Happy Holidays from RAM and Jeep!

Goodness, this is a very busy holiday season! Especially thanks to the latest RAM and Jeep spots shot by Klaus Obermeyer in snowy Aspen, which makes me want to grab a mug of marshmellowy hot chocolate and cuddle up a Labrador under a sparkly tree every time I watch them! 

Watch the RAM and Jeep spots and then I'll tell you how we did them. It's okay, I'll wait....

Welcome back! To answer the first question about the RAM spot that is on your mind: "Did they really build that house and is the last shot actually the house, completely finished?"  Answer: "Yes and yes!"

Both of these spots would not exist if we didn't have the Aero Jet. We were awarded both spots on a Friday and had a week to complete the shoot.  So Saturday morning, Klaus (Director), Lance O'Connor (EP), Michael Hartog (VFX Supervisor) and Greg Blair (Production Designer) all hopped on the Aero Jet in Santa Monica, CA, and were in Colorado Springs a few hours later hard at work prepping the shoot in Aspen.

We bought the house that is built in the RAM spot in Colorado Springs (as a kit) and then hauled the wood to Aspen. At that point we had 3 days to cast the spot, permit and source it and then the last 2 days to shoot and build the house. No small task, this! Plus we had to plant a tree for the opening shot, which is still living on the mountain, by the way. It's nice little reminder that Aero and RAM were there.

(Sadly, the house had to be taken down... but for 2 days, we could say we owned a house in Aspen, Colorado!)

Now, moving onto the Jeep spot!

To answer the next question on your mind: "Will that Jeep Christmas tree fit in my house?" 

Answer: "No, no it won't. But if you have your own mountain, go for it!"

Again, thanks to the Aero Jet, we were able to make Aspen our studio. Permits, locations all fell together and we got a beautiful commercial.

Aero’s in-house post division completed the editorial with editor Alex Hagon. We’re doing more and more soup to nuts these days which is fantastic not just for the creative, but for maximizing production budgets. Austin Smithard is in production now on a spot he’s directing and editing with Sam O’Hare as the VFX supervisor. The Aero Studios VFX team in NY is doing all the compositing and photo-real set extensions for this tour de force. Think Elizabeth: The Golden Age meets 300. I can’t tell you more about that now or I’ll be shot (or at least given a dirty look and a harsh email…) So you’ll have to stay tuned!

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CREDITS:

Client: Chrysler

Agency: Doner

Chuck Meehan, EVP Exec Creative Director
Sam Sefton, SVP, Creative Director
Jaime Perry, Associate Creative Director
Bruna Carmargo, Copywriter
Sarah Bills, Art Director
Brian Dooley, Head of Production
Diana Eagleson, Producer

Editorial: Aero Post
Editor, Alex Hagon

Asst. Editor, Tony Gentile