While filming in Los Angeles, the Tier10 production crew received a call granting long-awaited access to the all-new 2015 Acura TLX. Only problem was the shoot had to be in New York. In three days. And the TLX was only available for 48 hours.
“To be one of the first in the country to shoot the all-new 2015 Acura TLX was something we couldn’t pass up,” said Scott Rodgers, Tier10’s chief creative officer.
With two full days to plan, Rodgers may not have known all details yet, but he did know that the TLX belonged in New York City at night. This, however, presented a problem since everyone comes out at night in the City, so the team would only have a few prime hours in the moonlight.
On the cross-country flight, Rodgers started mapping out all the details. “Creatively, I developed a pretty extensive shot list along with storyboards of the shots we were trying to achieve,” explained Rodgers, “but I also knew that because of the opportunity, we had to be rolling the entire time as our time with the TLX was limited.”
Anticipating the obstacles and needed flexibility for the shoot, Devin Leisher, Director of Photography, knew he had to choose his equipment quickly and wisely. To remain flexible and versatile, Leisher opted for the MōVI M10, a few Canon lenses, and Kino Flo lights.
Landing in NYC with the clock ticking, Rodgers had to figure out a way to drive the all-new TLX and a brand-new 2015 MDX and 2015 RDX through the City, sometimes side-by-side, without hitting every stoplight and traffic jam – and without annoying everyone, of course.
For a moment, the crew thought they discovered a three-hour window between 2 and 5 a.m. However, instead of dense traffic and large crowds, the streets were now lined with the city’s sanitation department. Under the circumstances, the crew knew they had to be prepared for whatever the City threw at them.
“That was the challenge of getting the shots we needed and timing things right for open lanes and movement, but obviously traffic gets in the way of that choreography,” said Leisher, who was often strapped into a five-point safety harness and shooting out of the MDX’s trunk. “We were filming all night, up and down NYC and running out of time, so we couldn’t really wait for the trash trucks to move out of the shot. You just shoot everything and sift through it in post.”
Fighting for the few moments before dawn, Leisher described the shoot as an event. “It’s like this rogue mission that we have to complete. And, we don’t necessarily follow all of the rules, but we are all dialed in with each other. We trust each other and just do whatever it takes to get the shot.”
Running on adrenaline and strung out from the lack of sleep, the team wrapped up both nights minutes before 5 a.m.
After showing the video to Brian Benstock, Vice President and General Manager of Paragon Acura and board member of the New York Acura Dealers Association, he said, “When the Scotts told me about this, I didn’t think they would be able to pull it off with such a small window to shoot with such a tight budget. It’s truly unbelievable what Tier10 is able to accomplish. I thought this was a project that couldn’t be done.”
Scott Fletcher, Tier10’s vice president, said “Considering everything, the shoot with the TLX was a great opportunity to take a brand-new product – one that is highly-touted and on the way to be coming a core vehicle for Acura – and create great, new content. It also gives us the chance to show our creative abilities to those who may not know our name…yet.”
Did they pull it off? Watch the video and see what Tier10 can do with the all-new TLX and a few short hours in New York City.
Tier10 – Behind the Scenes in New York City with the All-New 2015 Acura TLX from Tier10 on Vimeo.
