Latest studies show that more and more people are using their smartphones while driving, putting them at risk of accidents. In fact, people who text while driving are more than 50 % more likely to have an accident. Based on these statistics, the German Road Safety Council and the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport asked for an impactful film, which encourages viewers to #donttextanddrive.

We wanted this to feel like a sophisticated, carefully crafted thriller. Neither done in a brash, blockbuster style, nor in lo-fi. The cinematographer created chic, richly nuanced and timeless images. The philosophy: Looking for the right shot at the right time that most efficiently tells the story and maximizes the emotion. Therefore, we deliberately let the film take place in the evening/nighttime to create this sense of tension and claustrophobia and play with contrasts of warm and cold tones: representing the warmth of the family respectively the coldness of the unknown. To support that we created a dreary, autumnal world and composed a condensed colour palette with a slightly overcast sky and atmospheric fog. Even in-room scenes followed this concept with just the glare of screens and colourful ambient light or moody strip lights. This absence of natural light made the viewer losing orientation and increased suspense throughout the film.

Enthusiastic press articles, social media reactions and comments show: This captivating road safety film hits a social nerve – by not only inspiring people to take an example from the main protagonist Lisa, who doesn't reply to messages while driving, but also by making us all reflect on our social behaviour: It opens our eyes to the absurdity of our constant availability, how and when we use our smartphones and what, perhaps unhealthy, things are expected of us. By addressing this zeitgeisty social issue, the film achieves its objective of illuminating viewers about the dry reality of road safety in an emotional, relatable and contemporary way: #donttextanddrive.