Brief Explanation

Our video placed a selection of Hachette books together in a domino formation. Then, in one powerful manoeuvre, the domino effect was triggered – and the camera chased the books as each one cascaded into the next. The books were arranged in a specific sequence, along with real objects that related to each title or genre, and a rich, layered soundtrack designed to match. This meant the viewers were swept up and taken on a carefully planned, immersive journey of Hachette’s world, from the nail biting suspense of thrillers to colour and fun of kids’ classics. The line that summed it all up? 'Stories that move you'.

Creative Execution

We were approached to create original music for Hachette, one of the world’s largest publishers. Hachette produce high quality fiction and non-fiction for both adults and kids, covering genres such as self-help, memoirs, travel, history, pop culture, Australiana, lifestyle and sport. Books are emotional. They make us laugh and cry, they surprise us, and they leave us hungry for more. The concept involved a selection of Hachette books in a domino formation in specific sequence, along with real objects that related to each title or genre. Prior to the shoot, there were intensive discussions between music composer and agency to nut out how a musical journey could be created to bring together the wide genres that encapsulated the world of Hachette. We decided that as there was to be no voice over, the story would be heavily dependent on the musical emotion and it twisting seamlessly between different worlds like a film score. It was felt best to create the music before the shoot to written script and let that dictate the shoot and edit. A list of genres was decided on that would work first as a music journey and then as a visual journey. That order was Children’s, Crime/Thriller, Romance, Fantasy/Sci-fi and Military. There was a planned expansion of musical elements and twists to evolve the composition: The music was written in the unusual time signature of 7/4 to give a strong sense of individual character to the piece. We sampled single chimes of a music box to play the initial melody… As we enter the crime/thriller section time slows down and everything warps…Romance brings in classical flute and strings and warmth…Fantasy /Sci-fi shifts into higher more electric energy…Military evokes nationalism and bravery with a lingering sense of loss…There is a beautiful resolve bringing the elements together for the conclusion. This meant the viewers were swept up and taken on a carefully planned, immersive journey of Hachette’s world, from the nail biting suspense of thrillers to colour and fun of kids’ classics. The line that summed it all up? 'Stories that move you'.