Martin Jalfen Brings Floods of Laughter in New Wallbox Spot
Martin Jalfen directed a visually off-beat comedy spot for Wallbox, a leading provider of electric vehicle charging and energy management solutions worldwide. The ad, via agency &Rosàs, focuses on a woman who is blissfully impervious to a romantic dinner gone awry – because with Wallbox, “she's in charge.”
Catastrophe ensues right out of the gate (or oven rather) when a smoldering turkey sets off the smoke alarm. In an unexpected twist, the evening becomes more sultry than shocking. Unfazed, the woman dances under the fire sprinklers while a Barry White-esque groove soothes the mood. Dinner is ruined, the house is flooding, but she’s still dancing because “she’s in charge,” as a movie trailer-style voice-over repeats in comically dry fashion throughout the spot.
“Despite our protagonist maintaining a carefree spirit amidst all the mayhem, I didn’t want the story to feel bizarre,” remarks Jalfen, who is represented by REVERSE in the US. “It’s more character-driven and rooted in realism, allowing for the subtleties of the evening to show that she is empowered and in control as a Wallbox owner.”
Jalfen conducted casting calls across Europe, receiving hundreds of submissions of people dancing in amusing ways before selecting a trained dancer from London who brought all the right moves to sell the gag.
“We sought a performer capable of delivering dance moves that exuded rawness and spontaneity with a hip vibe while avoiding the appearance of being overly choreographed or too polished,” explains Jalfen. “Collaborating with our choreographer on set, we landed on a performance that felt authentic and effortlessly cool. The key with the dancing was to ease into it, showcasing her control through subtle movements, starting with the shoulders before crescendoing into full-body dance moves.”
The highly technical production involved simulating rain with practical and CG effects. Unable to shoot on location, Roma built an entire house at a soundstage in Sofia, Bulgaria.
“Credit Rosàs for bringing us a strong script,” concludes Jalfen. “The story is simple but packs a punch visually, comically, and musically."
