The concept of personalized online trading can be difficult to grasp, so E*TRADE gave consumers a new perspective on trading. Literally.

The film is shot in a single take, creating a real-life optical illusion simply by changing the angle & position of the camera.

The film shows a face that breaks apart and transforms into a customized version of the E*TRADE interface, while a VO explains how easy it is to tailor the platform to your preferences. (And in the process revealing that everything is made up of hundreds of elements carefully arranged in a warehouse space)

To create the 80ft real-life illusion, we had to place every piece with millimeter precision, which took weeks of planning and pre-visualization.

Once on set we used laser distance measurers to line up and place each individual piece, and a team of specialist prop makers adjusting and refining after every take.

Each prop had to be built for a dual purpose, first as part of the face/city and then, when viewed from another angle, as part of the laptop/office.

Everything was done in camera, including a 6.5-foot E*TRADE logo painted in perspective on the ceiling of the warehouse.

The final take only took 30 seconds, but it was the product of a huge team working non-stop for months; utilizing a 10,000ft²warehouse, 1553ft of timber, 217 handmade props, 8452 man-hours, 1 Oscar winning cinematographer, and lots (and lots and lots) of trial and error.