Irresistible Studios’ Honda Power Equipment Spot Is a Cut above the Rest

Honda is widely regarded as one of the world's leading automakers. However, since 1953, the company has also manufactured more than 100 million power products internationally. Tunbridge Wells based agency Southpaw, with creative director Andy Peel at the helm, developed a 60-second hero script for Honda Power Equipment's new line of gardening tools.

Taking inspiration from the pioneering spirit of historical Honda’s automotive campaigns, Andy focused on an ambitious match-cutting approach. Directed by Luc Reso Janin, the film was produced by Irresistible Studios.

This campaign was created to showcase Honda’s impressive range of cordless power tools. The dynamic and visually exciting film conveys the long-lasting and constant power of one battery and its utility across multiple tools regardless of the task. The film showcases the adaptability and capability of the cordless line, as the four tools accomplish a variety of tasks all from a single source of power.

To pull off this complex film, director Luc Reso Janin used a variety of techniques and extensive planning. He executed the creative brief effortlessly with his previous experience in match cutting and quadratic split-screen techniques. Using drones for overhead visuals, cameras mounted to tools for POV shots, and a specialised rig to capture underneath the lawnmowers.

“I’m definitely not a gardener, but I admire how being a director makes me study one specific subject in such depth, so I picked up my own set of tools to craft a series of split screen shots. The focus remained on harmonising the smooth flow of movement across the screens and throughout their transitions. I love filmmaking with a graphic approach, especially if it’s unconventional and challenging, which is exactly what this project was! Strategic layouts, meticulous editing, and a hefty touch of ingenuity went into figuring out how to make it work… without over-hedging the budget (wink).

"During the storyboard process, we mapped out how we could make this work in four ways simultaneously. However, even with the most extensive planning, putting the pieces of this jigsaw puzzle together transpired in the edit room. The project relied heavily on combining a unique set of skills such as editing with precise synch timings, design, symmetry, and even physics! All whilst retaining focus on the products key benefits for the clients brief.”

The craftsmanship of this project speaks volumes. Taking a closer look at the project, in one particular scene, two lawnmowers are shown from below cutting grass. You must be thinking "how on earth did they do that?'' Let's just say the crew on this project were a cut above the rest! The art dept developed a custom-built rig to allow strips of turf to glide under a lawnmower, creating an impactful POV shot.

That’s just one example of doing whatever it takes to get the shot.