No special effects were used in that insane commercial. Filmmaker AJ Bleyer has crafted an ultra-cool project utilizing a parabolic flight in Boeing 727. In that time (approximately 27-seconds), the team had to use cinema cameras and lenses to get the shot. And indeed, they got it! Watch the commercial below and read a bit about the making.
(Real) Zero gravity shoot
This commercial was directed by filmmaker AJ Bleyer. and produced by Advent Films. The clients were COINBASE and TEAM LIQUID (launching a new product). Instead of implementing some banal SFX, the team has decided to shoot in a real zero-gravity environment. That can be achieved in a special flight called ‘Weightless Flight’ (also known as Parabolic Flight). In that case, the zero-gravity is achieved aboard ZERO-G’s Boeing 727 aircraft named G-FORCE ONE. Weightlessness is achieved by flying G-FORCE ONE through a parabolic flight maneuver. Specially trained pilots fly these maneuvers between approximately 24,000 and 34,000 feet altitude. Each parabola takes 10 miles of airspace to perform and lasts approximately one minute from start to finish. That means the team has less than a minute to get the shot. For the shoot, the team utilized the RED DSMC2 cinema cameras and Fujinon cinema zoom lenses.
We captured some incredible footage aboard a modified Boeing 727 that took the crew on a parabolic flight to achieve true zero gravity weightlessness. No special effects were used in the footage.
Filmmaker AJ Bleyer
“No special effects were used in the footage”
Let’s read what filmmaker AJ Bleyer had to say about the shoot: “This is one of those projects that’s hard to put into words. In an exciting first for both the world of Esports and cryptocurrency, Team Liquid and Coinbase became official sponsorship partners. To announce this out-of-this-world new collaboration they wanted to shoot something as big and special as the partnership itself and presented AJ with a concept that was filmed in ZERO GRAVITY. Working closely with the team at Advent Films and 1UP Studios, we captured some incredible footage aboard a modified Boeing 727 that took AJ and his crew on a parabolic flight to achieve true zero gravity weightlessness. No special effects were used in the footage above. This shoot presented a number of unique challenges, from the limited 27-second weightless periods to the intense physical experience for everyone onboard. Watch the whole commercial below:
This shoot presented a number of unique challenges, from the limited 27-second weightless periods to the intense physical experience for everyone onboard.
Filmmkaer AJ Bleyer
Behind the scenes
Here’s a BTS shoot. “Planning out how to capture these shots broke every rule in my brain. This concept was all about anything being possible… and when you reinvent the game, truly anything is” said Bleyer. Watch the BTS below:
About AJ Bleyer: From Apple to full-time filmmaker
Trying to marry his two passions of cars and cameras, AJ Bleyer began shooting automotive videos with his high school friends. His work quickly spread to luxury dealerships, and soon AJ became known for his automotive work. At age 22 he left his job at Apple to pursue filmmaking full-time, and quickly found himself directing photo and video content for elite vehicle manufacturers like Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche, Tesla, and many more. In 2019 at age 27, he was accepted into the DGA as one of the guild’s youngest directors. Known for his dynamic angles and keen attention to detail, AJ’s portfolio now includes a wide variety of work, from music videos and cosmetic campaigns to national broadcast commercials. When he’s not working on movies or driving cars, AJ is either working on movies or driving cars. Check out his website here.
What do you think about the shoot? Would you go SFX (make your life easier), or would you choose the real deal (parabolic flight)?
