A commercial for MyBlu featuring protagonist Johnny Wayne, who switches from traditional cigarettes to nicotine-free e-cigarettes over the course of the story.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, filming in a real desert location was not possible. Instead, the project was realized as a hybrid setup combining a physical set with digital enhancements.

As production designer, I was responsible for the design and construction of the physical set. I worked closely with the VFX team, who developed the background in the Unreal Engine and integrated it into the studio using LED walls. The midground, foreground, and ground were physically constructed by my team and formed the basis for the on-location camera work.

Under my direction, this included the creation of large-scale sandstone rocks made of polystyrene, with a total length of approximately 7 meters.

I also designed and built a living room for Johnny Wayne and his horse as a studio set.

The combination of a physical set and digital enhancements allowed for a consistent desert environment in the studio and flexible implementation under the limited production conditions.

Directed by: Josia Brezing
Cinematography: Paul Sonntag

Many thanks to my team:

Art Director: Erhard Jenei
Production Assistant: Elisa Morissey
Set Design: Laura Neidhardt
Set Construction: Till Brieskorn, Philip Hartmann, Claudia Frank, Maura Zulic, Christopher Dengler, Fabian Biedlingmaier
Graphic Designers: Felix Bittner, Trang Nguyen, Jessica Gergely