Having been encouraged by the great viewing figures for the Vietnam episode of Embraer's Incredible Journeys, (even despite it's 10 minute running time!) we were intrigued to see if Episode 4 - USA could repeat or even better the numbers and continue the upward trend across the series.
As noted previously the tendency in branded online content is generally towards short or very short form films, so it's interesting to see a series that now clocks in at just under 40 minutes in total generating a pretty decent number of views.
This time around Arthur is in the USA following the aircraft on a journalist flight out of Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and then on to meet an important Embraer customer based in Indianapolis. Up to this point the film is a little more conventionally corporate than Vietnam, and features the product more than the locations. However a part of the interview with Bryan Bedford, President of Republic Airways, focusses on the airline's LIFT Academy, set up to train much needed new pilots, and it's this initiative that gives Arthur the opportunity to get up into the sky and behind the controls of a single engine Diamond DA40.
With our camera operator stationed on the tarmac to capture the taxi and take-off with a long lens, we made the most of having a GoPro, a consumer camcorder and an iPhone in the bag with us, the latter two operated by producer Joe who was persuaded to sit in the rear seat of the aircraft, even though he isn't the most keen on flying at the best of times!
After safely landing the plane, much to Joe's relief, Arthur then visits Indianapolis' most famous tourist spot, the Motor Speedway, home of the famous Indy 500. The trip didn't coincide with the actual race unfortunately, so Arthur had to make do with a visit to the museum and a chat with Director of Communications Eric Powell, as well as a fairly sedate trip around the track on the official tour bus.
As I write this post Incredible Journeys - USA has become the most watched of the series so far, racking up over 370,000, views which is great for another 10 minute plus film. This puts the total views of the 4 films at a tantalising 960,000 overall. With episode 5 almost ready for release, can we break the 1 million mark....?
