their neck out in order to make a corporate film that breaks the template.

The film about Skanska was produced by Edithouse Film Works in April 2012 commissioned by Forsman & Bodenfors.

You can watch the film on Skanska´s homepage, www.skanska.com

The Idea was to make the Liseberg bunny fall from high above and land safely on a package of Edet Soft.

Andreas, 3D artist at Edithouse, tells the story:

“To enhance the feeling of the fall we wanted the wind to make waves in the rabbits’ west and bow tie, but also in his ears, tongue and cheeks. We also added clouds that rushed past to enhance the feeling of speed. It was great fun to animate such a lively character.”

It became a happy and lovely little film. Take a look!

The Liseberg bunny was produced by Edithouse Film Works in June 2011 commissioned by Valentin & Byhr.

We have filmed many fast running cars. But never have we seen two buses running a few centimeters from the fencing with screeching tires. It was cool to see them push speeds you never thought possible for such large vehicles. We want to thank Patrick and Mike, two drivers with nerves of steel.

The assignment was to make a film about Volvo’s new Hybrid. Valentin & Byhr had a cool idea to put an ordinary bus at an unusual location. This gave us a fun opportunity to dramatize the different features of the bus. We shot the film on the Banana Pier in Gothenburg, using their go-cart track as location. Check out the movie!

Volvo Farathon was produced by Edithouse Film Works in September 2011 commissioned by Valentin & Byhr.

Ringhals is Scandinavia’s biggest producer of electricity. Ten years ago Ringhals built an informational center in order to cope with all their tourists. They started an interactive exhibition with fun activities like making electricity and building your own nuclear power plant. They also built a gigantic movie theater and Edithouse were commissioned to produce a film introducing the power plant, a film which were to be seen by over 130 000 people.

Tobias Garsell, director  ”It’s fun that our film has lasted 10 years, but it’s even more fun that we got to make another one.”

This year we got the chance to make a new film which were shot at the Museum of Bohuslän. The film can only be seen in Ringhals movie theater so we recommend you all to go there.

Sigvald Hallberg, from Ringhals informational unit “To produce a film that in an accessible and exciting way explains how a nuclear power plant works was a big challenge. But it came out great and everyone is welcome to come and watch the film at our venue”

The Ringhals film was produced by Edithouse Film Works in June 2011 commissioned by Ringhals.

It’s said that it takes 30 seconds to create an opinion of someone. The same can be said about film. You have to create a good foundation for your storytelling. To start off with tons of information will quickly bore the audience. Still this is constantly seen in many corporate films.

With the above said, we’re very proud and happy for the commission by Volvo Group. We were asked to create a film that awakens curiosity and lust before the work of Volvo Group. The film were meant to be used both as a commercial and to recruit new personnel. It was more important to convey a cozy tone of voice then to report the range of products.

Niclas Bergman, director “It’s about saying hello in a nice way, a nice first handshake. Many companies doesn’t even reach out their hands”

To make the film more personal we created a graphic mannerism based on converting illustrations to 3D. The style of the drawings gave warmth and a playful tone that would have been hard to mimic in real life. This style of filmmaking also helped us to show Volvo Groups global presence without having to fly around the world.

A big thanks goes out to Carl Flint for his fine illustrations and to Alex Hansson and Daniel Tegeland that made the drawings come to life in such a fantastic way. Thank you also to Unne Liljeblad who composed the music.

The film can be seen many times and perceived in different ways according to what you choose to focus on. The story of Volvo Group is told with a big dose of imagination and ingenuity, but you don’t have to take in all the details to understand the message. The film is foremost thought to awaken positive feelings before Volvo Group. It’s aiming for your gut, not for your head. Decide for yourself…

The film about Volvo Group was produced by Edithouse Film Works in september 2011 commissioned by Volvo Group.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in july 2011 commissioned by Valentin & Byhr for Siba.

A car launch goes social. 

The social media took over the big screen in Geneva. For the first time, it was now possible to communicate live with the exhibition stand from both Twitter and Facebook.  

