Lexus
What happens when the tool you need doesn’t exist?
Watch: Behind the Scenes
"Society matched our innovative script with equally ingenious production solutions."
-Leah Bohl
Executive Producer, Team One
Innovation inspires innovation. When Lexus approached us to introduce their most advanced vehicle yet, we knew conventional production techniques wouldn't suffice. Under the direction of David Holm, we embarked on an ambitious technical experiment: creating and flying a first-of-its-kind drone mounted spotlight as our only light source. Rather than following the traditional automotive lighting playbook, we embarked on an ambitious technical experiment: creating and flying a first-of-its-kind drone mounted spotlight as our only light source.
Working with drone specialists RVRD, we developed a revolutionary lighting platform that pushed the boundaries of both LED and drone technology. The custom system, mounted on an Alta 8 octocopter, combined nine 900-watt LED units to produce an astonishing 126,000 lumens of focused light. The setup was so powerful that special safety protocols had to be implemented to protect crew members from its intense beam. The technical challenges were formidable. We needed to create a custom gimbal system that could support and precisely control this unprecedented lighting array. The remote-controlled focus system had to maintain perfect accuracy while the drone matched the vehicle's speed - often exceeding 50 miles per hour. Power management and flight stability with such a unique payload required extensive testing and refinement.
For three consecutive nights, we operated two drones simultaneously - one carrying our revolutionary spotlight, the other equipped with an ultimate arm camera. This aerial ballet required a team of six drone operators working in perfect harmony with precision drivers and camera crew. Every movement had to be precisely choreographed to maintain both safety and creative excellence. This approach would have been impossible just months earlier. Recent advances in LED efficiency and drone stability created a narrow window of technical feasibility that we were able to take advantage of. By combining these emerging technologies in an innovative way, we created a lighting technique that had never been seen in automotive advertising.
The result transcended technical achievement. Rather than simply illuminating the vehicle, our drone-mounted system became an active participant in the storytelling. The dynamic interplay of light and shadow, impossibly smooth and precisely controlled, created a visual language that perfectly matched Lexus's commitment to innovation. The project demonstrated Society's approach to technical innovation: identify opportunities at the intersection of emerging technologies, develop custom solutions that push creative boundaries, and execute with meticulous attention to both safety and artistic excellence. In doing so, we didn't just create a commercial - we pioneered a new technique that perfectly complemented Lexus’ own focus on innovation.
Treatment
BY THE NUMBERS
CUSTOM LED UNITS: 9 TOTAL LUMENS: 126,000 LIGHT POWER: 8,100 WATTS DRONE OPERATORS: 6 FLIGHT SPEED: 50+ MPH CONSECUTIVE NIGHT SHOOTS: 3 SAFETY BRIEFINGS: TOO MANY TO COUNT TIMES THIS TECH HAD BEEN USED BEFORE: 0
BUDGET: EMAIL US
Lexus
What happens when the tool you need doesn’t exist?
Watch: Behind the Scenes
"Society matched our innovative script with equally ingenious production solutions."
-Leah Bohl
Executive Producer, Team One
Innovation inspires innovation. When Lexus approached us to introduce their most advanced vehicle yet, we knew conventional production techniques wouldn't suffice. Under the direction of David Holm, we embarked on an ambitious technical experiment: creating and flying a first-of-its-kind drone mounted spotlight as our only light source. Rather than following the traditional automotive lighting playbook, we embarked on an ambitious technical experiment: creating and flying a first-of-its-kind drone mounted spotlight as our only light source.
Working with drone specialists RVRD, we developed a revolutionary lighting platform that pushed the boundaries of both LED and drone technology. The custom system, mounted on an Alta 8 octocopter, combined nine 900-watt LED units to produce an astonishing 126,000 lumens of focused light. The setup was so powerful that special safety protocols had to be implemented to protect crew members from its intense beam. The technical challenges were formidable. We needed to create a custom gimbal system that could support and precisely control this unprecedented lighting array. The remote-controlled focus system had to maintain perfect accuracy while the drone matched the vehicle's speed - often exceeding 50 miles per hour. Power management and flight stability with such a unique payload required extensive testing and refinement.
For three consecutive nights, we operated two drones simultaneously - one carrying our revolutionary spotlight, the other equipped with an ultimate arm camera. This aerial ballet required a team of six drone operators working in perfect harmony with precision drivers and camera crew. Every movement had to be precisely choreographed to maintain both safety and creative excellence. This approach would have been impossible just months earlier. Recent advances in LED efficiency and drone stability created a narrow window of technical feasibility that we were able to take advantage of. By combining these emerging technologies in an innovative way, we created a lighting technique that had never been seen in automotive advertising.
The result transcended technical achievement. Rather than simply illuminating the vehicle, our drone-mounted system became an active participant in the storytelling. The dynamic interplay of light and shadow, impossibly smooth and precisely controlled, created a visual language that perfectly matched Lexus's commitment to innovation. The project demonstrated Society's approach to technical innovation: identify opportunities at the intersection of emerging technologies, develop custom solutions that push creative boundaries, and execute with meticulous attention to both safety and artistic excellence. In doing so, we didn't just create a commercial - we pioneered a new technique that perfectly complemented Lexus’ own focus on innovation.
Treatment
BY THE NUMBERS
CUSTOM LED UNITS: 9 TOTAL LUMENS: 126,000 LIGHT POWER: 8,100 WATTS DRONE OPERATORS: 6 FLIGHT SPEED: 50+ MPH CONSECUTIVE NIGHT SHOOTS: 3 SAFETY BRIEFINGS: TOO MANY TO COUNT TIMES THIS TECH HAD BEEN USED BEFORE: 0
BUDGET: EMAIL US