MPC LA provides grade and VFX for Audi’s exhilarating new S5 coupe commercial

Follow the journey of Audi’s S5 coupe from windy terrain all the way to the bullring. The auto brand's new commercial from Venables Bell boasts that driving this model may give drivers the feeling of achieving an unthinkable feat – even taming a “monster.”

MPC provided both grade and visual effects for the commercial, continuing a relationship with Audi that brought audiences “The Ring.” MPC’s US Creative Director for Color Mark Gethin graded the commercial and Creative Director Michael Gregory oversaw VFX.

MPC’s Zach Tucker supervised CG for the commercial. Lead artist Jim Spratling attended the shoot and worked closely with MPC’s LA and Bangalore teams during post-production. Spratling enjoyed the collaboration with director Jaron Albertin and DP Darren Lew, who beautifully lit and framed the shoot.

“Due to the nature of the spot being at night, we knew that there wouldn't be too much detail in the bull texture and environments, so we made sure we had enough photography to bring back detail where it was needed,” said Spratling on compositing the nighttime crowd shots.

“We set ourselves up with a Canon EOS 5D and took secondary plates of the crowd throughout the night which we then used in comp for crowd replication. We had enough coverage with the 5D that we didn't need to approach the crowd in 3D and it was all plated in 2D.”

Spratling described the the team’s creative process further, saying: “The biggest challenge was enhancing the bull to make him feel menacing and big, with realism in mind. We replaced some of the horns in CG to match the aggressive bull seen in some of the shots and then used 2D warps, transforms and stills to increase the size of the bull.”

MPC’s team also had an excellent experience working with Venebles Bell, working closely with creatives Matt Keats & Matt Miller both on set and in the VFX suite on the bull enhancements and car beauty work.