Dallas based JSX is redefining air travel, and earlier this year our studios partnered with PMG to showcase their refreshing new approach to commercial aviation. The eight-spot campaign employed a dynamic fusion of captured footage, CG elements, and a selection of stock shots to highlight a more accessible, luxurious, and efficient travel experience.
The shoot was director Andrew Ryan Shephard’s first collaboration with our Republic Productions team. A storyteller who captures vivid scenes of narrative honesty with cinematic beauty, his approach was to give the spot a somewhat magical feel, inviting the viewer to experience something unique and dream about a different way of flying.
“JSX is groundbreaking in its disruption of air travel,“ explains Shepherd, “I wanted the audience to understand this immediately; this is the comfort, convenience and ease they can expect. For their lifestyle and preferences, this changes everything.“ He chose to focus on intentional camera movements, naturally motivated lighting and immersive sound design to take the viewer on a journey through passengers’ felt and heard experiences, helping the audience understand (as their tagline states) – ‘This is how I fly’.
”I’ve admired Andrew’s work for several years and had always hoped we’d find an opportunity to work together,” says Republic Productions E.P. Brian Hwang. “From the pitch, pre-pro to production, Shepherd was an absolute pleasure to work with. We found that we have similar philosophies when approaching a complex project, and our working styles clicked from the jump.”
The aggressive two day airport location shoot featured a large cast covering multiple passenger experiences in the hanger, runway and cabin. “The only way we were able to get this done within such a tight timeline, “ says Hwang, ”was with the exceptional collaboration of PMG. The entire agency team was communicative and very open to Andrew’s ideas throughout the process.”
Republic Editorial’s Dean Pelton was tasked with assembling the multiple storylines for the various spots in the campaign. “The motion that Andrew baked into his scenes through his camera and blocking made it really simple to have a nice fluidity to the edits, “ describes Pelton. The launch spot had an added level of complexity to it as it required the integration of multiple stock-footage lifestyle shots. “This spot was by far the most challenging, “ he adds, “as it required quick cuts, quick sound design shifts and a creative weaving in of voice-over to tell the story. Although it’s a little more aggressive edit than the other spots which focus on in the campaign, I think it does an amazing job of illustrating how high JSX is elevating the passenger experience.”
