Audi 2025 Retail
For Audi’s 2025 retail campaign, director Nicholas Kleczewski created six commercials featuring both gas and electric Audi models, brought to life with our compact motion-control robot, EVO.
PROJECT OVERVEIW
In June 2025, the projects goal was simple yet ambitious: create beautiful, original car footage that would stand out in today’s crowded media landscape. With limited ability to modify the vehicles and a desire to avoid heavy reliance on CGI, Nicholas Kleczewski knew motion control would play a pivotal role in delivering fresh, authentic visuals.
Why EVO
Nicholas has been using motion control for over a decade, but traditional rigs have always been too bulky for the tight, precise movements needed around modern cars.
“The days of having a mule car you could take apart and do anything you wanted with are over, so now you have to figure out how to shoot around a standard retail car that can’t really be altered. Typical motion control is far too bulky to work well in the tight quarters of cars. So I’ve been talking out loud to anyone who would listen about making a system that could work in these situations. When EVO became available, it was instantly a no-brainer for me to use as soon as I could."
– Nicholas Kleczewski
Director and EVO robot owner
EVO’s compact form factor and multi-axis flexibility made it the perfect tool for navigating both the exterior and interior of vehicle where conventional motion control rigs simply couldn’t fit.
Setup and Workflow
Transporting EVO was simple. It traveled in its custom hard rolling case, designed to protect the system while staying compact enough to load in and out cars. Mounting EVO was equally straightforward thanks to its Mitchell mount compatibility, which allowed Nicholas’s grip team to treat it like any other professional cinema rig. This flexibility meant they could lock it into the same heavy-duty setups used for cameras, cranes, and other support systems.
HOW IT WORKED
Filming with a robotic arm mounted to a moving vehicle meant battling suspension vibrations, safety considerations, and stability issues. The solution was a mix of clever shooting techniques and EVO’s adaptability.
“You are at the mercy of the car’s suspension and then all the things that go into vibration transfer when mounting to that moving, vibrating car. The best way to deal with that was driving slow and shooting at 6 and 12 fps. When you don’t see organic things like suspension compression in a shot, you can get away with those tricks to create speed yet smoother shots.”
EVO’s size and multiple axes gave Nicholas the flexibility he needed:
“EVO just being so small and multiple axis that allow it to contort itself in tight places make mounting and navigating these tight spots extremely easy.”
THE RESULTS
The payoff was a collection of unique, cinematic shots rarely seen in car commercials. Drone like interior shots that looked impossible to achieve practically. Macro scrapes along the exterior that added intimacy and realism. Original, organic visuals that stood out from typical automotive advertising.
“Take a look at the results for yourself. I think we got some pretty unique shots you don’t typically see in car commercials. The interiors almost look like drone shots, inside a car!”
Nicholas is especially proud of avoiding the trap of overly artificial motion control.
“It’s not easy making a car look interesting and cut through the noise today. And if you are someone like me who’s allergic to just using CG everything to cheat your way into any kind of shot, then it’s extremely difficult to be original and interesting. I think we walked that fine line of using the tool to create some organic beauty that still feels real yet shows you something in ways you maybe haven’t seen before.”
IMPACT
EVO didn’t just contribute to the production it became its centerpiece.
“EVO completely shaped the entire production. I knew those shots would be the ‘special sauce’ of the spots so everything else, arm cars, drone, etc. was all in service to how they would lead into and out of EVO’s shots.”
The impact was so strong that only days after wrapping, Nicholas purchased an EVO system for himself. EVO has opened new creative possibilities for Nicholas and his team and for car filmmaking as a whole.
Audi 2025 Retail
Director
Nicholas Kleczewski
Director OF Photography
Todd Bell
1st AD
Kaelan Housewright
MOTION CONTROL
Cinemotion Robotics
EVO MOCO OPERATOR
Yann Basset
MOCO TECHNOLOGY
BRAND CLIENT
Audi
PRODUCTION COMPANY
AGENCY
Ogilvy
INDUSTRY
Automotive Advertising
CATEGORY
TV Commercials / Branded Content
RELEASE DATE
August 2025