DIY in motion for Hornbach

The main take-away from this new campaign for Hornbach is 'Think Big', as a handful of DIY enthusiasts set about creating a huge, working film camera from Hornbach products. 

Created by HeimatTBWA\Berlin and directed by Glue Society through Tony Petersen Film and Revolver, the results are a testament to the promise of possibility and the innovation at the heart of the Hornbach community. 

The final films [below] show a man rowing a small boat across a green sea of tall grass, chased by a shark fin while, in a second spot, a human-sized egg is chased by a chicken, which in turn is chased by a rooster, which is chased by a chef, who is chased by a pile of grass.

The footage feels handmade as the narrator's voice guides us through the possibilities of the comprehensive product range and the ingenuity of Hornbach customers. Viewers only see the team behind the spots in the final moment, but it is the ten-minute making of film [above], called Always Think Too Big, and showcasing the intellect, ingenuity and enthusiasm of the group as they set about building the camera, that is most fascinating.

After lengthy research and development culminated in the knowledge that a fully-functioning 35mm film camera the size of a small van could be built solely from products available at Hornbach stores, the project was up and running. Once confident it was feasible, five young makers from across Europe were invited to bring it to life in front of the camera, with each of them bringing specific skills in carpentry, design, CAD technology, metalworking or photography.  

As the participants brought their skills to the challenge, the camera took shape, with its central body consisting of several standard metal utility boxes filled with transport wheels, with lenses made from water pipes and magnifying glasses. To drive the light-sensitive material, the team opted for a cement mixer mounted outside the housing. The lens hood on the front of the camera was made from a cut-open organic waste bin. Whatever the team of makers didn't have in complete form, they designed and built from scratch. 

“The idea had been in our heads for a long time, roughly 10 years or so,” says Guido Heffels, Chief Creative Officer for Hornbach. “Now it has become reality which, in turn, took another year-and-a-half.”  

“Rarely has a Hornbach campaign combined brand, product and customer so consistently in one,” added Thomas Schnaitmann, Head of International Brand at Hornbach. “It proves that, with passion for a project and Hornbach's product range, almost anything is possible — reinforcing our ambition to be a partner for the wishes and dreams of makers.”

Alongside the main spots, many more films featuring and shot by the makers themselves were compiled into the Hornbach Five Minute Film Festival [below], which runs as light entertainment in Hornbach stores, at train stations and online.