Wild monsters, evil patisserie chefs, applauding trees, motor-crazed munchkins, magic toys, and football teams…not exactly elements you’d associate with the Mitsubishi Lancer.
But they’re the type of ideas that emerge when you give Australia’s hottest young filmmaking talent the task of creating a short film inspired by the all new Mitsubishi Lancer.
A ground-breaking collaboration between Sony Tropfest, Mitsubishi and PBL Media, the Lancer Supershort Series will see the launch of six 60-second short films written and directed by previous Sony Tropfest finalists. Each film will be based on one of the six themes behind the all new Mitsubishi Lancer: Safer, Smoother, Greener, Stronger, Smarter and Roomier.
One chapter will be shown each week for six weeks across the Nine Network Australia, in cinemas, online at http://www.lancersupershortseries.com.au/ , on Foxtel and covered in ACP magazines including the Australian Women’s Weekly, NW, Woman’s Day, Ralph, Cosmopolitan, Men’s Style, Motor, Wheels and Madison.
Paul Unerkov, General Manager of Marketing at Mitsubishi, said: ‘Mitsubishi is delighted to be associated with this ground-breaking marketing concept because it reflects the values and positioning of the all new Lancer as innovative, cutting edge and with head turning appeal.’
John Polson, Sony Tropfest Founder and Creative Director, said that Mitsubishi’s commitment to the project was good news for Australian filmmakers looking to experience more than just the traditional filmmaking world. ‘This is a way for up-and-coming filmmakers to extend how they think and create content – not just creatively, but commercially,’ Mr Polson said.
So who are the talented young filmmakers handpicked to be part of this initiative?
The Six Lancer Supershort Series Directors
Safer, directed by Eddie White & James Calvert, Adelaide, SA
Premiered October 24, 2007
A talented twosome from SA, and Sony Tropfest finalists in 2006 with their film Carnivore Reflux, Eddie and James are the directors behind Safer in a Wild World – an animated short that pays homage to Japanese anime and the popular children’s tale Where the Wild Things Are, while showcasing the safety aspects of the new Mitsubishi Lancer. ‘For the Supershort Series, we were involved in the entire process and given creative freedom, which was so rewarding…and the fact that our film will receive exposure on national television, in cinemas and magazines is huge for us,’ says 26-year-old Eddie White.
Greener, directed by Nathaniel Kiwi, South Yarra, VIC
Premiered October 31, 2007
Nathaniel first became involved in film and television as an actor and writer for the ABC TV program Flipside. A Sony Tropfest finalist in 2007 with his film Pig Latin, Nathaniel directed Greener for the Mitsubishi Lancer Supershort Series. The film plays with the eco-friendly theme, and shows Mother Nature literally thanking the driver of the Mitsubishi Lancer for his choice of vehicle. ‘My partner and I are very eco-conscious,’ says Nathaniel. ‘We use green energies around the home, so to work on the Greener film felt right.’
Stronger, directed by Annabel Osborne, Sydney, NSW
Premieres November 8, 2007
A Sony Tropfest finalist in 2004 with her film Chipman, and the only girl in the series, Annabel is a director with a natural eye for the off-beat and quirky. Her Supershort Series film, Stronger, follows a young woman who has modeled a cake on her beloved Mitsubishi Lancer, entering it in the International Sweet Art Cake Modelling Awards, where it proves ‘stronger’ than the competition. ‘To be honest it does feel good to be the only girl in the Lancer Supershort Series,’ she says, ‘and I felt proud to be doing work for a car client, as it is such a male dominated niche. It’s a nice play against stereotypes.’
Smarter, directed by John Mavety, Sydney, NSW
Premieres November 15, 2007
Originally a native of Canada, John moved to Australia at the age of two and was inspired to become a film director after watching 2001: A Space Odyssey. John’s Supershort Series film, Smarter, takes place in the school yard, as two young boys compare their toy cars. One boy produces the new Mitsubishi Lancer and explains the car’s ‘smarter’ features to a group of intrigued kids. A 2007 Sony Tropfest finalist with his film The Von, John says the Supershort Series initiative has taken his filmmaking in a whole new direction. “The Lancer Supershort Series gives filmmakers a new avenue to showcase our work and blurs the boundaries between a commercial and a short film,” he says.
Roomier, directed by Darren Arbib, Sydney, NSW
Premieres November 22, 2007
A 2005 Sony Tropfest finalist with his film Benny Unseen Hero, Darren has always had a taste for the unusual. A big Monty Python fan, he decided to put together a musical for his Supershort Series entry. The film features the Mitsubishi Lancer pulling up at a football field, where the two soccer teams, the linesman, the refs, the cheerleaders and even the waterboy all jump out. ‘It was very Monty Python,’ he says. ‘I had John Cleese running through my head the whole time, but in the end I think it worked – it’s definitely different!’
Smoother, directed by Duane Fogwell, Sydney, NSW
Premieres November 29, 2007
The son of a musician, Duane has been making short films since he was a teenager, when he used to film his friends doing skateboarding stunts. Duane’s film Smoother features a father who uses the smooth driving abilities of the new Mitsubishi Lancer to put his young son to sleep. A 2007 Sony Tropfest finalist with his film Fore!, Duane says the experience of being a Lancer Supershort Series was like none other. ‘It’s a great initiative and whoever thought of it, hats off to them,’ he says. ‘It’s really cool to give young filmmakers a chance like this and in terms of experience it’s absolute gold.’
[release from Spin Communications]