When Michelin Enterprises set out to promote its prestigious Hotel Guide in the new “Sleepless in the Kitchen”, campaign, veteran German/Slovenian gaffer Robert Oberč was brought on to help light the spot. A large kitchen set was erected on stage, giving Oberč and cinematographer Aril Wretblad FSF plenty of flexibility to completely design the lighting environment. A long time-user of DoPchoice, Oberč relied on Snapbags® and Snapgrids® to control the spill and directionality of dozens of fixtures deployed to create the bustling vibrance of a busy kitchen in full swing.
In addition to being a global leader in tire manufacturing, France-based Michelin is also behind not just how we travel but why. The iconic Michelin Guide, first introduced in 1900 to promote tourism, has evolved into a prestigious catalogue of restaurants and hotels worldwide. A new campaign from BETC France highlights Michelin’s role in rating global accommodations as well as dining excellence. “Sleepless in the Kitchen” features a tourist bizarrely trying to rest amid the throng of a clanging, bustling, hurried kitchen. The man and his oddly placed bed are subjected to loud noises, frozen fish, mislaid potatoes, and flaming stovetops. In the words of the smartly dressed narrator: “If you’re looking for a good place to sleep, we strongly advise against a Michelin-Star kitchen.”
The open-floor large kitchen set was designed to accommodate a Technocrane and 360º camera movements. “A key challenge was how to avoid placing stands in the set,” the gaffer explains. “Aril Wretblad had a clear vision for the lighting: a blend of soft light and focused hard downlight spots. All practical lights had to be dimmable with adjustable color temperatures to create optimal contrast in the final visuals.” Oberč chose a kit heavy on Luna Bulbs, Titan Tubes, and Helios Tubes from Astera that could be easily maneuvered or disguised as practicals. The lights were controlled by Gaffers Control via wireless DMX and Oberč paired the fixtures with DoPchoice Snapbags and Snapgrids.
At the center of the dynamically choreographed kitchen sits the bed, which needed to blend into its environment no matter how absurd the premise. “For the toplight, I proposed Vortex8 lights with Snapbags, which created soft backlight for areas like the bed and kitchen transitions,” describes Oberč. “To get even background illumination, we installed SpaceX luminaires with Snapbag Octa 3s at 45º angles above the kitchen walls. Then to brighten up the bed set and extend the light coming from the bedside lamp, we used a DoPchoice Lantern L in combination with a toplight Vortex8 with Snapbag and Snapgrid mounted on a Menace Max Arm. For wide shots, a fill light setup included an 8’x8’ frame with a full grid, Snapgrid (50°), and two Vortex8 lights.” The result is a super realistic kitchen set, bed and all.
“When lighting the talent close-ups, Aril requested exceptionally soft but somewhat compact and moveable lighting. I recommended the Airglow 2×1 booklight combined with a Vortex8.” Just the thing for a busy set, the inflatable Airglow creates booklight-style soft lighting by bouncing the Vortex’ output off the softbox’s backwall with a much smaller, more mobile footprint than traditional multi-stand setups. “Testing during prelight, it proved to be exactly the right tool for the job.”
It’s nearly impossible to talk about sleeping in a Michelin kitchen without also showcasing the food. Two Michelin-starred chefs were flown in for the spot which features close-ups of their fresh ingredients and final mouthwatering delicacies. “Their expertise brought an added layer of depth and authenticity to the project, elevating the final result,” reminisces the gaffer.
“Sleepless in the Kitchen”–from BETC Paris and production company GeneralPop, directed by Danny Sangra, with production services from Slovenian-based Studio Arkadena–premiered this fall, the focal point of the Michelin Hotel Guide campaign. With the perfect lighting, “Sleepless” delivers a charmingly wry humor ready to pique anyone’s interest in the Michelin Guide offerings.
