SpecBank.com – Behind the Spots

Las Vegas "Campground"

2012-01-23T22:10:00.000-08:00

Click to watch.

Director: Karni Baghdikian

DP: David Mahlmann

Producer: Camillia Monet

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

I have a lot of faith in initial instincts, and my feelings for this one were were very strong, right away--I literally fell in love at first read. There were a few other scripts I had tossed around, and I was actually prepping to shoot another spot when this one landed in my inbox. I requested it within 30 seconds of reading it, and the stars lined up quickly...we shot it a couple weeks later.

As for my vision as a commercial director, well, I enjoy shooting slightly sinister comedy, and I like strong choreography. So it was really important that the spot be funny, a bit dark, and something that was relatively easy to execute without a lot of firepower. I also wanted it to feel like something I hadn't really seen much of in the spec world, which this most certainly was. Finally, there was the timing component. With a :30, you have to be very specific, and this spot had to be executed like clockwork to reach its potential. I had a stopwatch around my neck, and timed each take, so we knew right away if we had it or not. That was a new approach for me, and I was pleasantly surprised by the consistency of the actors' timing. I think the delta was 2.2 seconds for 40+ takes.

What was the casting process like?

In this case, there were two actors – Chris Pauley and Stephanie Little – who I had known for a while and had long hoped to work with, that I really felt were a good match for the material. It's not always the case, but when you read something and feel it right away, for me, it comes back to trusting that first instinct. Thankfully they were available and extremely supportive in the realization of this spot.

How did you search for/lock a location?

We wanted a campground that felt a little shabby, to juxtapose against the luxury of the Vegas experience that appeals to our core audience. Finding wooded landscape in LA is no easy task, so my wonderful Producer Camillia Monet reached out to as many of our friends as possible for leads. At one point, we considered trekking up to Big Bear, but didn't want to do that to a crew; we wanted to be able to shoot in one day and not have to spend half our money on gas. We looked at public parks like Malibu Creek, but the permits and fire trucks were a bit too pricey. Pretty late in the game, we wound up getting a little lucky, in that I had AD'd a short film a few years back that was shot on a private property up in Topanga Canyon. We got in touch with the property owner and he hooked us up.

How did you select your DP, crew?

A director is only as good as the people around him, and I'm extremely fortunate to have had such a great crew. My DP David Mahlmann and I have been working together for a few years. He lensed a short we shot with the RED ONE in 2008, and we've had a terrific working relationship ever since. He's usually the first person I call when I have a new project, and when I don't, he's the first person I call for those pep talks that every filmmaker occasionally needs to keep things in perspective. Dave usually crews up camera, grip and electric with his own contacts; most are people we've worked with in the past, but he never amazes me with his ability to find great new people when we're in a pinch. He's a magnet for the right kind of crew member. As for art, makeup, wardrobe, that was all Camillia. She knows lots of great people, so she knew what we needed right away.

How did shooting go? Any challenges?

Shooting went well; it was a relatively easy day all-in-all. The only real challenge we faced was – brace yourself – losing light. When you shoot in a canyon, you lose light really quickly in the afternoon, so Dave had his work cut out for him in keeping things consistent. We didn't have a very big lighting package at all, I think we primarily used bounce boards and 12x12 silk to cut the sunlight, with some HMIs on reserve, just in case. We started at 8AM and were wrapped by 4PM, a pretty nice day, and the lights stayed on the truck.

Tell us about editing and finishing.

Editing is when you cut the shots together in a timeline, and then you mix sound and color grade picture to finish. Sorry, I couldn't resist. I generally like to cut my own material, it's just something I've grown accustomed to, as I've been editing for years and really enjoy the process. I think it was born of an indie filmmaker's need to keep things as cheap as possible and learn by doing. Now it's the quickest way for me to figure out what works, and what doesn't. I've worked with editors as well, and that's good and fine, but I'm a very hands-on guy and have a computer arts background, so for something like a spot or a very short film, I'm happy to go it alone. Sound design was a big one on this, because we had to sell the idea of a swarm of bugs that you can't actually see, and aside from choreography, that was the biggest creative challenge. I have a great sound mixer in Pat Lydon, who always brings a little extra creativity to the table. He's another person I've been working with for a few years now, and I enjoy finally getting down to the mix so he can take that track I've heard over a thousand times in the edit, and take it to new and exciting places.

