“You the man now, dawg.”
This iconic line was passed from Sean Connery to Rob Brown in the Gus Van Sant film Finding Forrester. Now, BMW has said the same to Van Sant himself. The acclaimed cinematographer and director, known also for Good Will Hunting and Milk, was tapped by the German automaker to give the i8 a face.
Each of these is a minute long, and each combines the sweeping, dramatic gestures which Van Sant works into his movies. It’s important to remember that the BMW i series is not just the launch of a new division. It’s the realization of an idea, one that has to be shared with the uninitiated masses. The best way to get people to relate to an idea is to have people relay the idea.
The brilliance of Van Sant is that he actually gives the i8 a face in the forms of Sam Hazeldine, Mickey Sumner, and Michael Pitt. He gives this electric sports car a voice that says the i8 is powerful, that it has attitude, and that it is the genesis of an entirely new world of mobility.
The rest – the speed, the eye-opening design, and the revolutionary technology – are all given by BMW, but they are captured by Van Sant in remarkable fashion. Treat yourself to these videos, and if Leith BMW can answer any questions you have about the BMW i series, let us know in the comments.