Film Craft > Production

QUIET THE NOISE

ICONOCLAST, Los Angeles / APPLE / 2023

Awards:

Bronze Cannes Lions
CampaignCampaignLayout(opens in a new tab)
Film
Demo Film
Supporting Content

Overview

Credits

Overview

Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

“Quiet The Noise” is the ultimate metaphor for listening to music with the all-new AirPods Pro. It opens with a chunk of earth floating in the sky as a construction worker drills with a jackhammer. Surprisingly, you can’t hear a thing, because the city’s noise is drowned out by the ethereal sound of Tkay Maidza’s Pixies cover of “Where is my Mind”—the film’s soundtrack.

Continuing in the sky, a wave of recognizably noisy objects, from a traffic jam to an entire parade, float silently in the clouds. On the ground, the camera finds our young heroine is wearing AirPods and listening to the track in peace as the world hovers above. Pinching the AirPods’ stem to toggle into Adaptive Transparency mode, the bustle of the city comes crashing back down until she pinches to reactivate Active Noise Cancellation, once again sending the noise back into the sky.

Background:

The all-new AirPods Pros have some of the best Active Noise Cancellation technology of any headphone on the market. First, however, consumers needed to be aware of how powerful the technology was compared to the previous generation.

The brief we set ourselves was simple: Create an awe-inducing, vibrant visual that brings the AirPods listening experience to life. A blend of sci-fi and surrealism, similar to a Douglas Adam’s story, viewers watch as the everyday noise drifts away into the void. Each floating element becomes its own tiny planet, hovering above our heroine, who is in a peaceful noise canceling bubble. The core is to take a simple concept - navigating a busy city street which is suddenly transformed into a peaceful walk through the silencing powers of AirPods Pro - and explore it in a variety of wildly imaginative ways.

Tell the jury anything relevant about the direction. Do not name the director.

In making “Quiet the Noise” the director set out to create a surreal dynamism between two worlds: with noise cancellation and without. Ultimately, the goal was to visualize what noise cancellation really feels like with humor and poetry.

Up in the air, there’s lots of movement, every sonic offender floating in the sky. Yet nothing feels hectic, or frenetic, as the camera orbits around awe-inducing visuals above the loudness below. We see the noises without hearing them. So the director worked closely with the VFX team, building out each moment to ensure everything felt real.

Back on the ground, when our heroine turns off the noise cancellation function to buy a drink, movement comes back to earth too: everything resumes a natural pace.

The director cast characters - particularly the film’s heroine - who represented a slice of life, diverse everyday faces that flash by yet are memorable.

Is there any cultural context that would help the jury understand how this work was perceived by people in the country where it ran?

Across the world, people are back to commuting, traveling, and working in offices after the Pandemic. Unfortunately, this means they are once again surrounded by noise that may interfere with their listening experience daily. We wanted to create a film that is globally relevant while telling a one-of-a-kind product story.

We also prioritized casting performers who represent the type of people seen walking around a metropolitan city. They showcase the natural diversity of the urban setting, so the cast of “Quiet the Noise” represents a spectrum of ages, ethnicities, body types, and genders. These include performers in the background, featured extras with their spotlight moments floating in the air, and of course, the film’s heroine.

More Entries from Direction in Film Craft

24 items

Grand Prix Cannes Lions
WE CRY TOGETHER - A SHORT FILM

Direction

WE CRY TOGETHER - A SHORT FILM

pgLang, PGLANG

(opens in a new tab)

More Entries from ICONOCLAST

24 items

Grand Prix Cannes Lions
THE BLAZE - TERRITORY

Direction

THE BLAZE - TERRITORY

THE BLAZE (MUSICIAN), ICONOCLAST

(opens in a new tab)