How We Shot 4 King C. Gillette Commercials in 3 Days in Budapest

Four commercials, three days in medieval Budapest

Jul 7, 2026

When Heckler Amsterdam and director Paul Middleditch brought the King C. Gillette campaign to Budapest, the brief was clear: four spots, one medieval world, three shooting days. From period costumes and castle backlots to horses and a hair department working at full tilt, here's how we pulled it off.

When production company Heckler Amsterdam and director Paul Middleditch came to us with the King C. Gillette campaign brief, the scope was ambitious: four individual commercials, each built around a different beard problem — Itchy, Smelly, Patchy, and Messy — all set in a fully realised medieval world, and all to be shot in three days in Budapest.

Here's how we made it happen.

The Brief: Four Spots, One Medieval World

The campaign — developed by VML Italy for King C. Gillette — called for a cohesive fantasy universe where beard troubles are framed as epic historical crises. Think period architecture, costumed knights, royal courts, and a king in genuine distress over his facial hair. Each of the four spots needed to feel self-contained while sharing the same visual language.

The Location: Budapest's Medieval Backlot

Budapest is one of Europe's most versatile production destinations, and this project leaned into that fully. We secured a dedicated medieval backlot with authentic-feeling architecture that served as the backbone of all four spots — giving the campaign visual consistency without the need to move between multiple locations. Less travel, more shooting time.

The Production: Period Costumes, Horses, and a Hair Department Working Overtime

Pulling off a period production at this scale in three days required every department to be firing from the start. Costume was a major undertaking — dressing a full medieval cast across four separate narratives meant significant prep and a large wardrobe team on standby throughout the shoot.

The hair and makeup department deserves particular credit. Given that the entire campaign is centred on beards — their texture, their problems, their drama — the grooming work had to be precise, varied, and consistent across all four spots. That's no small ask over a three-day schedule.

Horses also featured, adding another layer of coordination and care to an already packed production plan.

The Result

Four commercials. Three days. One crew, one location, one very well-organised shoot.

Working with director Paul Middleditch and the teams at Heckler Amsterdam and VML Italy, we're proud of what came out of those three days in Budapest. The campaign is now live — and all four chapters are out in the world.

If you're planning a period production and want to know what's possible in Hungary, get in touch.