Of all the scripts I've written over the years, the Museum of Procrastination is still one of my favorites. I remember scribbling it down on a Saturday afternoon next to a pool in Dubai - seeing it go live 6 months later without any major changes was special and a testament to the bond of trust and respect between client and agency. Especially because it represented a bold break with the slice of life storytelling that HSBC had been known for, for so many years.
After having been part of the team that developed HSBC's global brand idea of 'Supporting Human Ambition' in 2014, this film kicked off the new global campaign in 2015. It was selected by our client after a long process of campaign development that involved contributions from JWT offices in London, Toronto, Hong Kong, Buenos Aires and Dubai.
I shot the film with Scandinavian directors collective Traktor in Bucharest and there's just so much to love about it; the magical art direction, the character of the museum guide (Eric Ebouaney, a French actor), the storytelling. But what's truly special is how audiences connected with the film's deeper meaning.
Straight after it got aired in-flight with British Airways and Emirates and in cinemas in the UK, it sparked conversations about untapped potential between people ranging from life coaches in Nigeria to rabbis in the US. Without media push the film racked up over 700,000 views on the HSBC UK YouTube channel and over 2,5 million views, 1000s of Likes and 100s of Shares on the HSBC UK Facebook page. More than just advertising a brand, the film was adding something meaningful to people's lives.
Check out the original moving storyboard.
The original set designs and how they came to life.
We did casting for the guide in Italy, France, Germany, Denmark and the UK. These candidates for the guide and the girl didn't make the cut.
Traktor director Ole, French actor Eric Ebouaney and English actress Catherine Steadman behind the scenes.
Watch one of the first edits - without CGI plus with 1 extra scene (notice the voice of the guide...).
From www.vimeo.com/rattlingstick
From www.petiteapprentice.blogspot.ae
