Challenge
We were tasked with shooting a commercial announcing the launch of a new Star Wars themed Coca-Cola product sold exclusively in the new Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge land in Disneyland. Our backdrop, the new land, was not yet open to the public, so we had to navigate the location (a working construction site) with maximum safety, minimal footprint and secrecy, while achieving the look and feel of a large budget Star Wars feature film. And finally, we had to work efficiently: the location provided only a two-hour window for production.
“Do. Or do not. There is no try.”
- Yoda, The Empire Strikes Back
Approach
Using a simple concept to highlight the new product, we worked closely with Disneyland as well as Coca-Cola and Lucasfilm to navigate the complexities of IP and stay true to the Star Wars universe. The first time we could see the location or plan lighting, camera moves and blocking would be the moment we walk onto the location to film. We sourced a custom built, one of a kind, set of cinema lenses built for "Solo: A Star Wars Story" and paired it with the same camera package. Putting the camera on a stabilizer and creating a lighting system enabled us to keep the crew size down, move quickly, and ultimately, stay flexible to serve the creative needs on this dynamic set.
