The jury’s collective jaw hit the floor when they viewed the recent outstanding work for the Porsche International Student Advertising Film Award. For instance, take a look at Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg student Justus Becker’s branded entertainment short for Rimowa suitcases which was shortlisted.
You wrote the script yourself – what led to the idea and how did it evolve?
Early on in the development phase the editor Benjamin Entrup and the dop Stephan Burchardt were involved in crafting a cinematic story. This led to the idea of telling the same story from three different perspectives. I think a director can learn a lot by including the different departments as early as possible, furthermore it helps to get everybody on the team on the same page.
It’s very filmic – did you always want to shoot it in this style or did you have some other initial ideas of how you were going to shoot it?
The thought of it being filmic was the initial spark when deciding to do a commercial for the luggage company Rimowa. There were other settings being discussed, like a train station with steam trains or a ferry, but at the heart of the concept was always the idea to tell a grand story that involves the theme of travelling, suspense and action.
What were the challenges on the shoot?
Trying to give a 2nd year thesis film the look and feel of a big budget production in the style of a classic thriller.
What are you up to now?
Right now I am working on a student-project which portrays one of Germany’s major car companies.
And what’s the five-year plan?
My goal is to be able to continue making commercials I love, and to continue challenging myself.
Anything else?
www.justusbecker.de
