Corporate stock footage is hilarious enough on its own but in this video for electronic supergroup Bronson, Smuggler directors StyleWar, The Mill, and editor Noah Herzog push the genre to a brilliant new extreme.

StyleWar: “The idea for this video was born out of creative starvation during these corona times. We got this awesome track from Bronson at the beginning of lockdown and really wanted to do something special for it.

“At that point, it was impossible to do anything close to a regular shoot, so we pitched a concept using entirely stock footage and CG. We’ve always had a strong fascination for stock footage and the thoughts and process that goes into creating it.

“Especially this kind of corporate business world that is shown in this video. It can be so cliché and mind-bendingly generic. The actors take turns playing the boss, they have positive meetings and they have arguments.

“They high-five, shake hands in glass buildings and proudly point at their PowerPoints. They listen really carefully, nod in approval, or decide to put another idea on the table. We love how super-generic it is, in every detail. From cast, wardrobe, and props to locations and especially the acting – it’s all super shallow and false.

“So with this as a base, we wanted to show what can happen if there is a ‘blackout’ to this world. Are they all fake? Is everything fake?

“Luckily no one got seriously injured making this video, with the exception of us now knowing far too much about the corporate-business-stock footage world then anyone should.”

Side note for Pink Floyd fans: check the Wish You Were Here reference at :36…
 

Label: Ninja Tune
Artist: Bronson

Production: Smuggler UK
Executive Producer: Elizabeth Doonan
Director/VFX: StyleWar

VFX support: The Mill
Executive Producer: Anastasia Von Rahl
Producer: Anita Emor
Creative Director: Robert Sethi
2D Lead Artist: Adam Lambert
2D Artist: James Allen, Tim Rudgard, Alex Candlish, Gareth Parr, Katerina Arroyo

Colour: The Mill
Colorist: Matt Osborne
Color Producer: Blake Rice

Editorial: General Editorial
Editor: Noah Herzog