View gallery
BP's "technology flagships" are cutting edge initiatives
designed to get more oil from existing resources, helping keep them
ahead of the oil exploration pack. They commissioned RY to make a
series of films that would explain these projects to both technical
and non-technical audiences, a brief that meant striking just the
right balance between information and inspiration - too little
detail and the scientific community would sneer; too much and the
wider audience would shrug and walk away.
We began with one of BP's most astonishing technology
flagships, their Land Seismic Imaging System. This amazing ground
penetrating radar can quickly survey vast areas and filter the
resulting data to reveal the presence of oil. As one BP scientist
put it, "It's a bit like being able to accurately isolate one voice
from a crowd of thousands", a metaphor we pounced on and made a key
part of the story.
World events obliged us to approach the production process
with a fox-like level of cunning. BP's seismic imaging test site is
in Libya, not the ideal location for a corporate film crew. So
instead of jetting off to the desert we brought their seismic
imaging technology to life through a smart mix of stock footage,
expert interviews, multi-layered graphics and UK-based set piece
shots.
The result is beautifully executed and brings a complex
subject to life in a simple, engaging way. As well as being
accessible it's also true to the technology and a treat
for the eye, a combination that helped secure the finished piece an
IVCA Silver Award in the PR category.