Written by on Mar 12, 2015. Posted in Production News

Markenfilm Crossing shoots Chilean highway for new Mercedes Benz spot

Markenfilm Crossing’s new commercial shoot for the Mercedes Benz G500 has become the first to close Chile's central Portillo international trucking route. The spot showcases the G500’s handling as it speeds across a mountainous wilderness.

“This was the first time this road was closed for shooting,” explains Javier Cuneo, production co-ordinator with servicing company La Casa Films: “It required the support of several government authorities, Film Commission Chile and the police.

“Following all the rules, explaining exactly what we were doing, and good diplomacy all played fundamental parts in getting the Hail Mary pass of locations, with authorisation arriving right before the shoot.”

The G500 was mainly filmed using a Russian Arm mounted on a BMW X5, but for some of the rougher terrain the production team had to switch to a Ford Raptor.

Road access to the spot’s tunnel location was so poor that the team had to set aside nearly a week and move in heavy machinery to clear the way before the place was a useable filming location.

“We had to contend with the absolute secrecy of shooting one of the world’s top prototype vehicles,” Cuneo adds: “Our client was very precise in that it had to be the same model that was then travelling to its presentation at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, but we still had to squeeze out all its potential on camera in very challenging, rocky conditions.”

Credits:
Client: Mercedes Benz
Production Company: Markenfilm Crossing
Director of Photography: Ekkeheart Pollak
Director: Mario Zozin
Line Producer: Christine-Marie Gardeweg
Production Service Company: La Casa Films
Executive Producer: Leopoldo Luisetti
Producer: Axel Brinck
Production Co-ordinator: Javier Cuneo

(Images: Deniz Saylan)