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

As I mentioned there was a specific choreography to this spot, and we were all really focused on that, and I think the actors were tightly wound at first as a result. With a :30, you're always going to get a ton of takes and different ways of saying "this" and "that," but I think the real gold came when we let the actors go off a little bit and just have some fun with ad-libs. Chris and Stephanie are tremendously funny and quick with improv, and had us in stitches for a few laughers – you can only imagine the kinds of outtakes you can get with Vegas as your subject matter. So they loosened up a bit, and I think that helped, because when we returned to the script, everything gelled and it came together quickly from there. It was a great reminder to sometimes let things come naturally instead of trying to force it.

Any other thoughts.

This one was a a lot of fun. We had tons of coverage to work with, plenty of great audio. A relaxed set. Lunch was good. I think this was about as smooth as a shoot can go, and when that happens, you just have to thank your lucky stars, because that always comes down to two things: great collaborators, and a little bit of magic.

Agent Provocateur "Eyeball"

2012-01-23T21:48:00.000-08:00

Click to watch.

Director: Patrick Ortman
Writer: Britt Benston
Producer: Kathi Funston
Production Designer: Pam Chien
Visual Effects Supervisor: Greg Anderson

Patrick Ortman:

I'm attracted to story, and this concept – created by Britt Benston, and then honed by myself and my producing partner Kathi Funston – really hooked me. It's perfect for the brand, which is high-quality, but edgy. Of course, Britt's music choice was perfect, too.

Casting was huge on this one. Britt had a visual effects supervisor look at the script, and he warned me when we first met that it'd be a tough commercial to make. He was right. I ended up firing two visual effects artists over this spot – one of whom told me the 'money shot' in the piece was just not possible to do. Well, they were wrong. I ended up doing the VFX myself, and it turned out just fine. I think it's because I'm better able to think outside the box, sometimes. That's a good thing, since the whole point of this commercial was about making your own way – 'do your thing, whatever it is,' right?

We shot on RED MX, and I DP'd, Kathi Funston produced, and Pam Chien was our production designer. We shot the whole thing right here in my studio, we just moved out the edit bay and desks, and brought in stuff we bought on Craigslist.

I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Britt Benston:

I can't believe how well Patrick turned the concept into a story, and on top of that, how he showed the weirdness of it as truth.

The money shot was done perfectly. It's funny – a couple of years prior another director had seen that script and approached me about making the spot. After looking into producing it, that director sought out a simpler spot instead; a more known quantity.

Then a year ago, Patrick came around and approached "Eyeball" fearlessly. He called me and requested a meeting, and after a chat, I knew he had the breadth of skills to take it on. Patrick is an artist and a production/post-production polymath. Then I had few more conversations, first with Vis Effects Director Greg Anderson and then with Patrick, who plunged head-first into production. This was all while he was in various stages of completion in his own short film and two other spots. An amazing feat!

In the end, the gorgeous spot is made for either TV or the digital age. It deserves to be spread around and it really could sell the Agent Provocateur brand and its lingerie in appropriate (and inappropriate) style.

Stride Gum "Global Warming"

2012-01-23T21:42:00.000-08:00

Click to view.

Director: Justin Foia

Writer: Hunter Fine

Why this script/concept? How does it reflect your vision as a commercial director? How was working with the writer?

I was attracted to spot based on the opportunity to direct more visual effects based material. I find myself increasingly going in that direction as doing VFX (and motion graphics) is what I do for a living. I already think in those terms of how things can be done in post, so I want to focus more on that kind of spot. VFX driven storytelling and/or comedy is a pretty popular genre, so I hope to find more work there. The script was elegant and simple and I thought it could lend itself to a more cinematic visual style -- something more hyper-real in terms of the arctic environment as well as the "thermostat" prop to be specific. I told the writer that if it was okay I was going to push the production value higher because that was the real substance of the story. Hunter Fine, the writer, was great. Super easy to talk to and work with. I'm on the West Coast, but I got a chance to meet him in NYC this October and we spoke about the spot face to face before I started drawing boards. This was a new and very cool experience for me, as doing spec work has meant largely collaborating with the writer on the phone or online. In this case, an in person meeting allowed me to pitch how the production design was going to work. We bounced various references around and I think we landed on the same page pretty quickly.

What was the casting process like?

