The unexpected emotional ending to this Hyundai brand spot – directed by MJZ’s Dante Ariola with VFX by MPC thru Innocean Berlin – lifts the work clear of the usual clamor and testosterone of the automotive category.

MPC VFX supervisor Jessie Amadio: “Most of the spot is played in reverse, showcasing special moments like slo-mo Phantom close-ups and sprawling time-lapse wide shots. Following through on this mechanic meant we had to keep in mind the era-appropriate details for each shot and double-check the logic and continuity of our animation regularly.

“A standout element of the spot is the CG recreation of the vintage 1975 Pony Mark I. With this being an older car, the team didn’t have access to any CAD data, so they had to model based on limited photographs and a very handy blueprint they were able to find in a vintage mail-order catalog.
 

“The elaborate city time-lapse scene proved to be one of the more challenging shots, and MPC were involved early on in developing how it would look.

“A massive amount of modeling and continual creative refinement was needed to achieve the level of detail required in such a wide shot. While the rest of the job was done in Maya, the team migrated this shot to Houdini for faster scene management.

“Our artists set up a pretty interactive system for scattering the layout, controlling the animation timing, and procedurally deconstructing each building. Combing the CG buildings and flora with 2D elements from DMP and a time-lapse stills camera from the set, we were able to derive a fairly complex final image.”

Watch the VFX breakdown:
 

 
Agency: Innocean Berlin
Chief Creative Officer: Gabriel Mattar
Executive Creative Director: Ricardo Wolff
Senior Copywriter: Reiner Gorissen, Chris Rocco
Senior Art Director: Marlon von Franquemont,
Art Director: Nicolaas Kotze
Copywriter: Rohan Vitus Fernandes
Production Director: Mark Rota

Production: MJZ London
Director: Dante Ariola
Managing Director: Helen Kenny (MJZ)
Representative Partner: TPf Berlin
Managing Partner: Michael Duttenhoefer (TPf)
Producer: Nathalie Hill (MJZ) / Michael Duttenhoefer (TPf)
DOP: Kasper Tuxen
Director 1st AD: John Lowe
Production Designer: Quito Cooksey

Post/VFX: MPC London/LA
Producer: Tomek Zietkiewicz
Lead CG: Jessie Amadio
Lead 2D: Guillaume Weiss
Creative Director: Michael Gregory
Colorist: Mark Gethin

Editor: Crispin Struthers @ Final Cut, LA

Sound Design: Stimmüng
Sound Studio: Loft Studios
Music: 2wei Music