While editing on location is becoming increasingly common, a recent collaboration for Johnnie Walker between Director Michael Geoghegan (The Pink Film Company) and Cut + Run Editor Leo King involved anything but; Veiled in secrecy, the shoot took the director and editor to a military aircraft carrier in an undisclosed location. King and his assistant Ben Campbell set up the ultimate mobile editing suite (a folding table with laptops) and, adorned with hardhats, cut the heart-pumping spot.

In the commercial “Dogfight,” Johnnie Walker announces their proud sponsorship of Team McLaren Mercedes and takes its viewers to new heights. Sophisticated and intense, the footage starts up in the air, where sleek-looking fighter jets zoom through the sky at high speeds against a setting sun. The plane then lands on an aircraft carrier and transforms into a Formula 1 car racing along the jetway and executing a 360-degree spin before stopping near the middle of the ship. “In a dog fight, a pilot experiences up to five Gs for over one minute. An F1 driver experiences up to five Gs for over one hour.” The scene then slows to a dreamy glide as F1 superstar Kimi Raikkonen gets out of the racecar, takes off his helmet, and “keeps walking” past his admirers.

Credits:

Agency: BBH
Creatives: Adi Berkinshaw & Paul Yull
Producer: Lucy Russell
Production Company: The Pink Film Company
Director: Michael Geoghegan
DP: Bruno Delbonnel
Editorial Company: Cut + Run/London
Editor: Leo King
Assistant: Ben Campbell
VFX: Lola
VFX Artist: Rob Harvey