Agency CRATERR shot a four-spot package for KIA, a dynamic project demanding professional gear – like the URSA Cine 12K and LF PYXIS 6K, with post completed in DaVinci Resolve Studio.
Social marketing agency CRATERR, working with production company Moai Films, recently completed a package of four commercials for KIA’s new SUV. The campaign brought together four established YouTube creators and a professional film crew, combining authentic storytelling, led by creators, with expert commercial filmmaking.
“This was truly a hybrid production. We had creators who are used to working fast and solo, now collaborating with a full commercial crew,” said Lukas Colombo, director of the KIA campaign and co-founder of CRATERR. “It was a dynamic project, demanding agility, energy and professional grade gear. It’s what CRATERR specilises in, bridging two worlds to elevate the creative impact.”
Shot with the Blackmagic Design URSA Cine 12K LF and PYXIS 6K, post production was completed in DaVinci Resolve Studio, with Blackmagic Cloud supporting a remote workflow.
Elevate the Story, Amplify the Message
Lukas led the production with Producer Steffi Ewing and KIA liaison Nic Coriaty, building on their history of successful collaboration on branded content with a distinctive impact. “We always aim to match bold creative ideas with innovative filmmaking,” Lukas said. “Our goal is to elevate the story and the brand, and that also means choosing tools that help us amplify the message.”
Director of Photography Michael Tobin also well known among YouTube channels, joined the team to handle the challenge of capturing four distinct commercials in just two days. “The URSA Cine 12K LF seemed to be an obvious choice for our A cam,” said Tobin. “Its image quality, dynamic range and reliability made it a good match for the speed and variety the production required.”
To complement the URSA Cine 12K LF, the production chose the PYXIS 6K. “The PYXIS was our camera for tight interior shots and fast rig changes,” Michael said. “Its compact size meant we could jump quickly from handheld to car mount to gimbal without losing time. The two cameras together gave us the flexibility we needed, without affecting image quality.”
From Set to Visual Style
Though Lukas had previous experience with the PYXIS 6K, this was his first production using the URSA Cine 12K LF. “We shot most of the footage at 12K, even though we were delivering in 4K,” he said. “Keeping the ability to reframe in post without quality loss was a great advantage, especially with KIA’s need for multiple deliverables.”
Michael also praised the URSA Cine 12K LF’s design. “It’s built for filmmakers. Having assistant monitors on both sides of the body gave us a lot of options on set, and all of the essential controls are exactly where you’d expect them to be.”
The spots, titled Easy Charge, Lights Out, Zoo Trip and Lost Keys, each required a different visual style and workflow. Lukas, who is also thefFounder and CEO of camera accessory company KONDOR BLUE, emphasized the importance of adaptability. “The PYXIS 6K is one of the most riggable cameras on the market,” he said. “Its cube form gives us a blank canvas for any setup, whether it’s drones, sliders or shoulder rigs. That flexibility is key when you’re moving this fast.”
Across Time Zones and Deliverables
Post production was handled entirely in DaVinci Resolve Studio, and Blackmagic Cloud allowed real-time collaboration across the global CRATERR and Moai Films teams. “We uploaded footage as we shot,” said Lukas. “Our editor could start cutting instantly, and Michael began grading same day, which accelerated turnaround.”
Michael also found this workflow eased the production across time zones and deliverables. He said, “We shared proxies for edit and full res files for colour in real time. KIA was able to give feedback right away. It was an excellent remote workflow.”
He also also served as colourist. Having been a Resolve user for some years, he talked about the software’s tools. “On this project, I loved how the new colour tools gave me the option to isolate and enhance specific details. Using them on the 12K and 6K Blackmagic RAW footage, I had an immense amount of control in post.”
Image First
But for Lukas, projects begin and end with the image. “It’s not about buttons or bells and whistles, it’s about what the audience sees and how they respond,” he said. “When a camera delivers both sound design and beautiful visuals, that’s the sweet spot. The Blackmagic systems gave us lovely, consistent footage across the board. In the final cut, you can’t tell which shot came from which camera, and that speaks volumes about the strength and consistency of Blackmagic Design’s image pipeline.” http://www.blackmagicdesign.com/
