The holiday shopping season is one of the most competitive times for brands to stand out, and Molekule’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday commercial was no exception. As the cinematographer and director on this shoot, I had the opportunity to bring their sleek, modern air purifiers to life using high-end cinematic techniques and precision motion control.
Capturing Molekule’s Aesthetic with Motion Control
The campaign featured two air purifiers from Molekule’s lineup. The Molekule Air Mini+ was shot on a white background to emphasize its clean, minimal design, while the Molekule Air Pro was filmed against a black background to create a bold, high-performance aesthetic. Using contrasting backgrounds helped differentiate the two products visually while maintaining a cohesive brand identity.
To showcase Molekule’s premium air purifiers, we utilized the Bolt motion control robotic arm paired with a RED cinema camera. This setup allowed us to create smooth, dynamic movements that highlighted the product’s elegant design and innovative technology. To ensure a seamless edit and fully showcase the product’s features, we made multiple motion-controlled passes around each purifier, shooting them in various states—turned on and off, with and without filters, on both white and black backgrounds, and in different configurations. By using motion control for repeatable, precise movements, we created a dynamic, high-end commercial that seamlessly showcased Molekule’s design, functionality, and premium appeal.
A Successful Campaign That Ran Twice
This commercial was originally shot in October 2023 and aired throughout the holiday shopping season. Due to its success, Molekule brought it back for the 2024 holiday season, extending its reach and impact. It’s always rewarding to see a campaign perform so well that a brand chooses to run it again. A testament to the power of strong visuals and compelling product storytelling.
Below is a 20 second BTS video along with a few behind-the-scenes photos from the set. I wish I had been able to capture more BTS, but with the complexity of organizing all the shots, we just forgot! Also below is the finished 30 second spot. If you enjoyed this blog post, please consider joining the mailing list by subscribing below. Thank you so much!
Comments
Lynn Ristau
Hi Steve – Your work is very impressive and interesting. All that equipment!! The food section makes me hungry and the diarrhea session was very cute. I remember seeing that somewhere. We wish you continued success and many clients! Lynn & Paul