A complex, subtly nuanced sound bed was created for this new Samsung Smart TV spot. The commercial promotes the new Samsung Smart TV, a television that recommends content for the viewer and can be controlled with gesture and voice. The commercial features a spectacular, headlong stampede of extreme characters from TV and film. Roman Centurions and cheerleaders, cop cars and SWAT helicopters, Maori warriors and WW2 soldiers, Marie Antoinette, even a whip-wielding albino minotaur in a chariot – each of these characters and their actions had a carefully layered signature sound, specially created in a studio. The success of the final film depended heavily on the relationship between the sound design and the music track, and these effects were deliberately used sparingly to add bold aural punctuation throughout the spot.

Casting such a diverse set of characters required an exceptional amount of planning. The challenge was to find characters that were authentic and brought a truth to their roles. Days of street casting provided a stunning pool of natural, yet unforgettable faces. For lead roles, we cast individually. A local Maori tribe formed part of the charge, and the only American Football team in New Zealand provided the players and cheerleaders. The result was a beautifully detailed army of characters, each one believable and worthy of a commercial to themselves.