Amazing in Motion is a set of global projects to celebrate the more imaginative and creative side of the Lexus brand. ‘Swarm’ is the second project in the series; it takes existing quadrotor technology out of its typical engineering environment and moves it into real world settings. The result is a playful film of quads exploring the city at night while we sleep.

The final film required huge advances in quadrotor technology to enable flight outside lab conditions, and to give the quads human characteristics and personality. Every frame of their flight was pre-animated and then programmed in advance. Character animation took place in London, with rehearsals in Philadelphia and a final shoot on location in Vancouver, requiring complex interaction between the quads and their environment. Finally, to deliver the personality that was so crucial to the spot, a cartoon score was specifically composed to transcribe the action onscreen, with recording taking place with a 56-piece orchestra for composition and scale.