By MOFILM
On Tuesday the MOFILM team were invited to an enchanted rooftop garden in the heart of London for the launch of the Lipton Summer Stories. Between summery Lipton cocktails and green-tea ice cream, we had the opportunity to talk about the project that used the power of storytelling to bring meaning to Lipton’s ‘Be More Tea’ campaign.
The MOFILM team enjoying the Lipton summer stories launch event
When Lipton first approached us about this project it had a simple idea, to create films for the summer that brought to life the brand positioning ‘Be More Tea’, the brand’s philosophy that champions positivity and encourages us to remember that whilst we live in a world of busy indifference, we need to remember to stop, pause and enjoy life.
We reached out to a selection of our filmmakers and asked them to make a film showing the good things that happen when you stop living on autopilot and embrace what’s going on around you. The only mandatories were that the films told stories of summer and focused on a key moment in that summer where the protagonist had to make a decision…a ’T-intersection moment’.
The films were shot in different locations around the world, bringing a truly global feel to the collection and one even has a celebrity cameo from Hollywood actress Julianne Hough.
Lloyd Lee Choi – Wanderlust
Lloyd has worked on many MOFILM projects in the past, including cupidity in which he was able to work with Lily Allen. His love of great stories has fuelled his career in film for the last 4 years and led him to collaborate with some huge brands gaining millions of views online.
Wanderlust brings to life the idea of challenging the status quo and following your own journey through life, even if that journey steps into the unknown. Travelling, the theme of the film, is a necessary journey for many. It offers the chance to gain clarity; have unique experiences and helps shape our outlook on life.
The story was shot in Thailand and captures the spirit of raw adventure amid the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and the more tropical and beautiful locations of Chiangmai and Railay. Lloyd and his team followed the film’s approach to take each day as it comes when it came to casting the roles for the story. They met the lead actress in the piece on their third day filming on the overnight train to Chiangmai. She jumped at the opportunity to embark on a new adventure and changed her plans to backpack with the team for two weeks; in fact she really embodies the spirit of the film.
Raúl B Fernandez – A Little Self Help
Born in Argentina, growing up in Costa Rica, Illinois and Florida and now based in Los Angeles, Raúl is no stranger to new opportunities and a bit of adventure! The perfect candidate to direct a film based on the concept of ‘Be More Tea’.
Like Lloyd, Raul has worked on Cupidity and a host of other MOFILM projects during his career in film. His work has received a lot of recognition and accolades, with his light-hearted, comedic style always shinning through.
Raúl’s film captures the irony that even when an individual consciously makes a decision, things don’t always go to plan because you never know what’s around the corner. In fact, this is often when the best experiences can happen because you truly learn to appreciate everyday things in a new light. The film was inspired by the legendary Zig Ziglar, the ‘father of self-help’ and an inspirational speaker in the States in the 70s and 80s. Raul himself dabbled in reading a few self -help books whilst a student and certain phrases have stuck with him.
Stuart Birchall – Walkabout
As a self-taught filmmaker Stuart’s principle focus over the years has been film and music. He’s worked with a broad range of artists, record labels and brands and has won numerous awards for his music promo work including a Kerrang Music Video award. His documentary work has also been televised and screened at international film festivals.
Creating a film with a starting point as ‘Be More Tea’ was certainly a different challenge! Stuart believes a great deal of culture has become fast and empty and, by using philosophy, literature and poetry as the backbone to his story, the film serves to remind us all of the importance of taking time to re-set and engage with the people and world around us.
The film is full of excerpts of wisdom and inspirational quotes; the main character’s journey begins when he opens up a ‘book of wisdom’ at a crossroads in his life.
Stuart developed a number of the original quotes featured in the film himself and included contemporary adaptations from other well-known texts inspired by The Upanishads, The Tao Te Ching, as well as classic literature from: Milton, Kipling, & Frost.
The film was shot on location predominantly in both Mexico City and the suburbs and the Yucatan peninsula, a real adventure for Stuart and his team at Kode Media, and in many ways, very much in alignment with the main characters journey.
Peter Walker – Comet
Peter originally became involved with MOFILM through his winning Guinness Africa entry and was eager to get involved with this campaign, excited by the prospect of working on such an open brief for Lipton.
His film, Comet, is a reminder of the fantastic experiences we can all share if we act on our curiosity and jump headfirst, optimistically, into opportunities that come our way – because tomorrow could be too late. The stunning scenery and South African terrain have their own starring roles in the film and Peter and Annalize, his producer and partner, were committed to finding the perfect locations. The pair spent much of their weekends prior to filming on long hikes in the hot African sun while Annalize was eight months pregnant!
As an extra feature, MOFILM interviewed each of the Lipton Summer Stories directors, and asked each to give their top directing tip:
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