 Produced by Edithouse Film Works in february 2012 commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars.

It’s with no small amount of pride that we today release the launch film for the new R-Design versions of the Volvo S60 and V60. Shot on RED in Italy and Switzerland during a couple of hectic but fun days. We’d like to thank our clients and the people involved in the project.

The R-Design versions of the Volvo S60 and V60 comes with an even more improved chassie: A strut brace gives the car more direct steering feel, it has monotube damping at the rear, shorter and stiffer springs, even firmer bushings and the new Corner Traction Control system provides even smoother progress in curves.

This video is shot in northern Italy and Switzerland with a Red camera.

Volvo R-design was produced by Edithouse Film Works in june 2010 commissioned by A+A and SCP.

Monaco is a gathering place for the international elite. 

That is why Monaco became our destination when Volvo S80 Facelift was introduced in 2009. A place where the car's elegant design was reflected in the luxurious environment. With the feeling of "Film Noir" we got the premium sense that did the car justice. 

“We were about to shoot Running footage of the new Volvo S80 in Monaco,” says Niclas Bergman. Volvo has previously expressed its approval of the RED camera, partly because you can shoot high-speed, and get an incredible quality. So I wanted to use it in Monaco.

When you shoot high-speed with the RED camera, and crank it down to the correct speed you will get … it is difficult to describe in words, but … still images that moves. Crunchiness, color and depth, that you normally find on a slide, although it is moving images. So, we’ve used the RED a lot. But before Monaco, it has been under calm, controlled conditions. To film a secret car in Monaco is anything but calm. …

Running Footage is, simply put, a car driving on a road. But to get variation in the pictures you’re shooting from helicopters, from a platform on a camera car, from a tripod - in short, filming is anything but calm. Would RED camera ready skaket on the platform at 80 km / h on the roads of France and Monaco?

We arrived in France 10th November. You normally have a “weather-day”, ie you can skip a day if it should rain. This was the opposite, we had one sunny day … The worst storm in living memory came from Italy to Spain. The Riviera was without electricity for several days because of the rain. But the RED camera survived it all. So we had to be creative on the spot; we started to film the raindrops in high-speed, which actually turned out nice, and we used it in the final production.

RED camera is hard disk-based. And here it was, well, a big minus for the RED camera. The helicopter generates vibrations that made the hard drives skip and generate errors. So we used flash cards in the camera instead. The disadvantage of flash cards is that they hold so little information. So we had to change cards very often. You hang the camera diagonally, in a helicopter with an open door, above the sea in France, so it is important to not drop the little card when one is handing it to the photographer …

 Produced by Edithouse Film Works in october 2008 commissioned by SCP for Volvo Cars.

This car possess qualities that you previously needed three different cars to get. It feels like a confident car. We therefore choose to present the V60 plug in hybrid with a 7 meter wide installation film. We used  a technique similar to a hologram.

With a simple touch of a button you can choose from three profiles. V60 plug-in hybrid can be an electric vehicle that runs without exhaust emissions, or a high-performance muscle machine that develops 215 +70 horsepowers and a torque of 440 +200 Nm. Last but not least you can let the electric- and gas engine work together and result in carbon emissions of 0.49 grams / kilometer.

Film is at it’s best when it is direct, when it evoks emotions. According to this philosophy we tried to translate the cars advanced technology to more straight forward visuals. We decided to create strong expressions around three characteristics: purity, potency and cooperation. The final expression became a staging of emotional metaphors.

V60 plug-in hybrid was produced by Edithouse Film Works in March 2012 commissioned by SCP

When preparing a commercial for Edet 50 ideas, regarding what kids can dream up in a bathroom, where laid on the table. These ideas were inspired by the directors’ own experience along with dialogs with kids and parents. The ideas with the biggest visual impact where choosen.

Erik Eger, director: ”Kids never let their imagination get tied up by the environment they’re in. The more complicated a situation, the more genial the solution. Kids are a constant source of inspiration.”

The hardest objects to control when making a film are kids and animals. Since this film had only kids and no adults in it’s cast there was commenced a cooperation with an experienced child cinematographer, Pia Ulin. Everyone was very pleased with the production which became the small adventure that you can see beside this text.

