TODAY 19 MAY Exclusive Audi News

...picture is ultimately revealed. Audi commissioned The Big Picture to reflect the car which challenges so many conventions, bringing the company’s trademark luxury and technology to the premium-compact segment for the first time. “The A1 is truly a 21st century car, one that carries truly premium Audi DNA,” says Audi Australia managing director, Uwe Hagen. “Through The Big Picture, we are showcasing the A1 in a different way, introducing it to a new Audi audience and doing so in a fresh new way using cutting-edge digital technology.”

The digital medium is a perfect fit for the A1, which will bring Audi to the attention of a whole new demographic, and the concept behind The Big Picture, coupled with its use of leading-edge technology and image manipulation meld with the A1’s image as a progressive, technology-driven vehicle.

A first for a premium automotive brand in Australia, The Big Picture brings together the talents of some of the country’s top film professionals. Produced by Nalu Productions and directed by Wes Greene who boasts a long and distinguished list of credits, the production utilises a mix of small digital cameras and unique mounts to deliver a unique perspective.

Integral to the concept, ARIA-winner Justin Heitman has likewise worked with the very best both here and internationally. One of the country’s leading colourists, he was worked on such celebrated Australian films as The Dish, The Castle and Crackerjack, as well as award-winning television including The Secret Life of Us.

Heitman’s exceptional work has been recognised with both Australian and American Cinematography awards, while his work co-producing the Midnight Oil DVD - Best of Both Worlds, earned him an ARIA. Principal of Blue Turtle Digital, Heitman is also a celebrated photographer and videographer whose work has appeared in a vast array of publications both in Australia and around the world.

In The Big Picture, Heitman’s skills as a colourist are central to the concept, as the A1 is revealed through the eyes of a central character. Shot across five separate locations in Melbourne and Sydney, first subtle, then more overt image manipulations ask the viewer to question what it is they have seen, second guessing their own eyes.

This approach replaces a more traditional narrative, drawing the viewer in and making them a part of the film as it unfolds. Just as technology is central to the A1, so too are the technical devices used in The Big Picture. In something akin to a high-tech ‘spot the difference’ challenge, viewers are compelled to look out for and try to pick the changes occurring, with the effect of captivating and drawing them right in to the heart of the film.

“These image manipulations will be directly motivated from a wide range of colour correction techniques used in film post production,” says director, Wes Greene.

Fittingly, The Big Picture will be distributed using the digital and social media, including YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. And stay tuned for a very special premier event coming soon!