Starling Bank prepares for launch

In their newest ad, Helping Business Fly, Wonderhood Studios brings whimsy to a financial institution.

The ad starts with a woman in her backyard shed, presumably the place where she is working on her own business. The side of it transforms into a dashboard, and she flips switches that bring up a helicopter rotary, joysticks, and radar. As she attempts to fly she faces storms and high winds, before finally popping up above the skyline, other small businesses in equally ramshackle airplanes flying next to her. 

Helping Business Fly has a clear concept and is well executed by both production company BLINKINK and the director, Elliot Dear. The focus on the actress makes the short bursts of VFX fun to watch. It’s clever and concise, telling a clear story with a metaphor that’s easy to understand. 

The creative concept was brought to life with both live action as well as through miniatures and practical effects to give it a hand-crafted authentic feel.

Speaking of the project, Aidan McClure, CCO Wonderhood Studios said: “For anyone who’s started their own business they’ll recognise that feeling of plummeting towards certain ruin before turning on a dime and soaring through the clouds. This campaign has been lovingly crafted for those heroes.”

“I love shooting with miniatures" adds Elliot Dear, director at Blinkink. "I've always been fascinated with how they achieved the special effects in Hollywood films before CG was an option, and most of my favourite movies use models and practical effects. The design and build part of a project is really enjoyable for me, and I personally love watching the skill and craft that goes into making a scale model.

“When it comes to the filming, I feel that there's a certain quality to the finish of a miniature, coupled with the real light and lenses, that can often make it feel more realistic, and any movement tends to feel more organic and nuanced. It really depends on what the effect is, but for me it's a far more enjoyable process than solely using CG, and has a charm that's difficult to simulate... although I do like to use CG to augment miniatures and add any finishing touches.”