With Director Tony Petrossian at the helm, a surprise concert at a historical riverside quay in Singapore produced not just thousands of happy fans but also yielded three commercial spots for SingTel, Asia’s leading communications group with operations in 20 countries. The performance and resulting commercials were directed by renowned music video and commercial director Tony Petrossian for BBDO, the world’s most awarded advertising agency. The project was produced by David Clark of Play Films out of Singapore.
“Shooting a commercial around a live stunt performance takes a precision of execution that has to go just right or everything could be for waste,” notes Tony Petrossian, the director who has worked with top talent and brands around the world. “Shooting three at once, well, that just makes you take your game to a whole new level.”
The stunt involved letting Singaporeans know that something special in the world of K-Pop was going to happen at Clarke Quay Bridge in the historical riverside location. Once gathered, Korean Pop superstar girl group 2NE1 made a surprise entrance and busted out a performance of four tracks to the delight of the audience.
While the show went down, cameras and actors went to work on capturing three commercial spots. The final product will be two 15s spots shot from inside the crowd and a 60s spot centered on the unfolding of the overall performance.
"We knew we would have very little time to execute the shots we needed, so we planned them in great detail beforehand,” shared director Tony Petrossian. “When the concert was happening there was so much chaos and madness that we had very little control at that point, as we had guessed, so we are proud to have achieved it all. We set the trajectory and then had to sit back and watch it unfold live. This was a new experience for me as I’m used to reviewing every single frame before moving on!”
“We got great support from everyone to make this happen, including YG Entertainment,” added Petrossian, referring to 2NE1’s management company. YG also works with South Korean pop sensation PSY, whose worldwide hit Gangnam Style has revived international interest in the K-Pop scene. The Korean music industry grossed nearly $3.4 billion in the first half of 2012, which amounts to a 27.8% increase from the same period last year, according to Billboard.
Tony Petrossian is a visionary commercial and music video director who has worked with top talent and brands around the world. His mastery of visual illusions combined with a keen storytelling sense have garnered him clients ranging from Nike, McDonald’s and Sony Ericsson to artists including Taking Back Sunday, Rise Against, Slipknot, Ludacris, and DMX. Petrossian's groundbreaking work has earned numerous nominations and shiny awards. His experience and body of work in the United States and across the globe make him an internationally sought-after helmer. Petrossian’s commercial work for the United States market is done exclusively through Rhythm + Hues Commercial Studios.
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