Swiss watchmaker Tissot is the official timekeeper of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Its precision system is already famous, having been used for 8+ years across 29 arenas. To celebrate the partnership and build excitement ahead of the 2024 Paris Games, Tissot aimed to engage a new target audience on a global stage. The production project we covered was a commercial that had one goal - to captivate attention across different social media channels.
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Project brief
Tissot and the NBA are two global brands with a shared vision on performance and precision. The production project they envisioned aimed to reflect their values, namely the energy that basketball, as a sport, brings to the world; and the premium brand identity built over decades by the Swiss watchmaker. And what better city to do that than Paris? Services we provided:
- Drive crew
- Logistics
- Local producer
The challenge: filming at peak hour in the heart of Paris
As much as everyone loves Paris, from a business perspective it’s one of the busiest in the world. Filming, whether it’s commercial, short brand film or documentary, involves managing tourist and car traffic. Every location has individual rules on securing a permit, and relocating crews can become a real challenge. For some teams, it’s overwhelming. For others, it’s an opportunity to deliver excellence in production regardless of the challenges ahead. On set, the narrative was to leverage the history of the Paris Games and create three CGI-stunt illusions.
All three used a mix of live-action footage and 3D animation to show prominent landmarks across Paris merging with the Tissot shot clock. By using the clock as the main focal point, the commercial captured the tension building up to the event’s countdown, successfully mirroring the anticipation of the Games. With the live-action footage filmed in Paris, the Tissot shot clock was then built in 3D. It tracked and blended seamlessly with real-life events and the animation elements, creating a captivating 6-second hook with Tissot front and centre.
What to keep in mind when filming in Paris
Filming a production in the heart of Paris calls for patience, knowledge, and expertise. Although our client traveled with their film crew, they soon realized some processes demanded local assistance. Our team stepped in to assist with logistical processes and crew transport. We had a dedicated local producer join to avoid any language barriers and make sure all processes align seamlessly.
If you have a production in mind and Paris is the city of your preference, our local teams provide a wide range of services for different project types:
- Documentaries
- Sports-related content
- Commercials
- Short films
- TV shows
- Branded videos
For every type, we have niche services that we believe are worth taking into account. For TV shows and commercials, our experts can assist with full crew management, scouting for suitable locations, permits, and more. If you have a more complex project in mind, like a documentary, we can help with multi-location filming with or without physical relocation, translation services, drone support, or transport.