Edet was produced by Edithouse Film Works in September 2010 commissioned by Valentin & Byhr.

Music specially composed and performed by Timo Räisänen in combination with Göteborg Energi gave a powerful performance. The TV ad took second place in the December/January “Film of the Month” in the ad agency business magazine Resumé. 

 ”Strengthening Brand advertising when it is really, really good. Sympathetic, convincing and harmonious, just right for Gothenburg Energy in these times” were some of the comments that the jury said about the film.

With Magnus Tengby, CD, at the lead, the ad agency Valentin & Byhr wanted to make a feel good film with Gothenburg as a starting point. We at Edithouse captured the magical feeling with director Erik Eger.

Göteborgs Energi was produced by Edithouse Film Works in November 2010 commissioned by Valentin & Byhr.

At the Geneva International Motor Show, the CEO of Volvo Cars, Stephen Odell declared on the press conference the following things about the all new Volvo S60:

“- The most dynamic Volvo ever”

“- Without compromises”

“- Every single detail is in total harmony”

Edithouse was asked to create all the films on display before, during and after the reveal of the car and the following press conference. Together with Michael Matson at A+A, Edithouse came up with the concept of Genesis.

“We drew a parallel with genesis and how the new Volvo S60 evolved from nothing to end up being one of the most advanced, fun to drive and safe Volvo ever created.” says Niclas Bergman, project director. We spent 2 days on set taking all the angles and shots we needed according to the storyboard.

The big difference on this project was that we had intentionally made room in the schedule for improvisation. Trying new, more aggressive angles, playing with lenses and light. Almost everything we did during this exercise ended up in the final film.

Besides the main screen that measured approximately 10*5 meters we also delivered material to 6 smaller screens that matched the main screen.

The concept of Genesis was produced by Edithouse Film Works in February 2010 commissioned by A+A.

See the movie!

Edithouse along with Valentin & Byhr have produced the first commercial for Saab’s brand new 9-4X. A car reaching for the American market that also complements Saab’s line with a crossover. The film has spawned positive reactions and states a good example of how a film can create headlines and inspire both press and customers. Read more below…

Teknikens Värld

”Alongside the world premiere Saab has released the official car commercial, a one minute film that will grace our TV screens shortly. As usual when it comes to Saab’s commercial work it is esthetically very handsome, clean and scandinavian. Saab has found an advertising agency that makes it stick out without making it over the top. Though I’m not a Saab fanatic I must say that it is a very good looking production. Now take a look at the film below and send a comment, but above all, send a comment about this car taking on the roads for the first time.”

Teknikens Värld

Saab 9-4X was produced by Edithouse Film Works in november 2010 commissioned by Valentin & Byhr.

As the sun rose Friday, November 5, Edithouse wrapped on Karlsborg 3D – an adventure film set in the 19th century, and completely shot in 3D. It is one of the first films of its kind made in Sweden. The technology, which one might primarily associate with films such as Avatar and Toy Story 3, is still under development and requires a slightly different approach.

Jan-Olof Fritze, producer at Big 5, came to Edithouse and wanted help with making a thrilling stereoscopic adventure film.

“When we first looked at the project we were a little hesitant,” says Tobias Garsell, director of the project. “In no way because the film itself – to make a movie about stolen gold, and villains and heroes, in a castle environment, is a pure pleasure – but rather because we did a stereoscopic film 5-6 years ago and it wasn’t entirely easy … to say the least. Now we had to make an action-packed adventure film that placed high demands on imagery, pace and mobility. Especially the last bit was a bit of a concern. Fortunately, technology has matured a lot since last time. ”

For the shoot to run smoothly it was essential that the team had full control of the stereo depth right on location, without putting restrictions on mobility. A variety of systems have appeared on market just over the last year. Several solutions were tested and weighted against each other.

