We're used to seeing arty and artistic car adverts and promos. Remember Peugeot's 405-amongst-burning-fields? Or Ford's Steve McQueen Puma advert? Well Rolls-Royce, as befits the brand, has gone one better and achieved BFI recognition for its short film And the World Stood Still. The film is really just a promo for the gorgeous Wraith coupe, but the British Film Institute thought it so good, and indeed so groundbreaking in some respects, that it will be added to the official archive alongside the work of Hopkins, Olivier, Brannagh and Attenborough - to name but a few.
The film, which won a Gold Award at the 26th International Visual Communications Association (IVCA) Awards, caught the attention of the BFI's Senior Curator for Non-Fiction Films, Patrick Russell, who considered it a striking piece of contemporary cinematography and so decided to accept it into the archive.
"We are delighted to see Rolls-Royce's Wraith launch film enter the BFI's collection," commented Russell. "We selected it for preservation as it is an outstanding and award-winning example of modern corporate promotional filmmaking. It's a powerful use of the film medium for product launch purposes, executed with impeccable craftsmanship."
Marc Mielau, Global Head of Marketing, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said: "It is a great honour to see 'And the World Stood Still' accepted into the BFI National Archive. It is testament to Rolls-Royce's unique position in the public consciousness as the makers of 'The Best Car in the World' and the passion, innovation and creativity of the entire team involved."
Filmed at a secret location near Barcelona, the shoot included an innovative 'Timeslice' (frozen time) sequence created using 100 SLR cameras; the longest purpose-built camera rig in Europe; an award-winning film director; 36 computers; 1.5km of cables and one prototype Rolls Royce Wraith. A behind the scenes film was also launched after the Company was inundated with requests from fans across social media networks worldwide.
Wraith 'Inspired by Film' celebrates Rolls-Royce's long heritage in film and its entry into the BFI National Archive. Rolls-Royce motor cars have taken leading roles in movies since the dawn of film-making, and have featured in such hits as Goldfinger (1964), The Yellow Rolls-Royce (1964), The Thomas Crowne Affair (1968) and The Great Gatsby (1974) to name a few.
To celebrate the recognition of its cinematic prowess, Rolls is going to release a special edition of the Wraith, called the 'Inspired by Film' model. It will have the same two-tone silver paintwork as the car in the film, as well as the same grey-with-tan-highlights cabin and Macassar Ebony wood sliced through with a flash of aluminium. It'll get a first public airing at the New York Auto Show and go on sale straight afterwards.