Levi's in Europe seems ever-poised to make groundbreaking commercials with Michel. Having already used him for Drugstore, Mermaids, and Bellybutton, they go out and spend the most they've ever spent on an ad for Swap. A cool, near-£1m budget, besting Jonathan Glazer's Odyssey ad, was given to Michel and effects house BUF Compagnie to create this post-heavy 60-second spot. [N.B. BUF has worked countless times with Michel on his groundbreaking effects.]
Shot in September 2002 around Sunset Boulevard and set to a mix of the Dysfunctional's Payback Time, the slick ad follows a gang of young folks, some with rodent heads, as they conduct a Hollywood-style hostage payout with a rather worried rich woman.
According to Boards Magazine, "[t]o superimpose the rodents' heads seamlessly on the actors' bodies, the human cast were shot with motion-sensor tracking devices, designed by French post house BUF. The mice were flown to New York to be screen-tested and chosen for their resemblance to the actors." Gondry said elsewhere, "It was important to go with real mice. When you see the close-up of their little eyes there are so full of life, it would have been a shame to miss it."
It is a truly bizarre and funny award-winning commercial that was aired in 13 countries across Europe, in cinemas and on television, and required a total crew of 140 people and some mice.
AdForum.com has the commercial here, or see it here.
