Watch: Footage agency boss produces car commercial on spec

One of the busiest people in the footage industry, Storm Stock boss Martin Lisius, has produced a car advert on spec as he liked his car so much …

Martin told PAN: “I just finished my Acura MDX “Storm Chaser” commercial (producer / director / cinematographer). Kim George is associate producer. I did it partly for fun (this is really my MDX with me driving it), and partly as a spec project. I like cars, storms, and making movies, so here it is. Shot mostly in Texas.”

Film statement: This is the 30-second version of the Acura MDX “Storm Chaser” Commercial that I produced on spec. I was inspired to make it after seeing just how capable my MDX performed in harsh conditions. Mine is equipped with SH-AWD, which is Honda’s torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. It handles dirt and gravel roads remarkably well. And, it features Honda’s tried-and-true J35 V6 engine, which provides the power and reliability I require to get to, and away from severe storms. There are other things to like about my MDX including a 5-star safety rating, adaptive cruise control, lane departure mitigation, and a great sound system.

We shot most of the content in Texas during the spring and summer of 2023. The tornado you see took place in Colorado. Many of the car shots were filmed during a record-setting heatwave. It was 107F when we filmed the shot of me running to the MDX. We captured about 5 of those takes and then I was done physically. The shot of the MDX driving toward a supercell thunderstorm and wind farm is real. I was out chasing alone that day, and setup my camera alongside the road, then drove away as the the camera rolled. Since this is a “spec” commercial, there wasn’t a budget, so a lot of the shots I captured by myself. Kim George assisted on all of the camera car shots, and on some of the chases to gather the weather content.

On that note, all of the weather elements you see in the commercial are available for license through my StormStock collection, https://www.stormstock.com. When I’m not producing and directing, I shoot storms and climate footage on high-end formats for use in feature films, commercials and docs.