Billion Colours

OPPO x Hasselblad - Commercial

THE BRIEF

OPPO have rapidly positioned themselves as a serious competitor to established smartphone brands such as Apple and Samsung, with the OPPO Find X5 Pro marking a significant step forward in their imaging capabilities. Central to this release was a collaboration with legendary camera manufacturer Hasselblad, whose colour science and photographic heritage helped shape the phone’s camera system.

This campaign focused on the Hasselblad Heroes and Heroines programme, profiling photographers who integrate the device into their creative practice. Our film followed photographer Andrea Zvadova, exploring how she uses the Find X5 Pro within her photography.

From a production perspective, the brief called for a narrative that felt authentic to Andrea’s process while naturally showcasing the phone’s still-image capabilities. We designed the shoot around environments intrinsic to her work, including her studio and a working flower shop. These locations provided both visual richness and a credible context for demonstrating the device in action.

The creative direction emphasised a hybrid tone — sitting between polished commercial filmmaking and a grounded documentary sensibility. This approach allowed the film to feel observational and personal, while still delivering the visual clarity and production value expected from a global technology campaign.

THE VISUALS

From the outset of pre-production, it was clear that vibrancy would be the defining visual characteristic of this piece. The richness of the floral environments, combined with Andrea’s striking photography, demanded a cinematic approach that would both celebrate colour and authentically showcase the Find X5 Pro’s still-image capabilities.

I therefore constructed a warm, saturated colour palette designed to echo the precision and depth of the phone’s photographic output. A high-key lighting approach became central to the aesthetic — embracing brightness while using controlled shadow to sculpt dimension and prevent the image from feeling flat. This balance allowed colour to remain the hero while preserving tonal nuance and texture.

Camera movement was equally considered. Intentionally handheld sequences created an intimate, grounded perspective with our protagonist, fostering immediacy and authenticity. In contrast, carefully executed slider shots were introduced at key moments, providing compositional refinement and visual punctuation. The interplay between organic movement and precise motion added rhythm to the film while reinforcing its premium feel.

When the brief for this film came through, my immediate instinct was to use Leica R primes. Their ability to render warm tones and colour with a natural richness made them an ideal choice for a story centred around the vibrancy of flowers. Their organic rendering also brought a softness and warmth to skin tones, ensuring the imagery felt natural while maintaining a distinctly cinematic quality.