Ogilvy India has created a carnival themed film to announce and promote Season 5 of the Indian Premier League scheduled from 4 April to 27 May 2012. The film features Makrand Deshpande acting as the ‘Master of Ceremonies’ taking the protagonists and the viewer on a journey to experience the carnival’s various delights.
The film opens with two school boys wondering about the noise coming from the other side of a wall. One of them looks through a peep hole on the wall and sees a carnival in progress. A guy dressed as the host for an event whistles out to them and shows them a way in through a loose board on the wall. Once inside, the boys take in the atmosphere and enjoy the various rides and games suitably named after particular cricketers’ characteristics playing for the IPL. The film ends with one of the boys gesturing to the host in a manner of asking “what is this?”, and he replies, “Yeh IPL hai boss”.
Abhijit Avasthi, national creative director, Ogilvy India, said, “An evening spent with the Indian Premier League is a crazy time. Every match is a series of ups and downs. Twists and turns. Screaming. Shouting. Anxious moments. Exhilarating moments. It is all this and more. So we thought . . . hmm. . . can we possibly compare the IPL to a day spent at an amusement park? Given what a rollercoaster of a ride each game is? The film evolved from there.”
Anders Forsman, director, B-Reel Films, added, “The script was a collaboration between me, the creative team at Ogilvy Bombay and the production team at Bang Bang. We threw some ideas around and landed on the story of two boys stumbling into this funfair that works as a metaphor for a night at the IPL, where every night you go on a emotional roller coaster.”
Explaining that IPL is a carnival of passion, sheer talent and skill, engaging all your senses, playing the role of a fun-filled family outing or an exciting evening plan for friends with ease, Anuraag Khandelwal, senior creative director, Ogilvy India, said, “IPL is where the world’s best talent comes together and each player leaves you with a unique experience, every evening. Doing this film was immensely satisfying, given the details and the scale it demanded, which the IPL brand demands.”
Elaborating on the production that went behind this film’s shoot, Roopak Saluja, co-founder and managing director, Bang Bang Films, said, “I can’t even begin to describe what an experience this has been for Bang Bang – massive sets, precision miniatures and slick visual effects, to create what is arguably the country’s biggest television advertising extravaganza of the year. Teaming up with Anders Forsman and co-producing this project with B-Reel was an excellent decision that led to an exhilarating production for all involved.”
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