Come Home to Comfort
Client: M Sofas
Project: Come Home to Comfort
Location: On location in Manchester, and at Base studios.
Deliverables:
1 × 60s Brand film.
10 x product ads in 16×9, 9×16, 1×1.
70+ stills
Dead Pixel did:
Ideation & Creative Treatment
Pre-production & casting
Set design, build and styling
1 day on location
1 day in the studio
Directing
Editing & grade
Photography & Retouch
Quote of the Shoot:
“Why are you wearing 2 watches?”
The Brief
M Sofas challenged us to create a brand film, plus 10 product videos and stills, giving us complete creative freedom. Trusting our expertise and vision, they empowered us to handle everything from concept to execution.
Using beautiful, relatable visuals of life at home we wanted to showcase the range sofas through a continuous feeling of cosiness in the campaign.
Grounded with an acoustic track that makes you think cosy, spring Saturday morning, the brand film was to follow a mix of people relaxing, laughing, snuggling, napping, catching up; all centred around their sofa at home.
Mock up of space vs actual final shot
Pre-Production
We didn’t want to just create a typical sales lead furniture ad. We wanted to capture something with heart and emotion whilst capturing a desirable lifestyle perfect for the M Sofa target market. We wanted to focus on the lifestyle the sofa allows rather than the product alone. We shared the concept “Come Home to Comfort” with a selection of every day, scenarios of people enjoying their homes. This could be face timing an old friend or enjoying a bowl of nachos with a partner. Each scene had to feel authentic and relatable, grounded around the relaxing sofa experience.
Capturing 10 luxury sofas with 10 different looks is no easy feat. Our approach was to split the products across 2 days. 1 day on location in a beautiful home, 1 day in our studio.
We leant on Daisy’s interior design expertise and got to work pulling together 10 sets each with a sofa as the main focal point. Everything from lamps, to curtains, rugs to sideboards were carefully considered to compliment the textures and colours of the products.
Meanwhile Jazz set to work on finding 4 models across the 2 days of shooting. We shared 20 different headshots with personal recommendations for the cast before confirming Chiara, Michael, Josh and Alicia. The client swiftly signed off the creative direction, shot list and we were onto set building, prop sourcing and wardrobe.
Production
Filming took place over 2 back-to-back days using a nimble crew of 6. This included Cal as Director/dop, Jazz as Producer, Camera & Lighting assistant Hannah & Daisy on sets and styling plus M Sofas delivery crew doing the heavy lifting.
On Location
Production began at 8am with everyone arriving on location, eating a pan au chocolate and unloading the vans. We captured 6 different sofas across 3 lounges, each uniquely dressed and styled. We had spring morning light dazzling through the windows (you’d never know it was actually p*ssing it down outside) as well as an evening date night requiring a set full black out.
We started each scene with 2 models relaxing and enjoying each others company for the main brand film. This was followed by a product video and stills focusing on individuals USPs including adjustable headrests, internal storage and the pull out bed features.
Whilst the camera team were filming, the remaining production squad were in another room dressing and styling to ensure a smooth handover from one room to the next.
In the Studio
The structure of day ran very similar, however we had completely different lighting considerations, new models, wardrobe and styling in 2 x pre-built living room sets.
Our studio is completely blacked out meaning we can control the lighting whatever the weather. This was essential for our ‘jump cut’ ending showing the range of sofas all in one location signifying any of these sofas could work for you.
Post-Production & Results
All editing, grading & sound design were all completed in-house at Dead Pixel HQ with, wait for it, NO amends from the client. Something that rarely happens but is amazing when it does.
The ability to effectively design and pull together a packed out schedule followed by a swift delivery really demonstrates how we a multi-skilled bunch here at Dead Pixel. Creative problem solving from the start!
The product ads are currently being used in an in-depth social campaign aimed at driving traffic to the online shop and ultimately sales.
Behind the scenes with Dead Pixel and M Sofas
