Justin Timberlake shares Spotlight with 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.

Credits: wilswong