Red Sox – "Mail Guy"

Director: Justin Foia

.

Click to watch.

Director of Photography: Chris Bell
Editor: Duncan Sharp
Copywriter: Dave Kuhl
Art Director: Rena Bussinger
Agency: MMB
Producer: Justin Foia & Timothy Foia
Production Company: N/A
Lighting: Vince Klimek
Music/Sound Design: Scott Charles
Composer: N/A
Camera: Chris Bell
Time from concept to completion: 3 months

Why this script/concept? How does it reflect your vision as a commercial director?

I was first attracted to the script because it was dialogue driven and it had a certain dark comedy that I enjoy. The story took place in a corporate environment which I am all too familiar with and that helps when you are selling this type of comedy. I also thought it would be fairly easy to produce and when you are choosing spec stuff, that is a consideration you really can't ignore. I am exploring dialogue/storytelling so this was a natural progression for me. I think my vision is growing constantly, but a spot like this can really help distinguish your style.

What was the casting process like?

As soon as I read the script I knew who my two principles were going to be. Nik (the mail guy) I had worked with on a pro shoot last year. I loved his delivery and charm and I knew he would nail it. Mark (Rays fan) had read for me on another job but sadly didn't get the part then. I remembered him and reached out. Once you have your principles, the rest kind of falls into place. But Dan (the laughing guy) was a last minute fill in recommended by another actor. I got lucky there too. Dan was just what I wanted. We had lunch a week before and went over the ideas for the performances. I make it a point to do this whenever I can, because it is imperative for me to know how the actor is going to approach it. You get a lot of great ideas there. I wouldn't call it rehearsal. It is more collaboration.

How did you search for/lock a location?

Location was an office that I have access to from time to time, so it was a done deal. At first I was not into it aesthetically, because it is kind of drab. But it photographed really well for this spot and drab corporate environments are what a lot of people identify with. And you have to embrace what works for your story. It is about these characters sharing the same piece of carpet day to day. It has to feel real.

How did you select your DP, crew?

I have worked with this crew on many shoots (pro and spec). I work quickly and they match that in efficiency. But it really comes down to talent. They know how to shoot. You learn a lot listening to those who have shot a ton of stuff. It informs how you board, how you block, and how you tell your story. Also, my art director is great. We have worked together before and she really came through on this spot.

How did shooting go? Any challenges?

The shoot went pretty smoothly. We did it in a day. We made a conscious decision to shoot on one floor of the office and in relative close proximity to each setup. Therefore, we weren't burning a ton of time on moving the lights. But the set dressing and the initial lighting setup took a couple of hours. That is when you are looking at your watch and thinking "am I going to get all the coverage I want???" But I have a tendency to sweat that stuff and I always end up with enough time.

Tell us about editing and finishing.

I think there's always something you would liked to have shot or thought you could do differently, but then you get to the edit and it is pretty much just what you need. I have worked with my editor on a lot of stuff, so I trust his choices. We discuss what I want and he does a rough cut. This allows me to get a slightly different perspective on it. My best advice to all new directors is to try not to fall in love with what you have shot. Just because it looks cool or was funny on the day doesn't mean it will fit into the edit or help with the story. Now on this spot I didn't have that issue as much, but I have moved on from being too precious about every frame. Anyway, we did several cuts as you would normally do. You find the beats, the right takes. Then I sent it on to Dave. He gave suggestions and we finalized it.

In retrospect, is there anything you would have done differently?

The whole process of producing the spot started and stopped a couple of times. It was just trying to get all the pieces to fit together. So, I wish it had been a little more fluid. I would always rather have a producer handling the logistics, but in the case of the last couple of specs I have done, I have been wearing that hat too. That is kind of stressful. Overall I am very satisfied with the end product. I don't think I would have changed anything knowing how well it came out in the end.

Red Sox – "Yankees – Day"

Director: Paul Van Wart
.


Click to watch.

Director of Photography: Patrick Kelly

Editor: Andy Schrader

Copywriter: Dave Kuhl (now with MMB, Boston)

Art Director: n/a

Agency: Arnold

Producer: John Doucet

Production Company: Werk Brothers Media

Editor: Andy Schrader

Lighting: n/a

Music/Sound Design: n/a

Sound Design: Mike Farnan, Deserati Media

Post Prod. & Coloring: The Syndicate, Santa Monica

Why this script/concept? How does it reflect your vision as a commercial director?

