**The Art of Directing a Car Commercial: A Behind-the-Scenes Look**

For car enthusiasts, there's no thrill quite like watching a high-octane commercial during the big game or on YouTube. But have you ever wondered what goes into creating these adrenaline-fueled ads? In this article, we'll take you behind the scenes of a car commercial production to show you the art of directing a car commercial.

**The Genesis G70: A Capable Car**

In our series, we've been using the Genesis G70, a capable car with a twin turbo V6 and 365 horsepower to the back wheels. That's a lot of power for every day of the year! To have complete control over the vehicle, our team made some minor modifications, disabling traction control, stability control, and wheel speed sensors.

**The Stunt Coordinator Takes the Wheel**

Our stunt coordinator, Rob, tests the car out to see if it's behaving properly with all the adjustments. Ben, the director, gets a feeling of what the car looks like in action before the big day. "I kinda liken it, in a way to dance or something like that where you can get into emotions through movement," says Ben.

**The Shot List is Prepped**

Once on set, Ben has to be the guy with all the answers. He talks with the cinematographer to figure out what types of camera rigs they'll need to achieve all the shots. In our case, there's a bunch: a truck-mounted truss, a side-car suction cup rig, a drone, a biscuit rig, and a pursuit car mounted with a Russian arm.

**The Ford Entry 180**

This is a 3-part stunt series, and in this final video, we're showcasing a Ford Entry 180. Let's break it down so you can't try this at home: start off going about 35 miles per hour, let off the gas and hit the brakes to shift the weight onto the front end of the car, pull the e-brake to lock up the rears while turning the wheel to initiate the spin.

**12 Hours on Set**

All the preparation has come down to this. We closed off streets, hired an entire crew of people, and rented a bunch of expensive equipment – all to capture these 3 stunts in just 12 hours. The crew was super calm and focused; Ben's temperament set the tone for the set.

**The Director Sets the Tone**

Being a good leader is a serious skill. Ben is an awesome example, and we're super fortunate to have him as a mentor. He also happens to be a bad-ass director who helps us make sick stuff – like this commercial.

Thank you so much for watching Donut Media! Because of your support, we get to live out our dreams and make car chase movies. You guys like this episode, and you want to see more? We made 2 more of 'em, one that follows the Stunt Driver and one that follows the Stunt Coordinator – they're really sick too.

WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en(intro)- You see 'em all the time.You might have seen oneright before this videoand depending on who you are,it could be the most exciting partof the Super Bowl for you.We're talking about car commercials.More specifically, carcommercials with sick stunts.It takes a ton of people to make one.But all these peopleultimately, report to the Director.They get all the glory if it's a successand they take the bruntof it, if it's a failure.From scouting and story boarding,a Commercial Director's job begins beforethey even set foot on set.There's no do-overs.No next weekend.This is his race day.- Sitting on an on-ramp,on a Sunday morningat 6 in the morning.Yes, this is my happy place.- Here's how he does it.This is how to stunt.(upbeat music)Okay, so how does onedirect a car commercial?First, let me lay a little groundwork.Genesis came to us and saidwe want to do somethingto promote our new G70,and we were like sure.How about we do an Up toSpeed or Bumper to Bumper?And they were like, no,we want something bigger.Like a car commercial. AndI don't know about you,but when I think of a car commercial,I think of something like this.(upbeat music)What kind of car is that?Wow, that's really nice, car. Thank you.That's luxurious. That's cool,but that's not really our style.Can we do something withridiculous stunts, like this?(car brakes)And they were like,yeah, that sounds tight.And we were like, yes.Luckily, we were up for it,because we have this dude,Ben Conrad at the helm as our Director.Ben is one of the founders of Donut.He is a creative mastermindand he has directed likea bajillion commercials.Among a ton of other things,he's directed Monsters Recoil 2 and 3,the opening stunt sequencefor 30 Minutes or Less.Oh, and a little somethingcalled Jim Kana 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.They've gotten a decentamount of views on YouTube.You should check them out.Now, don't worry, we're going to show youexactly how to do oneof these Ford Entry 180swhich, are actually a littletrickier than a Reverse Entry.But before we do that,let's dive into all the workthat goes into directingone of these stunts.Back when we first gotapproval for the project,we sent over a rough idea to Ben.So, he then starts coming upwith a vision for the sequence,but what does that even mean?Visualizing is obviously,to some extent, using yourimagination, but when you areeventually turning thatvision into a reality,you have to start adjusting.Visualizing also ofteninvolves pulling inspirationfrom other works that you've seen.Oh, that shot from Tokyo Drift was sick.The mood from this scene inDrive was really gripping.That location from TheDark Knight was beautiful.Now, all of this is innowhere land in Ben's head,under all that hair.He can explain it to someonevocally and using his hands,toy cars, whatever, but one of the easiestand most effective ways ofgetting everyone on the same pagewith what's in his headis through the use of story boards.But, who's he trying toget on the same page?Luckily, Ben gets to choosewho most of his main collaborators are,in fact, who he decides to hire,might be the mostimportant part of his job.Even though he's the captain of the ship,a lot of other crucial decisionsthroughout this whole process are madeby other members of his team.People like the Cinematographer.The Stunt Coordinator.The Assistant Director.The Editor.The me.And much more.It's not uncommon, for Directors to workwith the exact same crew,job after job. And they do.So, if you wanna directsome day, take note.Make as many friends as you can.Especially the ones,who are good at stuff.You can't do it all on your own.(upbeat music)Now Ben, heads out on a tech scoutwith the department headsto check out the locations.Ben knew we were tryingto recreate the stuntswe all love from our favorite movies.He wanted a gritty, modern,and relatively nondescript location.So, he immediately knew that4th Street in downtown LAand Lower Grand wouldbe the perfect spots.It's one of the mosticonic locations in cinema.The Terminator.The Dark Knight.The Italian Job.Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift,and a ton of other movies were shot here.Even though Ben's familiarwith the location,you never know whatideas might come to youonce you're in the physical space.- So, like none of usare walking and are likeoh, it has to be exactly this stunt.You know, we see somethingwe need to adjust,and we'll adjust and make it better.- Once the stunts are fleshed out,Ben has to talk with theCinematographer to figure outwhat types of camera rigs we'll needto achieve all of the shots.In our case, there's a bunch.A truck-mounted truss.A side-car suction cup rig.A drone, a biscuit rig and a pursuit carmounted with a Russian arm.Russian Arms are so coolthey look like Panzer tankswith cameras on the end of them.Ben's also present for the vehicle test.So, in this series we'vebeen using the Genesis G70.It's a capable car.It's got a twin turboV6 and 365 horsepowerto the back wheels.That's a horsepower forevery day of the year.If you've watched the other videos,you know that we neededto make some minor modsin order to have completecontrol over the vehicle.Traction Control.Stability Control.Wheel Speed Sensors.They all had to go.Rob, the Stunt Coordinator,tests the car outto see if it's behaving properlywith all of the adjustmentsand Ben gets a feeling ofwhat the car looks likein action before the big day.- I kinda liken it, in a wayto dance or something like thatwhere you can kinda get intoemotions through movement.So, the shot list is prepped.The location is scouted.And the car is good to go.Now, it's game time.As you know from our other episodes,this is a 3-part stunt series.In this final video, we'reshowcasing a Ford Entry 180.So, let's go ahead and break it downso, that you cannot try this at home.You're gonna start off goingabout 35 miles per hour.Let off the gasand hit the brakes to shift the weightonto the front end of the car.Pull the e-brake to lock up the rearswhile turning the wheelto initiate the spin.Hold the lock up for as longas you wanna be rotating.About 3-quarters of theway through the spin,unwind the steering wheel,throw it in reverseand begin letting off the hand brake.Right as the steering wheelis getting back to center,get on the gas to get the tires to bite.If you don't regaintraction at the right time,you risk over-rotating, which is not good.All of the preparationhas come down to this.We closed off streets.We hired an entire crew of people.We rented a bunch of expensive equipment.All to capture these 3 stuntsand we've got 12 hours to do it.(upbeat music)- We start early, looked at everythingand I think we have a solid plan.Great crew, so we shouldbe able to nail it.- Once on set, Ben has to be the guywith all of the answers.- Do you want to try to do that in one?Or do you?- Break it up.- Break it up?- Can we get that this afternoon?- Yeah, yeah, yeah.- And he goes?- Yes, exactly.- He has to have completeconfidence in his vision.- So, we're in the lead and then we're,- No, uh, blue would be in the lead.- But, also really goodat listening to others.- I want the blue behind tobe able to throw the 180.- Interesting. Yeah, we'll try that.- All throughout the day,everyone was super calm and focused.The crew was efficient and relaxed.And I think a lot ofthat has to do with Benand his temperament.As the Director,you set the tone for the set.Being a good leader is a serious skill.Ben is an awesome example,and I'm super fortunateto have him as a mentor.And he also happens tobe a bad-ass Directorwho helps us make, sick stuff.Like this.(intro)(car accelerates)(car beeps)(skids)(car accelerates)(car turns)(car accelerates)(car brakes)(car beeps)(car accelerates)Thank you so much for watchingDonut Media, you guys.Because you support our channel,we get to live out our dreamsand make car chase movies.You guys like this episodeand you want to see more,we made 2 more of 'em,one that follows the Stunt Driverand one that followsthe Stunt Coordinator.They're really sick too.I cannot thank you guys enoughfor all of your support.Please share this video.Sent it everywhere, please.Uh, I really enjoyed this. I love you.