INTRODUCTION

CONCEPT / APPROACH

STORYLINE

CASTING

Location

WARDROBE / Props

SHOTLIST

CONCLUSION

I’m really excited about the theme that this concept embodies, as it resonates with me on a personal level. The phrase “Al fresco living” can evoke many different images, but to me, it represents an escape from today’s hectic world to somewhere outdoors, somewhere far, in the fresh air. This is exactly what my wife and I, along with our dog (you’ll meet Bella below in the cast), do almost every free weekend. After a demanding work week, we get in the car and head out into nature for a night. Often, we’ll go to a pond, a forest, or the mountains. It doesn’t have to be far at all—almost every place in the world has a peaceful spot nearby where you can go for a walk, forage for mushrooms, fish, take a boat ride, or simply hang up a hammock, cook over a fire, and unwind.

Our young couple is heading out of the city in search of adventure. They're excited to spend a weekend in nature at their favorite spot by the lake. It's early autumn; the leaves are starting to turn golden, and there's a refreshing, crisp breeze in the air. They drive through winding forest roads with a canoe strapped to the roof. [drone shot + car to car shots] The windows are down, and the girl playfully runs her hand through the air outside, while a dog's head, tongue hanging out, peeks from the back window. [front quarter shot + detail] In this arrival scene I would cover most of the car shots where the car needs to be on a paved, marked road - front / back quarter shots, side shots, drone shots, etc...

Once they arrive, they start settling in. They unload the car, set up the tent next to it, and hang a hammock. While the guy prepares the fire pit and a wild cooking setup, the girl heads into the woods with the dog to forage for mushrooms, hoping to add them to their planned dinner. Together, they cook and then sit on a blanket by the lake’s edge, where they enjoy their meal as the sun sets, wrapped in each other's arms, watching the last rays of light disappear. [the scene is always set up so that Karoq plays for us in the compositions.]

I would like to get as many lifestyle and product photos in these scenes as possible. As we will be naturally moving around the car we can easily change the focus between our cast and the car back and there anytime. Once the car is in the foreground (out of focus or in focus) to get more product-oriented pictures, the second time it is the cast who we see in the foreground with the car behind / beside calmly standing in the shot (we can change the focus here to again). This will allow us to get great lifestyle pictures with the car present in the scene too. We can easily combine "product only" shots here, with those with the cast. Even at the “product only” shots I would recommend integrating cast in the background out of focus. But this we can sort out on the set if agreed. We will cover details and quarter / side shots here with natural background. 

The next morning, she’s greeted with freshly brewed coffee from a moka pot and porridge topped with wild blueberries they've gathered. They relish the slow, peaceful morning. It's chilly, and they’re both bundled up in their sleeping bags sitting in the trunk of a car, warming their hands on steaming mugs. After breakfast, it’s finally time for the highlight of the trip. They unstrap the canoe from the car and the three of them—dog included—set out to explore the hidden corners of the lake. They laugh as they awkwardly climb into the canoe, then paddle slowly across the calm waters.

As the day begins to fade, after reading a few chapters of their books while lounging in the hammock, it’s time to pack up and head back home, fully recharged from their time in nature.

I'm curious about all the gadgets the Karoq has that will help us develop the story. I can think of things like charging a phone or a headlamp, etc. I also like to use car accessories or sports equipment in my projects that allow me to have a natural interaction between our actors and the car itself. In this case, I would like to use the Skoda roof rack to which the canoe would be tied.

Casting is a crucial part of the entire production. We need experienced individuals who can engage in all activities naturally and convey positive emotions through the final photographs—whether it’s driving, picking wild berries, cooking, or canoeing.

They are young, cheerful people who already enjoy spending time in nature, are active and don’t need any explanation about the meaning of Alfresco living.

Our goal is to have a unified forest setting that could easily be in the UK, Spain, Poland, or the Czech Republic, and I believe that some of the most beautiful Central European forests are right here in the Czech Republic. The country offers countless stunning forests, ponds, and streams winding through valleys.

The best place I can think of is Trebonsko. We have a cottage not far from there, where I spent a lot of time as a child. My parents and I used to go on trips to Trebon and ride on punts around the local ponds. It is a unique place, reminiscent of Sweden with its system of water bodies, and thanks to the number of different forests, from coniferous to deciduous, interwoven with roads, it is an ideal place for our production.

We start with a winding asphalt road through the forest, followed by a gravel path between ponds, which leads us to our final destination. Our camping spot is on the edge of the forest by the pond’s shore, where we can designate a parking area to make it look like an official parking spot. This location provides a wide variety of perspectives according to our shotlist.

The wardrobe and styling follows a clean, outdoor aesthetic.

I enjoy working with Fjällräven, a company that offers a wide range of tasteful outdoor as well as everyday clothing. Their designs are simple, with subtle colors and small logos.

Product Only Shot List

40x Exteriors (Individual)

•   6x Front quarter panel

•   6x Rear quarter panel

•   8x Rear side quarter panel, parked up in forest road

•   4x Back profile

•   4x side profile through trees, car on road

•   4x Top profile, driving through forest roads

•   4x Detail Shots (Headlights / Logos / Key Features: Ext focus)

•   4x Front profile

Product & Cast Shot List

20x Exterior (Individual)

•   2x Cast driving along dirt tracks (Driving or stationary)

•   2x cast looking out of car window once pulled up

•   2x Cast unloading car

•   4x Cast foraging in forest, car can be seen through trees

•   2x Cast chopping food on board, next to car

•   1x Cast letting dog out of the car

•   2x Cast cooking food, car in background

•   2x Cast sitting down by car & fire, enjoying food

•   2x Top profile with cast cooking and playing with dog

•   1x Cast petting dog