Dave had hit on a nerve in the community with the "Yankees Suck" chant. But it is pretty obnoxious, and obnoxious isn't a great selling strategy. We discussed the initial concept, which was a single spot focusing on a crowd that starting chanting, and realized the concept could be explored further by using the tag "Just another day" and creating several scenarios that spanned the course of an entire day. We were able to keep the recognizable chant, and channel the obnoxiousness into a charming little spot. Although I live and work in LA, the key to the spot was going back to Boston to shoot it. I'm committed to creating work that feels 'real', and you just can't double that feeling in LA. It was also on the verge of lunacy, but we held on this side of reason, so the idea feels edgy, rather than 'specky'.

What was the casting process like?

Initially we had a non-union casting session. But due to the enormous success of New England becoming a viable alternative to shooting in LA, all the experienced talent was SAG. Kevin Fenessey Casting suggested we go SAG. Because of the sheer number of talent, it seems cost prohibitive for a viral spec spot. After having an eleventh hour conversation with the SAG local, we came to understand that if this was an Internet-only spot, we could shoot under a SAG agreement. So we recast as a SAG show, and voila, we were able to cast twelve principals and fifteen extras as a SAG show. Shout out to SAG New England for making this possible.

How did you search for/lock a location?

Because it is a vignette spot, we really had our back up against the wall in terms of budget. But "Red Sox" is a get-out-of-jail-free card. We scouted several diners, but nobody really wanted us in their hair. Years ago I had frequented the "Town Line" diner, but it is such a classic location, and in such demand for movies, etc., that we thought there was no way they'd let a small job like us shoot there. For grins we went in to scout, and the owner just happened to be in the place. We told him our story, and once we said "Red Sox," the seas parted. The diner was actually open and operating while we shot.

The Chinatown scene is a whole different animal. Chinatown is a very, very closed society, very difficult for a major film to shoot on the streets. However, John, the producer, had recently produced an anti-gambling spot specifically for Chinatown, and he had the relationships to make it happen. Although we were insured for the street scenes, we didn't have enough time to officially close the streets - so we stole it. And while we where shooting, the police on duty actually came up to us and told us they knew what we were doing, and if we needed anything, to let them know. I was spooked they'd shut us down. Hey, forgot about it, Jake - it's Chinatown.

The bedroom scene was perfect – and the home owner is also the singer in the producer's band.

How did you select your DP, crew?

The DP Pat Kelly and I go way back to the 90's. Once he saw the boards, he jumped onboard. He wrangled a small run-and-gun crew and gear. Pat shoots a lot of stuff for ESPN and NESN on the street, so he wasn't fazed a bit. Did a fantastic job of lighting the bedroom with minimal gear. I had worked previously with the production designer, Amy Whitten, on some regional spots, so she really came to the show doing a lot, with a little - if you know what I mean.

How did shooting go? Any challenges?

Only the moment in Chinatown when the police approached us - I was sure we were finished. Almost dropped dead when they said, "Anything you need, we'll do it." The talent was great - and the little girl at the end is going to work more than Shirley Temple and Andy Hardy put together.

Tell us about editing and finishing.

Andy Schrader and I have cut almost three hundred spots and promos together. He burst out laughing when he saw the boards, and wanted in. Although we cut here in LA, we sent cuts back to Dave in Boston, so the editorial was a very collaborative process. Leslie Sorrentino at The Syndicate, Santa Monica was great about cutting us a deal for digital finishing and coloring - and he's a Yankee fan!!

In retrospect, is there anything you would have done differently?

I would have gone SAG right from the start if I thought it was affordable. It was - but it took an entire casting session to figure that out. The talent was fantastic, the locations genuine, and the crew was awesome. Really not much I would have changed if we were getting paid

our full rates to do the job. Honestly. And I think that's an important thing - because you can't say down the road, "Well, if I'd had XYZ, it would have been the right way to do it." People see what is on your reel, end of story.

Any other thoughts.

Yes - thanks to the Spec Bank for the boards. There are a lot of new directors (maybe some established ones, too) looking for good ideas to shoot, and it's hard to hook them up with creatives who have ideas they'd like to see realized. I'm trying to really focus on my specific 'brand' or vision as a director, so consequently I'm very picky about the ideas I shoot - and that's not a knock on the quality of concepts. Rather, it has to fit in with what I'm trying to accomplish, so although I might really like a script, it may not fit within the parameters of my reel. So the wider the net to catch boards, the better result for both the creatives and the director.

Finally, I'd like to say that although this is a director-driven business, it ain't about one person. Without all those great friends that help us out, we're just crazy street people howling 'cut' and 'action' in the wind.

Ice Breakers – "Quickie"

Director: Pascal Leister
.


Click to watch.

Director of Photography: Paul Andresen
Editor: Pascal Leister
Copywriter: Alex Harvey
Art Director: Briana Wollman
Agency: Tracy-Locke
Production Company: Lodestar Films

Pascal Leister: "I had to laugh out loud when I read the script - I instantly knew it was perfect for me. It fits nicely with my other spots, which are all comedic.

