LIQUID & METAL. You’d imagine they get along as well as oil and water. But PETRONAS & AMG are truly a different breed of partnership. Together, they’ve produced amazing results: The world’s most powerful 2.0-litre four cylinder engine that powers the new GLA 45 AMG. And PETRONAS SYNTIUM, the lubricant specifically formulated to meet its performance demands. To commemorate these achievements, and the unveiling of the new car, we developed the “LIQUID & METAL” film.

Inspired by the idea of paparazzi attempting to capture spyshots of the GLA 45 AMG, we have PETRONAS & AMG join forces to execute the ultimate ruse. Only this time, with the help of world-class F1 driver Lewis Hamilton and local Malaysian Formula Renault 3.5 driver, Jazeman Jaafar.

The cinematographic feast was supported by 30-second trailers aired on TV, 2 weeks prior to its launch; attracting fans of action, speed and performance to view it on the PETRONAS Motorsports website.

The music and action-driven film comprised of 3 acts:

a) the engineering behind PETRONAS SYNTIUM,

b) the chase that leads to the ruse, and

c) the unveiling of the GLA 45 AMG.

Crafting of music had to be precise in bringing the mood of each act to life. It had to appear seamless, have the right crescendos and drops at various points of the edits. And be able to accommodate sound design, foley effects and live sound where necessary.

To achieve the desired outcome, we had all music scored from scratch. An orchestral approach served as the backbone, providing the large soundscape to complement the cinematography, and amplify the emotions we intended our audience to feel with the edit. It also allowed us the flexibility to incorporate a colourful palette of genres; from modern electronic overlays accenting the engineering sequences, to the larger-than-life rock track that ends the film.