Written by new-contact on Sep 20, 2011. Posted in Production News

Tom Hooper films epic Guinness ad on location near Budapest

Guinness often turns heads with its commercials and its latest spot is no exception. Oscar-winning Director Tom Hooper filmed the brand's Rugby World Cup tie-in Some Are Made Of More in Hungary, delivering an atmospheric showdown between two warring armies.

The Czech Republic was considered as a filming location, but Varpalota, a town in western Hungary about 85km outside Budapest, ended up winning the day. Costs were generally lower and the locations were more suitable.

The location in Hungary offered the right kind of hilly landscapes that matched the very specific description in the brief. The place was compact and allowed us to film the armies running at each other in a realistic way.

Mark Stothert, Infinity Productions

Mark Stothert worked on the shoot for Infinity Productions in London: “The location in Hungary offered the right kind of hilly landscapes that matched the very specific description in the brief. The place was compact and allowed us to film the armies running at each other in a realistic way.”

Shooting lasted four days in July, with the 370-strong cast and crew facing record summer temperatures. The major logistical operation involved dressing the cast in over 200 suits of armour, using 20 horses and taking aerial shots from a circling helicopter.

Melinda Szepesi is with Pioneer Productions in Budapest: “It was extremely hot and the cast were under very heavy costumes. Also, we filmed on windy days so there was a lot of dust in the air. We had tents set up with air-conditioning and made sure there was a lot of water available for everyone.”

Two enormous cranes were set up rigged with rain machines to turn the location into the quagmire needed for the spot and to create the commercial’s blustery atmosphere. The hot and cold water temperatures combined with the windy conditions created a few challenges for the cast, but everyone was well looked after.

Credits
Client: Guinness
Agency: AMV BBDO, London
Agency Producer: Yvonne Chalkley
Production Company: Infinity Productions, London
Producers: Mark Stothert, Molly Pope
Production Service Company: Pioneer Productions, Budapest
Producer: Eszter Repassy
Director of Photography: Ben Smithard
Director: Tom Hooper