Director Siri Bunford explains why he chose The Shining as the subject of a promo for a season of Stanley Kubrick films on More4. Includes video clip.

‘Eyes Wide Shut' is a promo for a season of Stanley Kubrick films on More4.

The one-shot spot lets the audience explore the set of The Shining through the eyes of its legendary director.

Components include set builders daubing the legend 'red rum' onto doors, Shelley Duvall swanning past and party-frocked twins waiting for their call.

For director Siri Bunford and creative director Brett Foraker, the creatives on the job, the idea of shooting the promo through the eyes of Kubrick became clear early on.

"We knew much had been written about Kubrick's eccentricity and his 'mad genius'. But we wanted to avoid going down this route," explains Bunford.

Kubrick's collection of films ranges from Flying Padre to Full Metal Jacket, but in the end the team opted for classic chillfest, The Shining.

"I chose The Shining because it was up there as the most iconic and recognisable of Kubrick's films," says Bunford.

"The only other contender would have been 2001: A Space Odyssey. Both provided us with the scale we were looking for because the sets were huge but The Shining provided us with a better ending, and more importantly enabled us to shoot it as a single tracking shot - The Shining was the film that pioneered the use of the steadicam."

Much of the equipment that appears in the promotional clip was actually used in the filming of The Shining.

It was filmed with a 25mm Cooke lens - reportedly a favorite of Kubrick's - over the course of two days at London's Bray Studios.

The agency on the promo was Channel 4 Creative Services.

Selected credits

  • Creative director: Brett Foraker

  • Creative: Siri Bunford; Kave Quinn

  • Director: Siri Bunford

  • Production: Channel 4 Creative Services

  • Producer: Shananne Lane; Louise Oliver

  • Director of Photography: Alex Barber

  • Music: Amon Tobin, Natureland

  • Audio and finishing: Envy (Dee Allen and Rich Martin)