What goes on inside the minds of series writers? According to Canal+ (or rather, BETC Paris and Wanda on behalf of Canal+) what goes on is wild. Wild minds make great series, the campaign points out. And the campaign film leaves that without the whisper of a doubt.

The film is a beautifully cinematic journey through the mind of a Canal+ screenwriter. Described in the barest terms, a screenwriter’s idea begins as a small flame and grows as it gathers elements. BETC Paris chief creative officer, Stéphane Xiberras; director, Ivan Grbovic; and production company, Wanda, have added the remarkable creative direction and craft that fleshes out that plot into an awe-inspiring epic.

The ad features Malotru, played by French star Mathieu Kassowitz, who is the main character of CANAL+ series, The Bureau.

Xiberras, who has been in charge of the Canal+ account for over 15 years, commented, “People who watch our ads for Canal+ often ask me, ‘talking bears, unicorn balls, 80-year old Spitfire pilots…Where do you get it all from?’ The answer is ‘from inside our heads’, and that’s the whole theme of this film, to show the process of how an idea is born, the mysterious ways in which our minds associate one bizarre element to another. I was really excited about the visual challenge of the script, how to show the inside of a brain, while avoiding the usual clichés. I have actually learnt that it takes a lot of imagination in order to illustrate the imagination.”

Canal+ is known for creating wildly popular original content like the series, Spiral, The Young Pope, Versailles and The Bureau, but also for its implication in, and support of, French cinema production. The film coincides with the launch of its new signature, Canal+Creates, highlighting the company’s role as a major hub for creation in France and Europe.

It’s not the first time Canal+ has paid tribute to the talent of its screenwriters in its ads. In 2009 BETC Paris created, The Closet, which won Gold at Cannes Lions and in 2015, Unicorns, which won Silver.

Credits:
Agency: BETC
Executive Creative Director: Stéphane Xiberras
Art Director: Rayhaan Khodabux
Copywriter: Rémi Campet
Account Management: Guillaume Espinet, Mathilde Lançon & Pierre-Alain Moreau
Producers: David Brakha & Isabelle Menard
Traffic: Elodie Diana

Production Company: Wanda
Director: Ivan Grbovic
Sound Production: Schmooze
Post Production: Mikros Image
Client: Canal+
Client Team: Mathilde Villette, Eugénie Rodrigues & Céline Pontygayot