Justin Timberlake & Audi A1 star in 6 episode mini-Series [Video]

Each episode of the web series will be made available on Audi's website every Tuesday until June 8

U.S. actor and popstar Justin Timberlake is starring in a new web series produced by Audi to promote the new A1 model.

Six episodes of the mini-series, titled The Next Big Thing, have been produced and will be posted on Audi's U.S. website. The series was directed by Swedish filmmaker Henrik Sundgren and took five days to shoot.

The first two-minute episode was released on May 4 - and is available for viewing here - with each subsequent installment to be released each Tuesday for the next six weeks until the series concludes on June 8.

The web series is a suspense thriller and co-stars Dania Ramirez as Toni with Timberlake playing the character of John Frank, an IT specialist who comes to Toni's aide. Viewers also have the benefit of interactive features on the Audi site to learn more about the backgrounds of the characters and storyline.

Although the A1 features prominently in the series, Audi promises the story will take precedence. "[The] Audi A1 stays in the background with elegant restraint," says the press release.

The series can be viewed at www.audi.com/a1.

Source: Audi

  • Six exciting internet episodes with Justin Timberlake and the Audi A1
  • More than just a film: interactive elements open up new possibilities
  • Each Tuesday from now until June 8 at www.audi.com/a1

It's all about the A1, of course. And yet the new, compact Audi A1 stays in the background with elegant restraint. Little wonder, as Justin Timberlake and Dania Ramirez plunge into a suspenseful, mysterious story – through six episodes that can be viewed online. And on the Internet, the lines between reality and fiction are often blurred. Who is this John Frank, played by Justin Timberlake? What has he been involved in? The first clues can be found in episode one, starting today. The suspense rises each Tuesday with another episode, until June 8.

“The Next Big Thing”: Justin Timberlake is John Frank, a straight-laced IT specialist. He meets the mysterious Toni, played by Dania Ramirez. John can save her life. More is revealed in steps – that's the idea. The tension builds until the finale – the final episode. There's never a dull moment between episodes on the Internet, either. Interactive elements provide secrets, details and background about each episode: users get to know the characters, see the film from unusual perspectives, and flashbacks fill in the plot.

Swedish director Henrik Sundgren filmed for five days with up to eight cameras – in narrow city streets, a parking deck, in cafés and clubs. Some of the spectacular settings were exclusively for the interactive components. Also playing a part: more than 40 actors, about 100 staff members, the Swedish band Torpedo, and naturally, the A1. If you place all of the episodes end to end, 16 minutes of film were created – excluding the additional virtual scenes.

“The timing for the film was not chosen at random, as you will be able to order the A1 soon”, said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Audi Board Member for Marketing and Sales. “The film is action-packed and entertaining, perfectly suited to the young target group of our A1. At the same time the movie provides kind of a virtual test drive: it shows skillful handling, technical refinement and presents the self-assured design of the A1. Leading man Justin Timberlake became an Audi brand ambassador in 2010.”

All episodes will be shown at www.audi.com/a1. This is the only place the interactive elements can be accessed. The additional offerings open the door to a world behind the scenes of the movie – and to special chances to win, as numerous contests are also linked with the virtual components. The Heimat agency is responsible for the concept design and implementation of the episodes, and the Neue Digitale agency handled networking the film on the Internet.

Add a Comment

Comments (11)

Subscribe to comments
 Iconic Iconic
ay cavron.. that was horrible.
May 4, 2010 7:07 pm
 BavarianMS BavarianMS
Lol, BMW did the same thing with Clive Owen in 2001-02. It was a series of 8 short films starring Clive Owen in different BMW cars. Example:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1dYv_gKTA8
May 4, 2010 9:18 pm
 997-GT500-STI 997-GT500-STI
I don't mind the ride but that dude is horible!!!
May 4, 2010 11:47 pm
 hdriaz hdriaz
btw the bmw series were one of the best series ever produced. lol wtf was this video. it was actually horrible. what a bad story line from the start
May 5, 2010 12:14 am
 DrPlacebo DrPlacebo
At least with the BMW films they made it clear that it was a showcase for the car. In a lot of them as I can remember it was one of the if not the first sound or image in each film. When he pulls out the 9 after finishing his 'Fight Club' monologue I couldn't help but think "oooo so rebellious and dangerous." Audi has done this in advertisements before but it's a little tacky here. I guess I'll need to see the whole thing to judge it.
May 5, 2010 3:47 am
 9TNine 9TNine
Interesting... alway nice to have some Brazilian Babe in a short dress to intriduced herself like that... But think I prefer the 4th video along... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qFD3Z4EWXY&feature=player_embedded
May 5, 2010 4:14 am
 nederinaa nederinaa
The new Avante or Elantra is nice.
May 5, 2010 5:15 am
 JC.Euro JC.Euro
She is not Brazilian, she is Dominican. Either way, she is hot!
May 5, 2010 9:26 am
 migass migass
Where's the rest of the vid?! ohhhhh come on!
May 5, 2010 5:29 am
 Siawa Siawa
Don't judge too quickly, it's just the first episode.
May 5, 2010 8:00 am
 Xenicide Xenicide
Interesting. Don't really like Justin as an actor (or singer for that matter), but let's see where this goes. Atleast with BMW Films it used a number of their cars.
May 5, 2010 8:32 am