For casting, I looked at several options, but when I read the script I already had two actors in mind I work with frequently - Leyna Juliet Weber and Rick Gifford. They know each other well, have amazing chemistry and an unflappable sense of comedy. I'm very grateful that Alex Harvey, the writer at Tracy-Locke, went for my suggestion.

I found a stage that cut me a great deal. The set was part of their client lounge, I just had to dress it. Shooting on a stage, vs. at a private residence, made everything a lot easier.

With regards to the DP, I've edited three features that Paul Andresen either DPed or directed. We've always wanted to work together and this was the perfect opportunity. He has a really good sense of humor and knows what's important when shooting comedy.

This was my first time on the Red. It's a great camera and the process is really easy, but it is essential that you have a truly calibrated monitor and don't believe the Red's official ASA rating (I think they rate it at 320 – it is way below). If you have a great DIT though, that ideally comes from an AC or color background, it's a breeze.

Post workflow was super easy with the Red footage since we edited in Final Cut. In the end, I took the raw files and an EDL to John Tissavary at Lunacie. He has a Scratch system which works effortlessly with Red footage. He did a great job giving it a look while keeping it comedic.

Vince Jimenez at Mdots helped with the product shot animation; I love the way he integrated the fruit burst and added a little glow to the product. It makes it look really tasty.

I'm very happy with the outcome. I would have loved to have more time to spend on lighting and a more dense set dressing, to add a couple of really long shots. But we were under a lot of pressure time-wise and I think we managed well."

Boston Red Sox – "Cop"

.
Director: Pascal Leister

Click to watch.

“Client”: Boston Red Sox
Name of Spot: Cop
Director/Editor: Pascal Leister
Copywriter: Dave Kuhl
Agency: Arnold Worldwide
Production Company: Lodestar Films
Music/Sound Design: Pascal Leister

Pascal Leister: "I was looking to do a viral style commercial. When Dave’s script came around I immediately latched on to it, because I felt it was very cutting edge. It’s shocking and funny at the same time. The biggest challenge for me was to make this look like we stole the clip directly from a police camera and posted it on Youtube. Everything had to be hyperrealistic.

The trick was to find an actor who could play a cop very naturally. I was lucky in finding Tom Biagini without a major casting process but just by asking my friends for recommendations.

I needed a location that looked real but non-descript. The spot takes place in the Boston area and I didn’t want to show any L.A. giveaways. That’s also part of the reason why we shot at night. It focuses the viewer on the immediate action without putting any emphasis on the environment. Lastly, since we did this guerilla style without permits, I needed a quiet place to shoot, where I wouldn’t get busted. After all we were running the police lights and had a cop in a fake uniform doing a fake traffic stop…

I found a quiet street in downtown L.A. after driving around the area for a while at night. I pretty much did the whole thing myself with just the help from a P.A.

[Shooting] went very well. We didn’t get busted and everything worked out beautifully. We only had 3 takes with the cop smashing the taillights, because we only had 3 replacement lights for the truck. We rehearsed the action extensively so we would have no surprises when actually shooting it. I think Tom (the actor) got a real kick out of smashing those lights.

Editing the spot was the real fun part. Of course the edit itself was easy, but the challenge was to emulate one of those clips you can find on Youtube. So a lot of work went into the sound design and into making it look as crappy as possible but still maintaining essential details.

If we had a budget I would’ve actually loved to shoot this in or around Boston and during daylight to get even more authenticity."

Ray Ban – "Sick Day"

.
Director: Edoardo Nolfo


Click to watch.

Director of Photography: Brad Rushing


Editor: Edoardo Nolfo

Copywriter: Matt Shevin


Production Designer: David King


Composer: Dori Amarilio

Colorist: Bob Curreri (Cinelicious)


Monster.com – "Busted"

.
Director: Edoardo Nolfo (Scroll down for director commentary)



Click to watch.

Director of Photography: Brad Rushing


Editor: Edoardo Nolfo

Copywriter: Dan Sorgen


Production Designer: David King


Composer: Dori Amarilio

Colorist: Bob Curreri (Cinelicious)


Geek Squad – "Do It Yourself"

.
Director: Edoardo Nolfo



Click to watch.

The director discusses all three completed spots:

Edoardo Nolfo: "I am a very narratively oriented director – a film director at heart – and I was determined to find scripts that needed such a director. It took months and a couple of false starts. I joined specbank.com and when I read Dan Sorgen’s script for Monster.com I instantly knew it was right for me, and now that the spot is done I am even more pleased with the choice!

