Those things that replaced the telephone have become so much more than tools for conversations. They’re also how we document our lives. The cameras in mobile phones have become top product features and smartphone giant, OnePlus, has just put Hasselblad cameras in its phones.

Hasselblad was the first camera on the moon during NASA’s moon landing. It stands for photography excellence. Ironically, perhaps, that makes OnePlus phones excellent phones.

Mother Shanghai has created the launch campaign for the new partners, shot by filmmaker Michael Gracey [The Greatest Showman], with production companies Unlisted and FINCH. The feel-good film uses a cinematic approach to tell the story of the moon sweeping through a quiet cityscape, in a cheeky nod to Hasselblad’s history, and inspiring the brand’s audience with what the camera can do…”If we just let more light in?” Gracey is known for elevating his films with visual effects and a touch of whimsy, and in this particular commercial, lighting breathes life into the moon, allowing it to shine as the star of this film.

Michael Gracey commented, “I took this simple thought and got to bring it to life in such a whimsical way. We were limited by the circumstances at the time (lockdown, remote shooting, etc.), so it took a little bit of practical effects and a lot of imagination, but it was a brilliant collaboration that I feel is a direct reflection of the OnePlus x Hasselblad partnership.”

Mother Shanghai added, “The idea behind this campaign, every legacy begins with a simple thought, is so simple but backed by such a strong truth, and that’s when we knew we could take this far and really have fun with it.”

The film is running from mid-March in China and international markets.

Credits

Client: OnePlus

Agency: Mother Shanghai
Creative: Mother Shanghai
Strategy: Mother Shanghai

Director: Michael Gracey
Production Companies: UNLISTED & FINCH
Producer: Vivienne Jaspers
Executive Producer: Katie Mackin & Corey Esse
Director of Photography: Jeremy Rouse
Production Manager: Juliet Smith
Production Designer: Patrick Bennett
Head of SFX: Clint Dodd

Gaffer: Crispian Hayler
Grip: Glenn Arrowsmith
Location Manager: Michael Gaffney
1st AD: Jason Faulkner

Editor: Drew Thompson @ ARC Edit
Colourist: Seamus O’Kane @ Youngster
VFX: Electric Theatre Collective
Music Composer: Chris Read & Otis Studios
Audio Production: Otis Studios