Zoetropes, a praxinoscope, early projectors, and a phenakistoscope have all been used to channel what is considered a monumental moment for carmaker Volkswagen in a new short by Johannes Leonardo.
Directed by Sam Brown, the 90-second film ‘The Wheel’ uses some of the oldest devices of motion in film—the Zoetrope (praxinoscope, early projectors, and phenakistoscope)—as the key storyteller of the history of transportation in culture, from ancient Mesopotamia to the highways of today.
Each of the Zoetropes were painstakingly hand-built, tested, and fashioned by a team of more than 50 artists and engineers to appear as though they were pulled out right of their respective eras, Johannes Leonardo explained.
As the music builds, the camera settles upon the world’s current state: an animated scene of cars on a highway of pollution. The film then pans to the new Volkswagen ID.4, with a statement asking us all to be a part of history with the adoption of Volkswagen’s first electric car made for the masses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMQr4mi2yqY&feature=emb_title
Speaking of the work, Johannes Leonardo said: “As we enter 2021, the automotive industry is entering one of the biggest revolutions in its category as the battle for an electric future wages on.
“For the past five years, Volkswagen has been hard at work crafting a modular electric platform for the long-awaited ID.4 launch in the North American Spring.”
The accessibility of this car coupled with its price point is expected to give the launch of the ID.4 the power to trigger mass adoption and in turn, help change the world.
“We knew we had an opportunity to capture the massive impact of this moment by putting the ID.4 into the context of other great evolutions in mobility and transportation,” the agency said.
“Anchored on the concept that history and progress isn’t made until it is made for everyone, ‘The Wheel’ is a cinematic masterpiece that invites the world to take stock in where we’ve been and be a part of where we’re going.”
The Wheel is expected to air during Saturday NFL Wild Card game, Inside Evs reported.
Featured image source: YouTube/Volkswagen USA
