The World is What You Make It in ofi's Rebrand Spot

ofi (formerly Olam Food Ingredients) are a global leader in food & beverage ingredients.  

This film celebrates ofi’s belief in raw potential and how at every level they use imagination  and expertise to find more creative, productive and sustainable ways of doing things.  

It’s about harnessing nature and expertise to feed us and our imagination, creativity, wonder  and joy.  

The script describes in many ways how ofi’s products are so much more than simply base ingredients - they’re innovative ways in which ofi can provide bright futures for the  communities and farmers they work with. It’s about how they innovate with these ingredients/materials with their customers across food and beverage products for natural,  healthy and sustainable products that deliver on taste.  

Shot across three locations spanning three continents, this brand film for ofi (formerly Olam Food Ingredients) created with Bray Leino was a global production! Directed by Matt McDermott and produced by The Gate Films.  

This project was a great challenge and contained a mixed media of live action (shot across three continents), archive footage and CGI/3D all blended together seamlessly with match cuts, bespoke camera rigs and slick transitions created both in-camera and in post.  

Director Matt said: “We had a shoot in Brazil, a shoot in New Mexico, and a shoot in the UK at The Foundry Film Studios all produced through The Gate Films.  

“I wanted to capture a colourful and authentic honesty, a natural humanistic mood. The circle device is the visual glue that holds this film together and is at the heart of the  brand concept with the logo signifier representing both a person and a sunrise. The bright colours feel vibrant throughout and have a very real almost gritty texture.”

This online film was made to launch the new brand; ofi (formerly Olam Food Ingredients). It’s not just a new look, it’s a new perspective as a leading supplier of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts and spices, ofi are offering their customers fresh ideas to inspire new concepts.    

Matt continues: “One of the challenges was remotely directing service production companies and film crews internationally in Brazil and New Mexico.  

“Making sure that we could communicate clearly what was required was crucially important to me. I directed the shoot from the UK with a very clear idea of the precise style and framing of the shots I wanted. The 3D Previs we created really helped in giving us all a super clear vision of what I want to achieve.  

“Given the complete lack of phone signal on the farms in Brazil, Story Productions (the service production company) arranged high-speed internet access by locating the closest  telecommunications tower and scent up the latest streaming technologies like the far reaching Teradek video assist to provide myself and the team in the UK with a live view of  the camera feed.  

“Having such clear communication with Story Productions prior to and on the shoot really helped the day run smoothly as we all knew what we’re aiming to achieve. I love the drone shots we got which open and close the film with the morning shot moving through the sky and down onto the farmer’s phone and the serene shot at the end moving  over the stunning landscape of Ibicoara, Chapada Diamantina with the coffee fields below.”  

“Following the opening drone shot the music starts and the pace the changes and builds with excitement and captures an epic feel. I wanted the film to have a life affirming, euphoric build - to capture the sense of community and people coming together to do great things.”