“We spent a lot of time in pre-production planning and making sure we had the best technical solution for this very shoot, “Tobias continued. “Working with stereoscopic images involves a whole new way of thinking when making movies. A host of exciting pitfalls. Many of the tricks you rely on in normal cases just do not work anymore. It was back to school again. Then we upped the ante by having darkness, rain, fire, and narrow tunnels. That restricted our options. We were lucky enough to have Geoff Boyle, one of the sharpest minds on stereoscopic film walking this planet, to become interested in the project. He was with us both during the preproduction as well as on set. A vast source of knowledge ”

Logistically it was a big change as well. Malin Alevåg, Project Manager for the film: “One tend to forget that stereoscopic actually means double the number of cameras on set – which in turn means double the size, the necessity for completely identical lenses, customized equipment, and not least double the weight for poor photographer to carry. It also means a larger team to manage everything else. Luckily, we were really prepared and everything went well. Acid test is over, Edit House stands ready to tackle the next 3-D movie. ”

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in february 2011. Commissioned by Big 5.

Sleek, innovative and exceptionally efficient: the Saab PhoeniX concept car showcases design features and technologies which will shape the next generation of cars from Saab.

Based on an new architecture which will empower the next Saab 9-3 model, the PhoeniX introduces ‘aeromotional’ design: a visual evocation of the aerodynamic design principles and passion for innovation that inspired the creators of Saab’s first car, the iconic “Original Saab”.

The PhoeniX embraces teardrop, ‘liquid metal’ forms and a dramatic jet canopy-inspired glasshouse that gives fresh expression to Saab’s signature ‘wraparound’ and translucent ice-block design themes.The clean, muscular shape enables an exceptionally low drag co-efficient of just 0.25 and also explores the potential for airflow management through the use of distinctive, side-mounted ‘winglets’.

Butterfly opening doors give easy access to a 2+2 cabin that blends simplicity with technology. It has a minimalist, ‘stripped out’ feel, including a new expression of Saab’s driver-focused layout and a world debut for Saab’s innovative IQon infotainment and communications system. In true Saab tradition, there is also a surprisingly versatile cargo deck.

Saab PhoeniX was produced by Edithouse Film Works in February 2011 commissioned by Valentin & Byhr.

How do you visualize a visualization, in this case, the Volvo S60 Concept? The PR department at Volvo Cars addressed A+A, who sought the assistance of Edithouse Communication. Time and place were known: the Motor Show in Detroit, 2009. The concept was of course a known factor. As was for the film to create buzz.

Niclas Bergman:
– Looking at it in retrospect it’s mission accomplished.  I checked how bloggers and journalists, and their commentators, responded to the campaign, and it’s clear that the S60 Concept has been very well recieved all over the world. Checking the number of downloads, it’s 50,000. In addition many pepole are publishing the film on their own sites. We carried through a comparison to the Audi A7 Concept, and were happy to find Volvo getting more air space than Audi. That’s how we work at Edithouse, we don’t just ”scatter” a film, we want to measure its effect as well. What did it achieve? It’s all about initiating a conversation with the target groups, not just talk but listen too.

New and innovative methods are needed. The automotive business is going through some rough times. It’s even rougher if you want to do something new in the automotive film sphere. Very much has already been done. The viewers must have a sense of reality, even if concept cars are just that: concepts, not actual cars that drive around in the streets. The challenge was a contradictory one:

– We couldn’t show too much of the car, it couldn’t be driven outdoors – but nevertheless the viewer should have a feeling of reality and speed, Tobias Garsell says, director at Edithouse. And time was tight. The solution was to put the concept car in a big hall with large LED monitors placed around the car. These were later to mediate a sense of environment and speed. Then we started shooting. All of the film is shot with our RED camera. It has an unbelievable resolution and the result is very filmlike. But with all the advantages of the digital format. We normally have a lot of work to do afterwards, compositing. Using large monitors with vivid graphics, we did most of the work and the effects straight into the camera. Steve Mattin, head of design at Volvo Cars, whispered – half seriously, half jokingly, that I would pay with my life if I ruined the concept car or if pictures came out before Volvo had given permission. I’m still alive.