I originally cast another actor for my lead, but due to scheduling it wasn't going to work. I reached out to an actor who played a supporting role in a short film I directed this past year. I knew he could nail it, so that part was easy. I also ran it past Hunter so we were both happy with the choice. My news caster role was recommended by another actor/director friend of mine and she was terrific. I think that if you can cast people you've worked with it helps, but mostly it's good to have great actors no matter what. That's more than 50% of the spot in my opinion.

How did you search for/lock a location?

The location was actually my brother's house. But I chose it because of the character and not just convenience. I was prepared to go elsewhere if the DP told me it wouldn't work. On a budget those choices are easy, but I believe that location is very important. Go the extra mile to get the right place. In this case, it just had the look I wanted and a great window set up for lighting. We were pushing warm tones, and the walls and blinds just meshed really well. Also, set dressing it was key. As to the "snow scenes" that was good old backyard green screen shooting. We opted for an outdoor setup for natural light. I have shot similar things on a sound stage with chimera lighting, and frankly, this worked out better for realism.

How did you select your DP, crew?

This was my first time working with the DP who came recommended by a director friend. I saw their short film they did and was sold. We met up a bunch of times to discuss the tone and look and felt we spoke the same language. He was awesome. The production designer came on via the DP and she was amazing. We all did a tech scout to see the location then moved into pre-production. She built this beautiful prop and set dressed everything. I wanted a "LOST" type of technology that controlled the Earth's temperature, so she went in a retro direction with the build. It was great. The crew was really small but that helped to move fast.

How did shooting go? Any challenges?

Shooting was easy except that our smoke machine broke, so we couldn't get the haze I wanted. We opted to smoke about five cigars in a closed room until it was hazy enough. True story. I felt like we should have been playing cards. The outdoor stuff was challenging because of light -- whereas we wanted real light, it failed to be overcast, so the DP and his AC had to do a lot to block out the raw sunlight. Other than that, we were on schedule the whole time.

Tell us about editing and finishing.

I cut the spot and did the post work. I had some consulting help on editing, and Hunter and I went through several cuts before we settled on the final one. The story changed slightly in the structure of the spot, but this version felt the most solid. I had done several matte paintings and plates for the post, but since I had done a spot similar to this before, I was ready for it. The post on this spot could have it's own breakdown for VFX so I will just leave it at this.

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

I would have gotten a little more coverage here and there for acting options, but I see that as a lesson for any spot going forward. Just shoot it so you don't need it later.

OC Fair "Fair Farmer"

2011-11-04T10:15:00.000-07:00

Watch the spot here.

Director: Stephen Schuster

Writer: Dan Sorgen

Producer: Steve Owen

DP: Ezra Migel

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

I found this script appealing due to the whimsical nature of the script and the humor I found in it personally. I thought it was somewhat absurd that the farmer grew these deep fried and unhealthy foods on a farm for the fair where as you would normally find healthy fruits and vegetables. The father also intrigued me. The "how" of farming the funnel cakes. Ultimately I think the spot reflects my vision as a director well - absurd and somewhat subtle humor with a mix of the fantastic - the desire to make people laugh.

What was the casting process like?
The casting process is one of my favorite parts in doing commercials. You have the opportunity to meet extremely talented individuals that come close to fitting the part the minute they walk into the room. My friend Yasmin over at Jane Doe Casting did an amazing job at pulling some great selects for me and though there was some great casting choices - I ultimately settled on Daegan and Louis. Daegan came into the room and went for it on every take and from there I tweaked his performance on set so as not to go too hillbilly - just keeping it in the slower speed of farm life. He is also great with inflections in his voice and gave us alot of variations to work with. Louis is a friend that I met on a Alice In Chains video I shot. Great look and super talented and it is always a good combo to have the ability to work with people you have worked with before and know they will give you exactly what you need. I think there is a relationship of trust that can form between a actor and director which makes the shoot that much easier and enjoyable.

How did you search for/lock a location?

I had two friends that were going to help me produce the spot in the beginning but due to scheduling conflicts they were not able to see it through. One of them was with his family for a day out and they ended up at Underwood Farms up in Moorepark. He worked out a possible deal with the farm and then I went up and scouted to see if it could work. That of course was in the beginning of June. The farm was amazing. I found some unbelievable crops to shoot and had alot of details worked out in my head. In the end we shot two months later and all those crops had been cleared and empty fields replaced them. It was a interesting process but I think our team made it work.

How did you select your DP, crew?

