Progress is unstoppable: Formula E releases provocative new film created by Uncommon

Progress is unstoppable: Formula E releases provocative new film created by Uncommon

Formula E is committed to creating thrilling racing on track and positive impact off it.

Independently ranked as the most sustainable sport in the world by the Global Sustainability Benchmark in Sports (GSBS), Formula E continues to push the boundaries of innovation in motorsport and set new standards in elite sport.

Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship is shaping up to be the most exciting and successful to date with the debut of the GEN3 — the fastest, lightest, most powerful and efficient electric race car ever built; racing in new host cities of Cape Town, Hyderabad, São Paulo and Portland; and new teams joining the grid including Maserati, McLaren and ABT.

The film opens on a white bird fluttering around a cage.

We then cut abruptly to a driver sitting and waiting patiently on a bench with focus and determination in his eyes. The driver moves with a cool conviction to the driver’s seat of his GEN3 car as we start to see his surroundings revealing themselves as the inside of a plane. As the huge cargo doors open, the piercing light of the sky pours in, leaving the audience with one question; is he really going to do what we think he is?

The driver accelerates out of the back of the plane with fierce determination — the shrill of the electric motor cutting through our suspense. We see the driver pushing himself, his car and the sport to the limit as the car plummets towards the earth with conviction and grace; an image of extraordinary power against a backdrop of blue skies.

As the action builds with the velocity of the car reaching its peak, our driver ejects himself to parachute to safety. We follow the car as it continues to cut through the air, the camera focusing on the technical and artistic engineering as it accelerates faster and faster, closer and closer to the ground before, at the last moment we cut back to our caged birds set free and the title ‘Progress is unstoppable’.

The two-minute film leads a number of different assets, all adapted to power a variety of digital and above the line channels.

From the hero film there are three distinct versions with narratives that speak to Formula E’s distinctive audience interests: human drama, attitude of racing and innovation of the car. The films will run through the remainder of the Formula E season as part of the integrated ‘Progress is Unstoppable’ campaign.

The suite of films will run across multiple media touch points including digital, social and BVOD channels in the UK, India and other global markets. The campaign will continue through the remainder of Season 9 — the next race being the Berlin E-Prix on the 22nd/23rd April.’

Henry Chilcott, CMO at Formula E: “Six races into Season 9 and the debut of the all new GEN3 race car, we’re fast building a reputation for delivering the most thrilling motor racing on the planet. For our third campaign with Uncommon we wanted to create something as uncompromising, unpredictable and exciting as our racing. ‘Progress is unstoppable’ is both a bold act and an attitude, designed to show the disruptive power of our sport and fight for the attention of new fans with something they’ll never have seen before.”

Nils Leonard, co-founder at Uncommon added: “This film is the story of Formula E’s journey and unrelenting progress forward told through the Gen3 car and its fearless drivers. The story of an ambition to progress completely set free.

We wanted to make something unlike anything made in racing before. The goal was something that would move you whether you were into motorsports or not. Something dangerous and beautiful. A kind of dance you can’t take your eyes off.”

Credits

CREDITS  Client: Formula E
Chief Marketing Officer: Henry Chilcott
Marketing Director: Alex Aidan
Sr Marketing Manager: Catherine McCartan
Marketing Executive: Catherine Woodruff
Creative Studio: Uncommon Creative Studio
Production Company: Uncommon Creative Studio
Director: Sam Walker
Producer: Ewen Brown
DOP: Joost Van Gelder
Service Company: Patriot films
1st AD: Nick Laurentz
Stunt Co Ordinator: Leander Lacey
Helicopter Pilot: Skip Margetts
Special effects supervisor: Kobus Verhoe
Post Production: Rascal Post
VFX Supervisor and 2D Lead: Andrew “Barnsley” Wood
Head of Production and VFX Producer: James Beck
3D Lead: Adam Ahlgren
Colour: James Bamford
Colour Producer: Jai Durban
Editing: Trim
Editor: Paul Hardcastle
Assist: Josh Mannox
Producer: Polly Kemp
Socials: Joey Henshaw
Sound: King Lear
Sound design: Jack Sedgwick
Sound Engineers: Dugal Macdiarmid / Ned Sisson
Producer: Suzy Macgregor
Media Strategy and Planning: Craft Media
Media Buying: Guerillascope and Fifty

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