National Theatre Live has launched a new brand film to allow everyone to see theatre “up close and personal”.
The 85-second spot, devised by Wonderhood Studios, stars National Theatre alumnus Benedict Cumberbatch.
It opens to an empty, dimly lit stage where a single spotlight illuminates a wooden chair. Cumberbatch walks into frame, requesting the audience to please take their seats.
A montage plays out onscreen, focusing on the chair. In one scene water pours down around it and, in another, balloons bounce around the screen. All the while Cumberbatch is speaking about the emotions theatre can evoke.
The ad ends with the audience focusing on Cumberbatch once again as he says: “one performance, an audience of millions, all from the best seat in the house”.
National Theatre chief marketing officer Alex Bayley said: “We’ve loved collaborating with Wonderhood Studios to bring the idea of ‘the best seat in the house’ to life in such a visually exciting way, capturing the immersive and emotional experience of watching National Theatre Live. We can’t wait to share this with audiences worldwide to showcase how, through the big screen, theatre can move, inspire, and connect us all.”
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Wonderhood Studios collaborated with ManvsMachine, Factory Studios and Avenue Editors to create visuals of the chair.
Mike Sharpe executive creative director at ManvsMachine said: “A cinematic film for the National Theatre, centred around a single chair and a series of visual metaphors, all shot practically, with one of the world’s leading actors of both stage and screen – what a dream project this was.
“We can’t thank Wonderhood Studios enough for getting us involved and the National Theatre for their support and guidance throughout the whole process. A big thank you to all the crew, and of course Benedict himself, for giving their time and expertise in bringing this film to life.”
According to the National Theatre, the ad is aimed at drawing in new audiences to National Theatre Live showings.
The film will premiere on 20 February and will be supported by organic and paid social content, video-on-demand cutdowns, out-of-home and print.
Jack Croft and Stacey Bird, executive creative directors at Wonderhood Studios said, “We loved bringing this idea to life with top talent both on and off screen and hope that this film will be a long-lasting celebration of everything that makes National Theatre Live so wonderfully compelling to watch.”
National Theatre Live launched in 2009 and brings theatre to the big screen. Recent productions have included Prima Facie starring Jodie Comer and Vanya with Andrew Scott.
The next production from the theatre company will be The Importance of Being Earnest starring Ncuti Gatwa.
