Director's Cut

Ford x Pittsburgh Pirates – The Line

In this collaboration between Ford and the Pittsburgh Pirates, a golden line races through the city, weaving the ethereal downtown streets capturing the history and emotion of Pittsburgh baseball. The piece blends archival audio from the 1971 World Series with modern visuals and subtle VFX to create something that feels both nostalgic and fresh, celebrating the connection between the city, the fans, and the game.

AGENCY: GTB
CLIENT: Ford Motor Company
DIRECTOR: Brian Petchers
DP: Jeff Sukes

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Behind the Scenes

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Rounding the Bases

Pittsburgh is a unique city, spanning rolling hills and winding rivers, held together by bridges of steel that harken back to a bygone era. It seems like just another day until the local residents are paid a visit by a magical golden line swooping through the city. This was the story we were tasked with telling. We brought in director Brian Petchers to lead the way on this project, knowing his dynamic style would be the right match for this mystical, VFX driven spot.

Shooting during blue hour presents unique production challenges. Blue hour happens twice a day, for about 30-40 minutes just before the sun rises, and just after it sets. In order to capture this window of time, production days were split, which meant early mornings and late nights to ensure every shot fit within the world of this spot.

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The Lineup

We had an all-star line up for this shoot, getting the opportunity to work with collaborators new and old. Brian Petchers directed, executing on the creative vision. Longtime Taproot friends Jeff Sukes (DP) and Tyler Hollman (1AC) led the camera department, with G&E support from Pittsburgh locals First Light Lighting & Grip. Additionally, aerial cinematography was covered by Michael Welsh, Max Renfro and Logan Lien with Sky Candy Studios. We're super grateful for everyone involved with this project who knocked it out of the park.