​BMW’s latest commercial for its very first XM model, a high-performance hybrid SUV, breaks from tradition and needed a launch film that was equally as daring. Starring Grammy-nominated musician Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, we were brought in as VFX partner to bring the film to life.

The vision was to create a dramatic, polished and premium film that compliments the vehicle. All visual symbols such as the throne of trumpets, the composition of instruments hanging from balloons, clouds, lightning, crown and breaking mirror were designed and created by our design, animation, VFX & 3D teams.

Throughout the whole process, our team tried to find creative ways to incorporate the car's and the artist's unique features into the design and visual effects. The computer graphics were created to mirror specific visual characteristics. For the process of the engraving, for example, we drew inspiration from the very specific design on Chief’s trumpet and asked our designers to draw their own floral patterns in a similar style which were eventually incorporated into the final throne CG shot. For the mirror, which breaks into the roof liner, we drew a blueprint of the break lines that exactly mirror the roof lining of the car. This blueprint was then used in Houdini to simulate the breaking. To create a crown we first explored various designs inspired by the rim only to decide to actually cut the rim model into pieces and unfold it to form the crown seen in the final film. Essentially, the synergy between VFX, the car, and musician Chief, is what makes this car commercial stand out.​