I was planning to make three spots in one fell swoop and needed two more scripts. I found the Ray Ban spot written by Matt Shevin and loved it; it had enormous narrative and visual potential. He also contributed the third script, for Geek Squad.

I refused to write the scripts myself and was determined to use scripts written by gifted copywriters, which is exactly what I did. 



From the very beginning I was adamant that a professional casting director should handle the initial screening. Producer Theresa Marth was able to bring casting director Danny Roth on board and he did a great job. He was a pleasure to work with. I gave him a detailed breakdown for each character and a few days later he sent me links to audition videos. I’m very pleased with the talent we found.



Finding a location was tricky. The Monster commercial needed a large office with plenty of cubicles, and in L.A. that sort of location goes for about $10,000 a day. That’s the quote everyone gave me. In the end I found a location rep (Michelle Roper of LA Office Locations, Inc.) who had the right location on her roster and they give me a much more reasonable price. She was very helpful. It is somewhat ironic that the location that was willing to help me also turned out to be the most suitable out of all the ones I scouted.

To find my DP, I posted an ad online and received around 150 responses. I looked at all the reels and homed in on Brad Rushing. We met and spoke for two hours. He is a talented and experienced cinematographer, and we’re a perfect match in many ways. I made it clear in my ad that I am a camera-oriented director and he really likes that. He brought a talented camera crew on board and really delivered the goods. I really enjoyed working with him – we totally understand each other.



Every shot is a challenge, but it was the healthy, stimulating and positive kind of challenge – there were no crises as such. It was hard work but I got exactly what I wanted and we finished on schedule and within budget. I cannot overemphasize the contribution made by producer Theresa Marth in this regard, and of course everyone on the crew, who worked well and fast.



I edited my own spots and it was very quick. I was lucky enough to find Dori Amarilio, a truly exceptional composer. He looked at the spots, liked them, and agreed to write music for us. Colorist Bob Curreri graded the spots using Final Cut Color, courtesy of Cinelicious. Again, he was great to work with and did a great job.



The finished spots accurately reflect the way I saw them in my head, which is very satisfying. There are a few minor technical things I would change if I had a time machine – the distribution of extras in certain shots and things like that – but by and large I think we did the concepts justice. I selected the right scripts and chose the right people to work with. Everyone brought a huge amount of talent and goodwill to all three spots. In the final analysis, things could not have gone better.



It’s a bit of cliché’, but I really must thank the whole crew, who worked hard and put real passion into the work. That sort of attitude makes a real difference. I am grateful to Todd Lent, a wonderful 1st AD who took a real interest in my case but was ultimately unable to work on the shoot days.

Special thanks must go to Theresa Marth, an extraordinary producer who made a huge contribution, and without whom things would not have gone as smoothly. She really did an amazing job."


Producer: Theresa Marth

Director of Photography: Brad Rushing


Editor: Edoardo Nolfo


Copywriter: Matt Shevin


Production Designer: David King


Composer: Dori Amarilio

Colorist: Bob Curreri (Cinelicious)


Virgin Mobile – "Bridal Shower"

.
Director: Bo Mirosseni



Click to watch.

Bo Mirosseni: "I loved the script the first time I read it. I shoot comedy spots. And I love pratfal humor so this was a great spot for me to have on my reel.

Casting was very interesting. We had over 100 girls show up and our main girl Rhiann Woodyard was casted accidentally. She was at the casting office for another project and I told the casting director to approach her because she had the right look. She came and read for us and nailed it. We had a second round of auditions and she nailed it again. She was scaring me with her attitude...but off camera she is the sweetest girl ever.

Sarah Audrey King played the bride. We wanted someone that has a very innocent look to them. Someone that you'll feel sorry for. She had that look...I still feel sorry for her.

We got lucky with locations. Our production designer had a empty house in Silver Lake. We had to dress the whole thing up. We started with just a blank living room.

Jon Peter, my DP and also a very good friend of mine, shot all my other specs so that was a no brainer. The two producers, Emile Mocey-Hanton and Jamie R. Robinson, are also good friends of mine who did an amazing job with this spot. It was a big cast and there was a lot to be accounted for. Emile and Jamie really went the extra mile. Joe Iemola, our very talented sound designer had an extremely tight deadline and made it happen! I've known Joe since high school and he's never let me down.

I'm very fortunate to have worked with these people and glad they're great friends of mine."

Credits:

Director of Photography: Jon Peter

Editor: Brian Emerick

Art Director: Andrea Sheritt

Copywriter: Dan Sorgen / Agency Art Director: Hosea Gruber

Agency: The Ballpark, El Segundo

Producer: Emile Mocey-Hanton & Jamie R. Robinson

Production Company: Six29 Entertainment

Music/Sound Design: Joe Iemola