of Filming a Nissan Commercial Using Only GoPros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can a camera that fits in the palm of your hand capture the epic scope of an automotive production? For director Diego Pern\u00eda, the answer wasn’t just yes \u2014 it became a bold technical, narrative, and emotional bet that challenged every rule in the book. In this interview, Diego takes us behind the scenes of a project as extreme as it was authentic: filming a car commercial for Nissan using nothing but GoPro cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Story in Your Pocket<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “My first reaction was a mix of curiosity and challenge,” recalls Pern\u00eda. He had been asked to tell a big story using cameras that literally fit in your pocket. But instead of backing down, he realized that the challenge wasn\u2019t about the tool \u2014 it was about how to use it to expand your vision. “We focused on turning its flaws into style and its strengths into language,” he explains, highlighting a surgical-level preparation that included training sessions with the manufacturer, custom rig designs, and meticulously planned visual storytelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taming the Beast<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the biggest technical challenges was dealing with the GoPro\u2019s lens distortion. \u201cWe decided not to fight it, but to incorporate it into the narrative,\u201d he says. They used the distortion to amplify a sense of vertigo and speed, creating a raw aesthetic where imperfections became strengths. And when gear fell short \u2014 like filters that never arrived \u2014 the solution was simple in concept but complex in execution: move the scene, not the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creative problem-solving peaked when the team mounted four GoPros on a stabilizer head controlled by a Russian Arm. “It was uncharted territory. No one had done it before, but it worked perfectly,” he says. Over 20 cameras were used \u2014 and as Diego jokes, \u201csome of them are no longer with us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Locations With Personality<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The terrain was as much a character as the trucks themselves. With trusted location scout Lalito Soto, they looked for settings that weren\u2019t just visually striking but had personality. \u201cWe wanted places that conveyed toughness, challenge, and authenticity.\u201d Mountains, remote paths, and an unforgiving sun shaped the narrative just as much as the camera or script.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No Sugarcoating: Truth as a Narrative<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The relationship with Nissan helped keep the creative direction sharp. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t about dressing up reality, but about showing what their trucks are really made of,\u201d says Diego. No CGI, no gimmicks \u2014 just pure action captured with raw cinematic edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Storytelling on the Edge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe inspiration came from a brief of 80 pages \u2014 bold, fun, and clear.\u201d But what drove the vision was imagining the viewer not as an observer, but as an unexpected passenger. The story never slows down to explain \u2014 it pulls you in. \u201cEvery shot had to feel like a racing heartbeat, every cut like a gear shift. It’s the kind of story where you don’t ask \u2018what’s happening?\u2019 but \u2018how do we get out of this?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Acting Without Acting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The actors didn\u2019t just play characters \u2014 they represented the crew. \u201cWhile they were living the story on camera, we were living the same behind it,\u201d he says. Fiction and reality moved in sync \u2014 both facing dust, terrain, time pressure, and the same shared passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mistakes That Became Gold<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Some of the best footage came from happy accidents: cameras stuck under suspensions or brushing against the mud. \u201cThat closeness to the ground gave the project a level of immersion that went beyond the script,\u201d Diego explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A Lesson That Goes Beyond Filmmaking<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, Diego walks away with a powerful realization: \u201cThe scale of the story isn\u2019t defined by the size of the camera, but by the clarity of the vision.\u201d This project sharpened his eye and reminded him that without risk, there\u2019s no real cinema. Sometimes, all it takes to tell something big is a brave idea, a passionate team, and a small camera that catches it all.<\/p>\n