Over the top use of cameras much, Toyota?

[Jack Zhang]

2014 Toyota Corolla TV Commercial | Like You've Never Seen Before! - YouTube

It's not often that an ad catches my attention, but RED cameras on RC cars caught my attention.

If someone can identify every single camera and piece of equipment used in this commercial in detail, (minus the blatant CG ones) that would be awesome.

[Jody Arnott]

All that ad did is make me sad that I don't own all that awesome gear.

What car was it advertising again? :)

[Tim Lewis]

I think the best bit was the GoPro on the tortoise. Or was it a GoSlo? Gotta get me some of that slow motion action.

[Don Bloom]

it says to me, "yeah with a (probable) $2 million dollar budget we can use a bunch of neat and cool toys and tools and make a decent commercial at the same time"!
Gotta love it!

[James Manford]

Such a boring advert.

What was the point of all the cameras?

Some time I just don't get Ads, or how they get greenlighted to be aired on TV etc.

[Jack Zhang]

Kind of expected the point to be lost among us Video Geeks... The car doesn't really matter, all that matters is the cameras... ;)

[Oren Arieli]

I must have gotten the wrong message, as I was salivating over the gear, and not the car. Damn, that is one boring vehicle.

[Charles Papert]

It reminded me a little of this old Clapton video, where I always felt that the underlying joke was a massive swirl of camera activity around a relatively boring subject (no offense Eric, obviously great guitar chops but not exactly a dynamic stage presence).

I loved that video as a kid because I dreamed one day of being one of those numbered-jersey camera guys, that to me was the true "glamour" of Hollywood. Even after having made it in that regard, all these years later I can still get entranced by the machinery. While the Toyota ad takes a bit of creative license, all of the technology therein exists in one form or another and that's pretty cool.

BTW even if you don't make it all the way through the Clapton video, make sure to at least watch what happens at 2:42.

Forever Man

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Charles Papert

make sure to at least watch what happens at 2:42.

Yowza!

Staged? If not, why include that shot? Can't judge if the crew's reactions are authentic.

[Don Bloom]

From this moment on I will INSIST on a numbered jersey whenever I do any type of work other than weddings. I want #1!

Clapton NEVER really had any stage presence even when he played with Mayall or Cream. I remember going to a concert back in the 60s after Fresh Cream came out and all the peeps I was with said the same thing. Of course back then all we wanted to do was listen to the music.

I HOPE the shot at 2:42 was staged with a broken camera or a replica...if not it certainly was perfect timing and a whole lot of money. Well either way it was a whole lot of money. ;-)

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

Well either way it was a whole lot of money. ;-)

I really need to install a "Like" button.

[Jack Zhang]

Originally Posted by Oren Arieli

I must have gotten the wrong message, as I was salivating over the gear, and not the car. Damn, that is one boring vehicle.

Nope, that's exactly the message sent to us video geeks.

[Dave Blackhurst]

Just shows how much equipment and setup time it takes to make an "exciting" video of a ho-hum topic - it's the sizzle, not the steak, as the old saying goes!

Just think of how much fun you, and yer gal, and her handycam could have if you had this car... vroom vroom.

[Charles Papert]

Originally Posted by Don Bloom

I HOPE the shot at 2:42 was staged with a broken camera or a replica...if not it certainly was perfect timing and a whole lot of money. Well either way it was a whole lot of money. ;-)

I checked in with Roger Deakins who shot that clip (!) and he said it was indeed not staged--the Titan crane clipped the mag and sheared the mount in a flash. You can see him bolting away from the dolly just before the cut. So, it was perfect timing to catch on film!