BleepingComputer.com: Watch This Ad

Want to buy a Honda?
Be sure to read this first, then click on the website.

And you thought those people that set up roomfuls of dominos to knock over were amazing..!

There are no computer graphics or digital tricks in this film. Everything you see happened in real time, exactly as you see it. The film took 606 takes. On the first 605 takes, something, usually very minor, didn't work. They would then have to set the whole thing up again. The crew spent weeks shooting night and day. By the time it was over, they were ready to change professions. The film cost six million dollars and took three months to complete, including full engineering of the sequence. In addition, it's two minutes long, so every time Honda airs the film on British television, they're shelling out enough dough to keep any one of us in clover for a lifetime.

However, it's fast becoming the most downloaded advertisement in Internet history. Honda executives figure the ad will soon pay for itself in "free" viewings. Honda isn't paying a dime to have you watch this commercial!

When the ad was pitched to senior executives, they signed off on it immediately without any hesitation - including the costs. Everything you see in the film (aside from the walls, floor, ramp, and Honda Accord are parts from those two cars.

The voiceover is Garrison Keillor. When the ad was shown to Honda executives, they liked it and commented on how amazing computer graphics have gotten. They fell off their chairs when they found out it was for real. Oh, and about those funky windshield wipers. On the new Accords, the windshield wipers have water sensors and are designed to start doing their thing automatically as soon as they become wet.

>Click on the link below.

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/honda.php

I now mate class isnt it i cant remember how many trys it took but it happened!! lol!! Honda used that as there add at one stage!!!

Quite the ad, somebody grew up watching a lot of Road Runner cartoons and playing the game "Mouse Trap" a lot....

That was cool!

So clever, considering no computer tricks.
Wonder how many takes they had,to get it right.
Thanks for sharing it with us,boopme.

Call me scepticle but I don't think it was. There is one main reason. When you see the wheels rolling up the ramp each one gets faster and faster as it is going up the ramp. This is against the rules of forces.

Each impact would have a knock non effect and would release energy to the next but it would be less that the orignal force due to loss. Also going up a slope would reduce the speed of the wheels.

The rest of it is possible but I would say not all of it was done in one go just stiched together.

This is only my opinion though. But I still agree with you it was a brilliant advert. They have done a few like this one. This just happens to be the longest one.

projectfocus, on Dec 14 2006, 12:47 AM, said:

Agree with you about the wheels.
If I look close enough,and long enough,I can find some fault with just about every commercial and movie ever made.
But what is there to be gained, by seeing how many faults I can find,except maybe missing the message being portrayed,good bad or otherwise.

DSTM.

This post has been edited by DSTM: 13 December 2006 - 10:20 AM

It took 606 tries.
The tires got me thinking too,but I gave it the benefit of the doubt.

I have to say I am not 1 to stare at these things to pick holes. I have better things to do with my time. LOL

Just it was something that stuck out to me at first watch. I must have seen this advert a thousand times as it is always on the Tele.

I have to agree. It is extremely well put together and I've watched a loop of this over and over again. It is fascinating but I have to agree with projectfocus, the laws of physics would not allow those wheels to act like that.

Cheers

rowal5555, on Dec 17 2006, 07:18 PM, said:

Agreed Rowal5555,also there are a few more things that are against the laws of physics.
In the beginning of the ad, the centre cog could not accelerate so fast on a near level plank.The small cog that struck the middle cog would have to have a far greater weight mass to simulate the acceleration shown.Same applies for the tyre scene.
The fan actually brakes too fast.In reality it would not reduce the speed so quickly,but roll much longer.
The roller that hits the glass and stops,cannot accelerate that quickly on a level surface,if at all.
But who cares,its a clever ad in my opinion.

This post has been edited by DSTM: 17 December 2006 - 04:39 AM

Well DSTM, sounds like the engineer coming out there, LOL.

BTW, I loved the transformer Citroen in your other post.

I am off cruising in the morning, so will take this opportunity to wish all Bleeping Computer members, Staff, and your families a very Merry Christmas and the greatest of New Years.

Cheers

rowal5555, on Dec 17 2006, 10:18 PM, said:

Have a safe trip Rowal5555,and we are going to miss your posts.
So you don't suffer withdrawal symtoms from BC, I strongly suggest
slipping a laptop PC into the trunk of your car. "LOL"

This post has been edited by DSTM: 17 December 2006 - 07:14 AM

A little more research and Snopes says it's real.

http://www.snopes.com/photos/advertisements/hondacog.asp

Sometimes you just have to be amazed,,,like watching David Blaine get you a beer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXcWwzPw8d8...ted&search=

btw Bon Voyage Rowal555

boopme, on Dec 18 2006, 03:47 AM, said:

Hi boopme,The points I mentioned, with my 35 yrs engineering experience, in my mind cannot be copied without tricks being used.Try anyone yourself and they won't work.I can make those wheels do exactly what they have done,but not without trickery.It's really quite simple. I am not trying to be a smarty,in the least.

DSTM.

This post has been edited by DSTM: 17 December 2006 - 12:27 PM