Shooting crew? Ezra Migel is a very talented DP that I have known in passing for years. We had actually never worked together before this job and as he was just coming off of a tour for a documentary he had finished, he was going to be in town. We sat down and went over the ideas I had and everything clicked. It felt right. I met Steve Owen, the producer on the spot, through my wife. Ezra brought a few of his normal crew with him and Steve finished out all the rest of the crew - art department, food stylists and catering as well as dealt with all the gear rentals we needed. Both Ezra and Steve were key factors in this spot ever getting shot.

How did shooting go? Any challenges?

Ha. The day started out at 4:30am with clear skies at the farm. We had a crew call time of 6am and talent at 7am. About 545am the fog rolled in and whited the place out. You could not see 10 feet in front of your car.

The fog was the only challenge really - the only unknown. Some days it can last til 2 in the afternoon which would have basically ruined our day.

Ezra and I scouted other possible shots that we might be able to pull while we waited for the fog to clear and each time we found a setup and got ready to shoot the fog moved. By about 730am we actually started shooting. Day went smooth. We had alot of talented pros on set that made the day possible and of course it goes by pretty quick once it starts.

Tell us about editing and finishing.

Dean Gonzalez handled the editing. An amazing editor that I have had the opportunity to work with several times before. Dean and I had cut an animatic based off storyboard frames before so we knew for the most part where things would be going. It was finding the perfect shot for each part and then finessing all those details that Dean is great at.

While Dean was working on the edit, Dror Revach was working on the powder sugar machine. An exceptional 3D/CG artist that has gone above and beyond on every one of my projects he has worked on. We went through a couple of variations and in the end he nailed it - a "believable" and working machine!

Joshua Smith of Hydro74 did the logo for me for the OC Fair. I come from a design/animation/cg/vfx background so I helped with some of the lesser animations but it was Kevin Prendiville on Flame that brought it all together with sky replacements, final composites, and color correction. He tweaked so many details that the viewer may never see.

As I wanted every piece of the spot to better the whole, the final clincher was Mic Brooling who scored the spot for me. I knew I did not want to use any stock music as wallpaper though there are some great tracks out there. As soon as I showed the spot to Mic - he had the same idea for music that I had but much more elaborate. The score is amazing as the guitars work really well for the initial misdirect and then we plunge into a more Danny Elfman type machine sound - bridge into orchestral for the 3 food reveals and then wrap it up again with the guitar. The audio really adds to the humor - it doesnt just fill a void.

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

I think with any project there are things that could have been done differently but the project got finished and its getting a lot of great feedback and in the end THAT is all that really matters to me.

Any other thoughts.

A big thank you to Dan Sorgen, the writer on the project, who allowed me to interpret his script and to Specbank for making that connection possible.

Carl's Jr. "Hunger Inside"

2011-10-21T15:11:00.000-07:00

Watch the spot here.

Director: Tyler Leisher

Director of Photography: Jon Meredith

Editor: Liam Johnson

Copywriter: Dan Sorgen

Producer: Lex Edelman

Sound Design: Stephen Janes

Time from Concept to Finished: 2 months

Why This Script?

The concept was the most important thing to me. I have to laugh in order to know that my audience will laugh when they read it. Especially when working in comedy, you have to remember when you got that first laugh. After a while you get so used to it and it stops being funny to you but if you can remember the first laugh you know you are good.

While trying to develop my reel I had to choose what type of spot I wanted to become known for. I spent a lot of time going over scripts and genres but what really clicked for me was Comedy-Dialogue driven spots. I feel like comedy and character driven spots are what most people remember when they get back to their show or movie, and I just like to make people laugh.

Lastly, and I learned this after the fact, but Hunger Inside was written by the writer of my first spec, Dan Sorgen, so getting to work with him again was a big bonus in my book.

What Went into the Location?

We scouted a few locations but ultimately decided on the room we were in because of the amount of extra space around the table that we had to work with, plus, above the table was a small metallic lighting track that had some standard 60 watt lights in it. My director of photography, Jon Meredith, had the idea to build a rig out of PVC Pipe that would fit between the metal rigging and the ceiling.

The location is the board room at the Hacienda Hotel in El Segundo, it's actually the same hotel that my wife and I had our wedding reception in, so we had some previous connections to the room and that allowed us get in for a good deal and a lot of flexibility. We owe a lot to the owners of the hotel and the manager for being so gracious with us.

Lighting and Production Design?

