WhatsApp (Meta) x Mercedes AMG F1

This was a fun one. We had just shy of five weeks from kickoff of pre-production through to camera wrap. We had two weeks to dial in creative with the team at Meta CX before our UK based Production Designer started the build on these three mega sets. A whirling dervish of a project juiced by adrenaline, caffeine and plenty of jet-lag. I was managing teams in timezones from GMT to PST (which meant plenty of 16+ hr days). Cheers to my UK counterpart, James Dearden and his team for wrangling everything on the other side of the Atlantic. This was a massive team effort – as all projects are – but this one was so much so that I’ve included credits for everyone below since every person did the job of three on this one.

Filmed at the legendary Pinewood Studio in London, Hometeam helped fans show their appreciation for their favorite Formula 1 driver, George Russell, by surprising him with his favorite off-track activities, all powered by Groups on WhatsApp.

Production Co: Hometeam
Director: Jason Oppliger
DP: Idan Menin
PD: Gregg Shoulder
EP: Harrison Winter
Senior Producer: Zach MacDonald
UK Producer: James Dearden

Meta CX Team:

Producer: Nick Blair
CD: Lauren Duane
Copywriter: Taylor Christmas

Production Team:
Production Manager: Mia Henderson
Production Runner: Cassie Bradbury
Production Runner: Danton Appleton-Smith
Production Runner: Monty Chaudoir
Production Runner: Finn Douglas
1st AD: Peter Bromfield
2nd AD: Matt Randle
AD Runner: Edie Kelly
AD Runner: Sammy Mines
Set Medic: Alex Poro
Coffee Truck: Harry King

Camera Team:
A Cam Op: Will Humphries
B Cam Op: Archie Muller
CCam / Stedicam Op: Chris Bain
BTS / Stills / D Cam Op: Josh Partridge
1st AC: Tim Morris
1st AC: Alex Teale
1st AC: Tom Gamble
2nd AC: Sam Hayes
Camera Trainee: Heath Zarrindast
Camera Trainee: Maisy Simms
DIT: Alexander Brunacci
Playback: Liam Coles

Sound Department:
Sound Operator: Richard Jones
Sound Operator: Aroa Fuentes-Gomez

Lighting & Grip
Gaffer: David Smith
Desk Op: Tom Jones
Spark: Tom Smith
Spark: Carl Hutton
Spark: Tom Murtagh
Spark: James Brown
Spark: Mark Laidlaw
Master Rigger: Lee Schofield
Rigger: Mark Smith
Rigger: Connor Boyd-Barnes
Rigger: Jason French

Art Department:
Construction Manager: Michael Treend
Set Stylist: Frederica Hodgekinson
Lead Prop: Ed Kellow
Art Dept Assistant: Kezia Rees
Storyboard Artist: Andrew Cherry
Construction Team: Steve West
Construction Team: Luis Keene
Construction Team: Brett Wrightson
Construction Team: Luke Davison
Construction Team: Roy Wheawell
Construction Team: Jack Ellicott

Hair, Makeup, Wardrobe:
HMUA: Bev Pond-Jones
HMU Assistant: Em Grove
HMU Assistant: Charlotte Griffiths
Stylist: Hamish Wirgman
Styling Assistant: Ailsa Chaplin
Styling Assistant: Elliott Bulman
Styling Assistant: Rebecca Piersanti
GR Groomer: Kelly Mendiola

Post Production Team:

EP, Director of Post Production: Daniel A. Tundis
Post Supervisor: Perry Morton
Editors: Jason Kileen & Jonah Oskows
Motion Graphics: David Blinn
Colorist: Derrick Yeun
Sound Mixer: Drewsky Hulett
Post Supervisor (Mix): Lilo Hulett
Assistant Editors: David Palmeri & Erik Johnson
Special Thanks: Jo Huang-Zollner

Talent:

Himself: George Russell
Team George: Cara Little
Senior Partner Communications Manager - Mercedes-AMG F1, Team George: Tom Duggan
George Driver: Geoff Talboys
Stand-In: Andre George
Cowboy: Graham Ebner
Cowboy: Quyh Tran
Cowboy: Alexandria Hayden
Cowboy: Aaron Michael Robinson
Padel: Abdul Wadud
Padel: Ezekiel Martin
Padel: Kofi Ossei
Padel: Paulo Andre
Padel: Alina Jafri
Padel: Bradley Chandler
Smoothie: Manon Clement
Smoothie: Maia Rowe-Sampson
Smoothie: Yasmine Alice
Smoothie: Jakub Gac