Mastercard and Westpac create a movie without pictures

In a world bustling with flashy visuals and CGI that could make any squirrel's fur stand on end, Mastercard and Westpac have taken a tail-spinning detour with their latest venture, 'Touch,' a feature-length film that's all about sound, leaving zero room for pictures. That's right, dear humans and fellow woodland creatures, it's a cinematic experience where your ears take center stage, and your eyes get a well-deserved break.

Directed by the talented Tony Krawitz, 'Touch' embarks on young Ben's journey into his dad Frank's consciousness after a scientific experiment gone nuts. It's a real family drama, and Ad Nut can't help but wonder if Ben will uncover his dad's secret recipe for acorn stew or finally crack the mystery behind why he never laughed at Ben's knock-knock jokes.

With credits on both Australian and international titles, Sydney-based sound designer Wayne Pashley takes the helm as the sound designer. If anyone can make a squirrel's heartbeat sound like a thunderstorm, it's the maestro who worked on 'Mad Max: Fury Road.'

Krawitz playfully asks: “What would it be like to be in a cinema with hundreds of people and only focusing on sound? A movie without pictures? 'Touch' is a one-of-a-kind story that explores a man’s mind, his memories, his tics—all without images. The film has been designed for people to enjoy, and to enable people to experience what it’s like not to have your vision to orient you. To make the audience use their ears as if they’re detectives, gripped by what’s going to happen next.”

Benjamin Phillips, a man of many talents, including acting and aspiring film directing, shares how sound can paint a picture for those who cannot see—a sentiment Ad Nut has long understood, having endured woodpecker wake-up calls.

The film is set to premiere in February 2024 at Westpac OpenAir. Mastercard and Westpac have gone all out to ensure the event is as inclusive as a nut gathering in autumn. They have even worked with Humanitix to ensure everyone can get their paws on tickets. 

Julie Nestor, Mastercard's APAC executive vice president for marketing and communications, adds: “Mastercard believes innovation should always be driven by the impulse to include. By leveraging the power of sound, Mastercard is aiming to create an immersive experience transcending visual boundaries and redefining storytelling in cinema.”

The inclusivity approach that Nestor is talking about is hinged on strong market insights from a study commissioned by Mastercard and carried out by YouGov. 511 Australian adults with varying degrees of vision impairment were questioned on how inclusivity in entertainment. A majority (81%)  believed the industry has better potential to be more inclusive and nearly seven out of 10 (68%) think there's still a long way to go. It's like finding the right acron, the potential is there but the journey needs some tweaking. Critical areas for improvement include featuring more characters with blindness or low vision in films (40%), providing audio descriptions for all production documents (44%), and offering education and mentorship for working with staff who have vision impairments (28%).

Mastercard acted on these findings and throughout the production cycle, Bus Stop Films incorporated feedback from people with low or no vision. That's the kind of inclusivity Ad Nut is rooting for—entertainment should be for everyone, fur or no fur. 

Westpac is also the first Australian issuer to roll out accessible cards with the Mastercard Touch Card^™ feature, an innovative design system that uses distinct tactile notches to help people who are blind or low-sighted identify and differentiate their credit, debit and prepaid cards with just a touch.

Ad Nut raises a paw in salute—after all, who understands better than a squirrel that the best things often come in the most straightforward packages?

Credits

Crew:

Director

Tony Krawtiz

Directors attachment

Benjamin Phillips

Cast:

Ben: Alexander England

Naomi: Maeve Dermody

Mo: Adam Briggs

Frank: David Field

Young Frank: Kyzen Petelo

Sarah: Hannah Waterman

Murray: John Waters

Casting: Stevie Ray CGA

Casting Assistant: Michelle Ny

Inclusion Partner: Bus Stop Films

Sound department:

Recording and Sound Engineer: Chris Doherty

Supervising Sound Editor: Wayne Pashley

Re Recording Mixer: Dave Robertson

Executive Producer: Bonnie Law

Sound Department Attachment: Eliza Jayne

Music by Stare Crazy:

Composed and performed by

Amy Andersen

Reggie Beer

Judith Brandenburg

Jonathan Dreyfus

Meggy Freidhof

Stefan Janik

Daniel Müller

Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. You can also check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame, or read about Ad Nut's strange obsession with 'murderous beasts'.