Written by on Apr 26, 2011. Posted in Production News

Carlsberg recreates the moon filming on location in New Zealand

Considering a location trip to the moon impractical, beer brand Carlsberg has found an alternative to the lunar surface near Queenstown in New Zealand for its Spaceman ad. The company also decided to scale several mountain peaks for accompanying spot Everest.

Ryan Newey, Founding Partner at Fold7, said: “New Zealand was chosen because of the combination of desert and mountain locations. European locations and studios were considered but we felt we would achieve a higher quality production filming it on location.”

Spaceman is set in 1969 and shows an astronaut landing on the moon and trying to enjoy a beer until his helmet gets in the way. Most of the spot was filmed on location in a place called Poolburn, near the small town of Omakau.

We considered filming in places like Spain and a few South American countries but there was no guarantee of bright sunshine in these places that we needed to create the long shadows necessary for the moon spot.

Chris Harrison, Production Manager

Barbara Williams, of Shoot NZ, said: “Omakau is a very small country town located closest to the Poolburn location that was chosen for the moon. No upmarket hotels but very lovely people who made everyone feel very welcome. The population of this town is approximately 400. Not all crew were able to be accommodated there.”

Chris Harrison, a Production Manager with Rattling Stick, said: “We considered filming in places like Spain and a few South American countries but there was no guarantee of bright sunshine in these places that we needed to create the long shadows necessary for the moon spot. We spotted Poolburn and Omakau from the air on a location recce.”

The location was about a three-hour drive from Queenstown, including an hour over uneven ground, which was a challenge with a crane and a 16-ton truck. The actor was attached to flexible braces suspended from the crane to create the semi-weightless effect of being on the moon’s surface. The whole visual effect was then finished off in post.

Everest is set in 1953 and shows a climber braving the Himalayan peak so he can set up a TV aerial and watch a game with his friends back at base camp. The choice of locations was more restricted as the shoot took place during the New Zealand summer, but The Remarkables mountain range overlooking Queenstown gave them everything they needed.

Newey commented: “What challenges did we face? The logistics of shooting on top of a mountain; altitude, transporting equipment, general scariness! We filmed from a helicopter with a SuperG mount for sweeping shots of mountain landscapes.”

Credits
Client: Carlsberg
Agency: Fold7, London
Agency Producer: Sandy Reay
Production Company: Rattling Stick, London
Producer: Johnnie Frankel
Production Service Company: Shoot NZ, Queenstown
Line Producer: Barbara Williams
Editor: Eve Ashwell @ Cut and Run
Director: Daniel Kleinman