Toyota's Grand Highlander Makes Its Grand Entrance via Gravy Films
Toyota gives its drivers the stylish slo-mo tunnel fit treatment with its latest film, “Grand Walk Up.” Created by agency Saatchi & Saatchi and directed by Gravy Film’s Tomas Jonsgården, “Grand Walk Up” and “Grand Luggage” harness a great vehicle’s almost magical ability to shift how its drivers (and passengers) feel, even if they’re just rolling up to football practice or heading off on a girl’s trip. Throughout, the 2025 Toyota Grand Highlander is at the center of these characters’ choices to be bold and self-assured.
Click here to watch Grand Walk Up
Click here to watch Grand Luggage
In these films, director Tomas Jonsgården shows how vehicles don’t just respond to our lives; they help inspire and shape them, influencing everything from how you carry yourself to the risks you’re willing to take. Emulating pro-sports tunnel-fit-checks, “Grand Walk Up” stars a pack of stylish kids decked out and ready to rock their football practice, as chauffeured by a confident carpool dad, with epic camera work and a soundtrack to match. “Grand Luggage” features a group of girlfriends moments before setting off on vacation asserting their one-bag rule, only for the last woman to show up with a suitcase nearly the same size as her.
Shooting in LA soon after the fires, Gravy kept the train on the tracks and handled every aspect of production, capturing golden hour moments and complicated crane shots. Tomas Jonsgården expertly directed the performers—kids and adults alike—to naturalistic performances that emphasized the playful message at the center of these films.
Tomas Jonsgården, Director: “These scripts were smart and well-constructed, and it was a joy to bring them to life. What I loved most about what Toyota and Saatchi & Saatchi created is how they used down-to-earth, relatable, and everyday human truths as a way into the incredible features and styling of the 2025 Grand Highlander. We kept things natural, classy, and infused with the cinematic grandeur of a smart, modern movie. I wanted to bring out the humor without losing that relatability or making a joke of the camera work—that was the right way to honor this vehicle.”
CREDITS:
Director: Tomas Jonsgården
EP: Brent Stoller
Staff Producer: Ally Gnesin
Line Producer: Magnus Akerstedt
DP: Òttar Guðnason
Steadicam: Chris Cunningham
PD: Tim Moen
Costume Designer: Lee Ann Jarvis
Key MU: Brenna Bash
Locations: Brent Gaffan
Editorial: PXP Studios
Editor: Bryan Cook
EP: Veronica Santana
Post Producer: Lauren Johnson
VFX: Harbor Pictures Company
Lead VFX CD: Alex Candlish
VFX CD: Andrew Pellicer
Post Producer: Lauren Johnson
EP: Warwick Hewitt
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
Client: Toyota Motor North America
Agency Producer: Rose Picon
ACD: Art Boonklan
CD: Jake Mikosh
Jr CW: Meghan Gulley
Jr AD: Savannah Chapple
EP: Dustin Oliver