The lighting was done completely with china balls, we had about four 30" balls that were hung from the ceiling via a custom made PVC rig that Jon had hung, around the china balls was a curtain of black plastic that cut off a lot of the light from hitting the outside areas of the room. It's actually a very ingenious way to light the room and I have to give my DP a lot of credit for designing the look of the spot.

One of the problems we ran into was the color of the wall, which was a horrible coral. I hated it, and I wanted to keep it out of frame for as much as possible. So my designer had the idea to hang some white cloth that was pleated from a drop cloth rig and we moved that up and down the wall as needed to make it look like that wall was a window or just simply curtained off area. This worked out really well and kept most of the color from the wall out of sight, we had to have it in some of the shots and we were lucky enough to have the turn out to be a little more of a tan color in the final color grade.

The color scheme was chosen early on. We wanted to keep all of the executives in black and white and have the speaker be in a pale, very submissive, blue. I wanted to get a lot of contrast between the executives and him to make him stand out. Ultimately the room kind of dictated the colors as well, we had to work around the color of the table and the wall, but after the grade it ended up looking very nice together.

What went into casting?

My producer, Lex Edelman, and I held casting calls for three weeks. A lot of no shows, but a few interesting people. A lot of the guys who came in to audition for the role of the speaker ended up working better as an executive, including Vinnie Van Hinte who turned out to be a great looking executive and a very talented actor.

After three casting sessions and still no speaker (but a lot of executives) I had a meeting with one more actor, Jason Moatz, who came out to the location during a scout and auditioned for us. He wasn't perfect at the time but he had the look and he understood the character more than the others, so we chose him. A few rehearsals later and Jason and I were on the same page, he brought a lot of interesting quirks to the character as well that I think really made it come to life. Jason was a lot of fun to work with, and I'd jump at the chance to get him back on my set.

We over-booked the amount of executives, because this is LA and people flake all the time, but everyone that we booked actually turned up on the day of the shoot and we had way more then I thought we would. I really ended up with a great group of talented actors and actresses who really brought the concept to life.

Post Production

On the post side of things I worked with a new editor, Liam Johnson, for the first time. I came from being an editor for the past few years and it was really tough for me to let go of the editing reigns and let someone else come in. But ultimately I feel like, as a director, you need to be able to give up at some point and let other people come in and give their creative eyes to it. A lot of filmmakers out there try to be a one man band, and I have a lot of respect for them, but that's not for me. I love collaborating and I love to see what new creative ways people see the same project that I see.

Thoughts on directing it?

I had a blast directing this. From the moment I read the script I had this demonized hunger interrupting a meeting in my head and with the help of Jason, Jon, Lex and the rest of my cast and crew I was able to bring it to life in the same way that I envisioned it, which is always a great validation as a director.

There were really no big problems that came up, we had our share of hurdles to over come but we got in early and hit the ground running, wrapping early. So early that we were able to go and scout a location for my next spot.

Virgin Mobile "Double Date"

2011-08-17T21:00:00.000-07:00

View "Double Date."

Director: Tyler Leisher

Why This Script?

The concept was crucial for me. I think that you can really judge a director based on what concepts he chooses to direct as well as how he directs them. Finding a solid concept that worked for me was important. The script for this commercial made me laugh out loud when I first heard it, and I think it's important to do the things that make you laugh. Dan Sorgen had written a fantastic script and come up with a great concept, and that's what drew me into directing it.

I thought long and hard about what type of director I wanted to be, I watched and studied other commercials until I found what niche I wanted to specialize in. It was a matter of finding a script that fit into that niche, comedy dialogue with multiple characters.

The type of comedy in the spot really resonated with me as well, I'm a big fan of reaction comedy and situation comedy. I don't think that what an actor says has to be funny. The laughter should come from the situation and reaction of those around him. That's what makes me laugh, and this concept had that.

I had previously directed four commercials that I felt were not my best work, the concepts I was doing were much too large to fit a 30-second spot. I decided that I wanted to focus on one joke in 30 seconds and this Virgin Mobile spot fit into that box very well.

It wasn't until after I read and optioned the script that I found out that a similar concept had already been produced with much success by Bo Mirosseni, a director that I respect very much. That only solidified my choice.

What Went into the Location?

The location was really the toughest part, I had envisioned the spot taking place at a nice restaurant at night. Something fancy, with people dressed up in suits and ties. The location could make or break the concept. If not done properly it could look cheap.

