Catch her if you can

Director Paul Mitchell of Mill+ joined O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul in creating “Break Out,” part of a series of cinematic spots for Turtle Wax’s product line.

The film tells the story of a determined daredevil who doesn’t hesitate to drive a mint-condition classic through a wall to complete her heist. Turtle Wax’s message – “Protect the body, free the soul” – tells drivers not to hold back, skids and all.

The teams at the agency, The Mill and Mill+ added a filmic quality to the spots to achieve a higher degree of storytelling, Mitchell told us. “This really sets the tone for who Turtle Wax is. They want people to get out and really drive their cars – that’s the spirit of the film. You don’t even see the product in this one; it’s all about the attitude.”

Mitchell and lead artists Chris Bayol and Martin Karlsson of The Mill were on hand to oversee the shoot in two locations. “We got a big hanger in Burbank for the twenty classic cars, and in Lancaster, we had a precision driver in the ’69 Camaro through the desert,” Mitchell explains. “We ended up building the shattering glass in CG. The challenge was we couldn’t shoot it practically because of the two separate locations in the same shot.” 

The project was a major collaboration not only with the agency and the brand, but in-house, as well. In the beginning stages, Mill+ art directors Ed Laag and Eugene Gauran provided style frames that acted as a key component in selling the visual presentation of the project and Mill+ editor Victor Jory provided a mood-o-matic – a minute-long piece showcasing the spirit of the project. Colorist Luke Morrison graded the spot out of the Chicago studio, and editor Jessica Ledoux flew in from the New York branch to join in.

“It’s really an epic piece of work from all involved,” Mitchell adds. “We wanted it to read like a film. That’s how we shot it, to include that strong storytelling factor. Everyone did such a wonderful job – and a very special thanks to our Mill+ EP, Kim.”

With the adrenaline-fueled “Furious 7” in theaters at the same time as “Break Out,” timing couldn’t be any better. Stay tuned for more Turtle Wax work.

Mill+ Director Paul Mitchell is speaking at 2015 motion conference.