Paul WS Anderson, known for the Resident Evil franchise, has dived into commercials with an outing for Volkswagen. The new VW Golf GTI commercial-oddly enough aimed at “advanced” drivers over the age of 21–was produced through dsc_0066_thumbThe Mob Film Company for DDB Berlin.

DDB agency creatives Till Eckel and Johannes Hicks wanted to showcase the car’s performance and style by shooting the spot like a Hollywood action movie. Anderson, who spent two years filming cars for Death Race, was a natural choice.The spot was shot on location in Los Angeles and used a Hollywood crew plus some of the gear used to shoot the death-defying scenes in Death Race. Three cars were used, with Hollywood stunt driver Samuel Hübinette behind the wheel. The DP was automotive cinematographer Sebastian Pfaffenbichler.

dsc_0130_thumbSet during ‘magic hour’, a sleek white 2009 Golf GTI speeds along an industrial dock, making fancy powerslides,  reverses, and  zigzags, before squeezing under the descending door of a warehouse. As it stops, the camera cuts to the car’s interior, where the driver dangles the keys in front of the 18-year-old passenger and says… “Only when you are 21”. (In Germany, the comic payoff is that the driver is played by rapper/car fanatic Smudo.)

Some of the camera rigs that the spot made use of included the Basketball Rig, which let the car to powerslide directly into the camera lens, without damaging the car or the camera; a SuperSlider allowing the camera to glide just inches above the roof of the Golf GTI as it races underneath; and Skateboard Wheels that let the car be maneuvered extremely close to walls and corners.

The spot was planned and shot entirely in-camera, with no visual effects added in post production. It was graded at Moving Picture Company by Jean-Clement Soret, with editing at Pirates ‘n Paradise in Berlin. It will initially air in Germany and Luxembourg, but is scheduled for global release.

Anderson’s motion picture credits also include Mortal Kombat and Alien vs. Predator which, with Resident Evil, have collectively grossed more than $1.5 billion dollars worldwide.