Ms Titze, how did the idea for the cinema advertising come about?

It started in a very traditional manner with an offer from a company for cinema and outdoor advertising to present the BILSTER BERG in a commercial break before a cinema film. At first we put the idea aside. Cinema advertising? That was somehow just too big for us. But the idea remained in our minds and at some point we said to ourselves, why not? We want to become better known nationwide and, in the best case, gain new B2B and B2C customers. Cinema advertising is ideal for this!

Where do you start when planning a cinema commercial?

There were a few meetings with our film crew to work out the concept of the film. Our aim was to present the BILSTER BERG from as many angles as possible. We wanted to tell the story of the BILSTER BERG without it becoming a classic image film. We wanted to create a short film, which would be played prior to the James Bond film, to arouse the curiosity of the viewers, to get them involved and, in the best case scenario, to bring them to the BILSTER BERG.

Once the concept had been worked out, it was time to prepare for the film shoot and to execute it.

What is the film’s story and what is the gist of this whole project for a cinema spot?

It’s about a suitcase with mysterious contents. The viewer follows the suitcase’s journey through the many different locations of the BILSTER BERG to its destination. There, the secret of the suitcase’s contents is revealed…

With this cinema spot we want to show the potential of the BILSTER BERG with its different driving options and locations. We are not just a circuit, but with a little creativity we also offer the perfect location for photo and film productions.

And tell us how the shooting went?

On the filming days, we had a short meeting in the morning to discuss the best sequence for shooting the scenes and then we went from one location to the next. Again and again we built up the set and shot the scenes several times from different perspectives. After two long days, all the scenes and sound recordings were successfully done and the editing of the film could begin.

Were there any difficulties during the shooting days?

Oh yes, there were a few difficulties. Before the shoot, the biggest challenge was to find a date that suited both the film crew and the actors and on which the cars, as well as the BILSTER BERG, were available.

On the shooting days, the weather was our biggest challenge. Up until this first weekend in December, the winter had been very mild and dry, but on the first day of shooting there was a cold snap. We had to deal with black ice, continuous rain and extreme cold and had to completely change our shooting schedule. We had to move the driving shots way back until it got a little warmer and the ice on the track started to melt.

When and where will the BILSTER BERG spot be shown?

While we were brainstorming, we were inspired by the old James Bond films. So our cinema spot will be shown directly before the new “James Bond 007: No Time to Die”. We hope that this will appeal to decision-makers from the automotive industry and the photo and film industry in particular.

Well, and what can we say. 2020 was probably our seventh year itch. Because of the epidemiological situation, the release of the film and thus of our spot was postponed again and again. But on 30 September the time has finally come and we are very pleased that our cinema commercial will be shown in 14 cinemas across Germany, including the Cineplex in Paderborn, the Cinemaxx an der Liederhalle in Stuttgart and the Cinedom in Cologne.

Following drive-in cinema and film commercials: Will the BILSTER BERG realise film projects more often in the future?

This shoot was definitely a great experience for the whole team and we are more than happy with the result. But now we are looking forward to the viewers’ reactions before we return to the big screen.