Project: A 30-second spot "Our Special Test" for Tofas Fiat Dobl--.

Agency: Penajans D'Arcy, Turkey

Production Company: Ron Bareham Productions, London through Pan Films, Turkey.

Mandate: Convey the globality of Turkey's new Fiat Dobl-- model, boost national pride and revitalize the Fiat brand by communicating its fresh, dynamic design.

Solution: Shoot in Turkey to demonstrate the country's technological capabilities are on par with the rest of the world.

An international crew descended upon Istanbul to shoot an ad for the Dobl--, Fiat's newly designed car intended for the Turkish market and export across Europe. Being the first Turkish vehicle shipped abroad, the spot was an important facet in Turkey's continuing quest to join the EU, specifically attempting to bring the country's productivity in line with that of the European community.

Creative director Anita Ivan of Penajans D'Arcy brainstormed the idea for client Tofas, Fiat's partner company in Turkey, aiming to revitalize the flailing Fiat brand.

"The Fiat Dobl-- is the first vehicle that Turkey has produced for the global market," explains Ivan. "We decided to capture footage in the Fiat research department to remove the old image of low-grade Turkish cars, building the spot around Fiat's new technological capabilities and pushing the idea that Turkey has become a world leader in producing cars."

English director Roger Lunn, repped in the US by New York's Link Entertainment, English exec producer Ron Bareham and New Zealand DP Dave Griffiths joined with Turkish production service facility

Pan Films, arriving on location in Istanbul to shoot the required footage. Lunn had only 36 hours to contemplate the boards before venturing to Turkey.

"From the initial creative idea to the final shot it was about nine days," says Lunn, whose guerrilla-style tactics on location followed a short prep time. By all accounts it was a challenging shoot.

"I went into Turkey as a creative commando; it was like storming the embassy. You jump out of a chopper, fly down your rope, kick the windows in, lob in a grenade and you're off," muses Lunn.

The shoot took place in the specially built, one-of-a-kind research department of the Fiat factory in Istanbul. Griffiths captured footage of arduous tests peformed on the Dobl--; varying climates and conditions were created in different sectors of the factory and outdoors as each Dobl-- passes inspection before delivery to four key destinations in Europe, namely Sweden, the UK, Germany and Turkey.

In addition to a short prep time, merging different perspectives on the concept of the spot also proved difficult. The agency's client was Italian, the creative director a Canadian based in Istanbul, the director from England and a Kiwi DP bringing yet another viewpoint to the proceedings.

However, Lunn was content with Pan Films, as its professional demeanor and experience greatly assisted the adrenaline-assisted shoot. In addition, high Dobl-- sales following the spot's recent release in Turkey has since soothed the panic of the shoot; all the cars have been sold in Istanbul and more production of the Dobl-- is now required for the world market.

"The first time I went to Turkey was seven years ago," recalls Lunn. "I could not believe the shambles it was in, and my DP went crazy so that shoot completely screwed up. This time, the lighting, camera equipment and cranes were not a problem."

Turkey continues to make more homegrown spots of late. As more and more commercial production crews arrive on location, Turkish crew are becoming far more educated on the essentials required during a production, especially in regard to lighting crews, camera men and directors who sweep in from abroad and put new demands on production infrastructure.

"It's the same scenario as 30 years ago when the Dutch hadn't a clue what they were doing," suggests Lunn. "They learned everything from the Americans and British and today they possess a very successful and talented industry -- the same thing will happen in Turkey."

Ogurlu agrees that production in Turkey has definitely improved over the last few years, adding that top-notch ideas are blossoming in unexpected regions worldwide.

"Ten years ago all the best advertising was coming out of Europe and the US, but slowly there are high-caliber ideas coming out of Singapore, South Africa, Turkey, Poland and other countries not usually associated with producing excellent advertising. This is a really dynamic, energetic market; here in Turkey everything is busy and hopping, a hotbed of new creativity and exportable ideas.

"Over 60 percent of the Turkish population is under the age of 35," continues Ogurlu. "We have a young, dynamic market generating new ideas in creativity and also in the production of products."

>Agency Credits:

Executive Creative Director: Anita Ivan

Art Director: Anita Ivan

Copywriter: Anita Ivan

Producer: Aysin Odelli Uz