Volvo adds a touch of Hollywood to history film

Volvo Construction Equipment has thrown out the rule book in the making of its history film, The Master Builder. It features no dusty historians, no sepia photographs, no wooden voiceovers, and it is definitely not boring. Instead Volvo has gone for a fast-paced, exciting and innovative approach, using a Hollywood star in the lead role.

When it came to making a short film that would appeal to customers, telling the company’s story from 1832 to the present – and beyond – in a fun and dynamic way, Volvo’s communications department knew they already had the perfect stage, set and cast. Shot in just five days in and around the company’s spiritual heartland of Eskilstuna, Gothenburg and Braås, the film features a storyteller striding through the company’s history. It uses existing Volvo facilities, machines and employees, setting the scene for a Swedish blockbuster. The chosen storyteller was 30-year-old British actor Philip Barantini, a man who’s auditioned in front of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg and starred in the blockbuster 2003 outlaw film Ned Kelly.

“It was really fascinating for me to see this side of Volvo,” Barantini said. “And the company’s history is equally intriguing – even for someone like me who is from outside of the industry. It’s a story that should be shared, and this short film is a great opportunity to bring Volvo’s construction history to the world on YouTube."

The Master Builder was given a red carpet premiere at a major international press event in Sweden. The screening was held in the famous Volvo Museum in the Swedish city of Eskilstuna, on Tuesday May 24th, in front of 100 journalists and editors from the industry’s most respected titles.

The Master Builder at its premier in front of 100 international journalists in Sweden.

The film about Volvo Construction Equipment’s illustrious history is now on general distribution. See it on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eidcQ1BPEA