How Benedict Cumberbatch turned the heat up on pension companies

In 2022 we had real-life couple Kit Harrington and Rose Leslie on the therapy couch, and last year saw Olivia Colman clad in black latex to play an oil executive.

This year another award-winning actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, stars in a spot for Make My Money Matter that looks to highlight the truth behind how pension funds invest our savings. 

Playing the titular character in a 100-second spot called Benedict Lumberjack, Cumberbatch, like Colman, plays an evil CEO who champions UK pension funds being invested in companies like his, companies which drive deforestation. In the film, while ensconced in the heated environs of a sauna, Cumberbatch's character delivers a speech that's as intense as it is deplorable. 

Below, Academy director Sophia Ray discusses her excitement at working on the campaign, the importance of its message, and working with Benedict Cumberbatch.

Above: Benedict Cumberbatch features as the titular character in Make My Money Matter's Benedict Lumberjack.

What were your thoughts on the project when you first saw the script?

The script was awesome on the page, and it was for a very important cause, which is always such a bonus in our industry. When I first read it my initial thoughts were mainly a buzzing excitement at the mood we could build around this character, as well as figuring out the best logistical and creative approach. 

The script was awesome, and it was for a very important cause, which is always such a bonus in our industry.

There were a few ideas for location on the table so my mind started weighing them all up as I pictured Lumberjack basking in his cocoon of wrongdoing in each of the approaches. We settled on the Sauna as it worked so well thematically. 

Above: Cumberbatch "holds a lot of gravitas, while also having an acute funny bone".

How aware were you of the previous Make My Money Matter campaigns and what had been done with them?

I was very much aware of them. Raine Allen Miller and Lucky Generals team absolutely smashed the Oblivia Coalmine spot last year. I remember first seeing it at the British Arrows as it picked up its awards and thinking it was such an awesome idea and brilliant performance from Olivia Colman. 

[Benedict] is a brilliant talent and holds a lot of gravitas, while also having an acute funny bone.

It certainly cut through in terms of work that I admired, and it led me to research more into MMMM and the brilliant work they do. 

Was Benedict Cumberbatch already attached to the project or was there a process of deciding who might work best?

Danny Brook-Taylor [Lucky Generals Co-Founder and CD] and Gareth Morgan [Creative] had already come up with the brilliant alter-ego name for Benedict Cumberbatch when the project was bought to me, meaning he was already attached to the project, which made me very happy. 

He is a brilliant talent and holds a lot of gravitas, while also having an acute funny bone, and I was excited to see what he could bring to Lumberjack's characterisation. His casting felt perfect. 

Above: Academy Films director Sophia Ray. 

Is there a decision to be made based, in some part, on how an actor's name can be re-modelled to fit the theme of the spot?

Yes, I think with these campaigns there is an element of that. I know they, like me, love to think about creative detailing throughout a spot, and the reimagining of Benedict’s name would have been a big part of this. 'Lumberjack' worked so well on so many levels! 

How long did it take to get the performance right, and how do you know when you've got the take you need?

Well, Benedict had a very busy schedule, as you can imagine, so we only had him for a certain amount of time on the day. So, we wanted to plan a fluid and achievable day that gave us time to focus on what was important. There was that longer constructed take for the bulk of the spot that we probably spent the most time on in the day itself. However, I’m sure it’s not surprising to hear Benedict’s first take of this was pretty great, and there was a resounding feeling in the room we didn’t need too long to get it right. 

I’m sure it’s not surprising to hear Benedict’s first take of this was pretty great, and there was a resounding feeling in the room we didn’t need too long to get it right. 

We had had an initial meeting to discuss the shot list, characterisation and tone, and Benedict delivered what we needed in spades on the day. In terms of knowing when it is the right take, it’s totally subjective. Benedict gave us a few varying moods and energy on set, which worked for different reasons, and there were sound arguments for them all, but I loved how the tension built in his performance in the take we chose... it seemed to hit all the nuanced beats we needed. 

Above: Ray "loved how the tension built in [Cumberbatch's] performance". 

The music is as sinister as the performance; can you tell us a bit about how you decided on it and what to brings to the spot?

We knew we wanted the music to be a very simple texture to build the tension and help permeate that sense of dread. But we didn’t want it to feel too fussy and compete too much with all the sound design elements that needed to be punctuated. 

We wanted it to have an eerie simplicity that builds right up to when he leans into camera and you feel that tonal shift. We composed the music at No8 with the brilliant Sam Robson, and we decided that a simple, rising string-like drone was the way to go. However, it had a texture to it that created an unnerving feeling. 

How important was the sound design that to getting the correct feel for the campaign?

The sound design was integral to the storytelling aspect of the spot. We wanted to foreshadow the window of destruction at the end with some forest fire flames, rainforest sounds, chainsaws and violent machinery that again punctuate Benedict Lumberjack's dialogue, like the sinister puppet master that he is. Like a symphony of destruction that you can only hear, and not see. 

We wanted it to have an eerie simplicity that builds right up to when he leans into camera and you feel that tonal shift. 

The lean-in shot was something we highlighted with the score element Sam had composed. We played with it going slightly out of tune as he leans in, as well as rising with his sinister smile. We wanted the string element to react and respond to the performance from Benedict.