Outage is a gripping suspense story about an engineer confronting a city-wide blackout on her first day on the job.
The thriller has the feel of a Hollywood blockbuster. But it’s not. It’s an ad by Ogilvy for IBM. Based on real IBM capabilities. It aims to show how IBM’s mobile technology impacts everyday life. And it’s interactive. Seven films have been woven together to uncover the full story, giving the viewer a number of possible experiences.
Tension runs through the story as the new technician is challenged by the steps needed to restore power and save lives after a massive storm. She has to make a series of critical decisions, with a clock counting down all the time, in order to restore power. At various stages of the film, the viewer needs to choose her next step.
The film was directed by Merman’s Brad Turner, who has also helmed episodes of Homeland, 24, and Designated Survivor.
https://youtu.be/Nh0c_GvA3fM
Turner commented, “You could say that action is my specialty. I’ve also been intrigued by how quickly our world is changing through technologies like AI and mobile. So when Merman and Ogilvy approached me to create a film for IBM Mobile solutions, I was extremely excited. For years in television and film we’ve dreamed up technology to further storytelling and help our heroes save the day, so the idea that you can actually DO these unbelievable things now with AI – like analyse thousands of manuals within seconds while running – is really incredible.”
It was launched at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Kira Carstensen, global managing partner of Merman, commented, “Working alongside Ogilvy, we helped concept and execute the script using an episodic television approach. We shot the interactive film over two days in Vancouver, employing an experienced TV crew and one of the world’s most accomplished and respected directors of action thrillers, Brad Turner. Ogilvy was an incredible partner in developing a unique user experience that is a reflection of their visionary client, IBM Mobile, and the technology they create.”
Credits:
Agency: Ogilvy
Executive Creative Directors: Keith Anderson & George Tanenbaum
Associate Creative Director: Juliane Hadem
Senior Copywriter: Gregory Kissler
Senior Art Director: Simon Woodham
Senior Producer: Joe Maire
Account Director: Olivier Sentucq
Management Supervisor: Erica Ortmann
Account Supervisor: Halle Mizrahi
Senior Strategist: Lynette Wong
Executive Digital Producer: Sara Vargas
Director of Music: Karl Westman
Business Manager: Camille Crenshaw
Production Company: Merman
Director: Brad Turner
Global Managing Partner & Executive Producer: Kira Carstensen
Head of Production: Amy Kaemon
Head of Business Affairs: Kim Darwin
Producer: Jessica Petelle
VFX & Post Production: MPC
Composer: Jamie Forsyth
Audio Post: Sonic Union