Michael Grennard, creative director at A+A:

We used to address the media, but the internet has opened up for a larger audience. The films have been used to enhance the experience around the press conference. Now they are used before and after the event, as well. This means a lot more people are reached by the message.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in december 2008. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars.

This time we took a different approach. Instead of using a lot of energy and rock´n roll we decided to go the opposite way. With soft expressions in both music and music, light and form, this became the S60 first footage. 

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in february 2010. Commissioned by A+A for Volvo Cars.

Volvo Group can offer working hybrid engines, the best solution on the market. This was the stand point of Volvo Trucks during the ”IAA Commercial Vehicles” show in Hannover 2008. On that note three editions of a film, “Hybrid promise”, was produced: one for Volvo Group, one for Volvo Buses, and one for Volvo Trucks.

Helena Strandlund Selander works as market communicator at Volvo Trucks: We wanted to show that we have a working alternative, i.e that we’re past the theoretical stage. We have a good future technology, available today. To emphasize that message we thought it important to include comments from the clients that are part of our field tests. Through our clients we could show that the technology works. In the film we have statements from  Christian Baarlid, CEO Renova Recycling Company and Dominique Masson, Vice President of Communications, Veoila.

Pretty early on we included Volvo Buses and Volvo Group in the film. The technology is shared between several companies within the group; all the more reason to show that Volvo Group as a whole is striving towards a better environment. Having Leif Johansson, CEO & President of Volvo Group, participating in the film adds weight to the message as well, as he is a well known face within the industry.

Visually we wanted to show something new, dare to be emotional and not just talk technology. At first Volvo Group was somewhat skeptical when they saw the storyboards, since the film doesn’t comply to our ordinary visual language, but that changed during the production and they now think the film is amazing. Veolia, who also participated in the film, used it during the biggest environmental exhibition in Europe, Pollutec. On our end we’ve used it on the web, trade shows and as mood setter at a number of client events.

Thomas Lundqvist, CEO of market communications, Volvo Buses: We shared booth with Volvo Trucks in Hannover, and we have some common clients, like Veolia. We as well wanted to show that Volvo Buses can deliver a working hybrid solution, today. Therefore it’s of great value that the clients make comments and certifications in the film.

The visual language should reflect a new line of thinking, and the film does that. It provided the right feeling of “now we’re here”. The first spontaneous reaction, at a closed screening before the show, was “cool!”

Volvo Group producing a film in three editions, also speaks for the combined strength that exists within the group.

Tobias Garsell, who directed the films: We wanted to stress the enthusiasm and commitment that Volvo Group, Buses, and Trucks have when it comes to develop new technologies. Let the film act as a cross platform for the group. Shift the focus from technology to emotions, the innovations and inspiration. It’s important to broadcast that hybrid technology exists today. The environment is a priority and one of the most important current social issues.

Produced by Edithouse Film Works in september 2008 for Volvo Trucks.

Accessory films for cars have traditionally focused on the technical side of things, and not as much on what it can do for the user. Edithouse was commisioned by SCP to produce 3 films that show some of Volvo cars accessories in a slightly different way.

“Marie Hernmarck at SCP contacted us and wanted us to do 3 films that had a more enjoyable and up-beat tone than is usually found in these types of films, “says Tobias Garsell, director at edithouse. “She had an idea involving more speed and excitement and joy. Child safety, Rear seat entertainment, and a Cargo System was on the table. To our disposal we had an arsenal of bags in every shape and color, a gaggle of children in numerous attires, and a horse, that had to go into the car - sometimes all at the same time. An interesting shoot in every sense of the word. ”

John Tunell, editor at edithouse continues: “There was a bit of puzzle solving to be done in post-production, especially with Child safety film. The idea was that people and events should constantly change places in the car, which resulted in some interesting problems during editing. Also, the “car” that was filmed was basically nothing more than the seats they sat in, so the rest of the car we had to add in post. Not quite as easy as it sounds but it came out looking great, and the client was more than happy. ”

 Produced by Edithouse Film Works in juni 2009 commissioned by SCP for Volvo Cars.