I set out to find a location that could accommodate the concept, and I found it increasingly hard to find a legitimate restaurant that would let us shoot there. When shooting inside a real restaurant, you have to completely shut down that establishment for the day because you can't tell people "Okay, shut up, we're rolling" and expect them to listen, they just won't do it. You have to shut it down, which usually costs a lot of money.

I scouted a few locations, but none of them had the amount of space, ability to close for a full day for our budget and had the look I was going for.

I decided to find an empty room that we could dress to look like a restaurant. I found a few locations like a Masonic Lodge, an events hall, and a few churches that had meeting halls. The Masonic Lodges typically only cater to their members, so that was out. The events halls were rentable but were extremely costly and out of the budget. The churches seemed to cater more towards the small budget and crew that we had, so we decided to go with one of them.

We shot inside a medium sized room that they typically use as a daycare or Sunday School room. In fact, a lot of the Sunday School furniture and decorations were still in the room while we shot and were just moved off to the side.

At the last minute, the church called and told me that they had double booked that room for the day we had scheduled, and that the only time available was at night. So we ended up changing to a night shoot last minute. We loaded in around 8 PM at night, and had to be out by 7 AM the next morning. Luckily my cast and crew worked extremely fast and we wrapped at 3 AM.

[You can see in the photos some of the decorations]

Lighting and Production Design?

On the topic of the location, I wanted to touch base on the lighting and production design choices.

We wanted to design the room to look like a restaurant, which meant stay as far away from the bad looking carpet as we could, while bringing in as many tables with tablecloths as we could. We ended up bringing in folding card table and dressing them with a white tablecloth. It had the look we were going for, and unless you looked close, you couldn't tell.

I made the choice early on to have the jerk character (the one on the phone) stand out a little more from the others, this meant casting someone that looked a little out of place and also to dress him to catch the viewers eye early. This is why he is in blue while everyone else is in purple.

The color pallet was analogous colors of purple to signify the romance in the air. Purple has always been a very romantic color to me.

I spent a lot of time on the color pallet, production and set design. I wanted to make the foreground actors stand out more, so I dressed them in purple and blues and kept the background in all black and white. This desaturated the background and kept the entire frame looking nice. Even the color of the wine was a choice we made, it's a purple to match the dresses. (Actually, it's grape juice.)

I had my wonderful costume designer, Joyce Tom, shop for the costumes and pick out three outfits for each character. We didn't have time to look at them before the day of production, I've always had the upmost trust in her after working with her on numerous films in the past few years. She didn't disappointment me this time either, and picked out two incredibly sexy dresses.

My director of photography was Jon Meredith, a incredibly creative and smart cinematographer. Luckily, the church had a drop ceiling, so we decided to light the foreground with china balls. The entire foreground scene was lit with two 24" china balls. The background was lit with a few very low wattage lights hanging from the ceiling in a very smart way that Jon came up with (using the legs of the light stands to open inside the ceiling.)

Those china balls can get VERY bright and spread around easily, so Jon hung some sheets next to them in order to stop the light from spreading to the background too much.

What went into casting?

Casting was fairly straight forward. I had met Michael Vinton a few years ago when I cast him in a short thriller film I produced in 2009. He had been changing the direction of his career to comedy, and I felt like he was perfect for the role of the fake doctor.

I had worked with the girl on the right, Laura Saggers, in the past as well. She is magnificently talented and had the look I was going for. Plus she is incredibly easy to work with, which made my life so much easier on set.

The girl on the left was a last minute addition, I had cast a girl for that role but she had to back out when we changed the time of the shoot from a day to a night shoot. Her name is Tanya Camburn, and she is very talented and understanding both in the time of the shoot and on the set. Her part was entirely based on reactions, so she wasn't able to really stretch her range but the reactions that she gave me really made the spot that much more funny.

Lastly, the jerk character is actually my brother, Matthew Leisher, who is an incredibly talented musician and stand up comedian. I felt that he could pull off the dirt bag character really well. The jerk is such a crucial character that I didn't want to cast that character without looking around first. I actually had Matthew audition for the part with a few others from an open casting call, and he blew them out of the water.

The background casting was primarily friends or friends of friends who had the proper clothing and could come down and stick around for 10 hours, which I am incredibly grateful for. All of the background actors were dressed in their own clothing, and everything they had brought was perfect.

I really like to focus on the characters, and I feel like I cast actors that were able to portray them incredible well. This is a very character dependent spot, and I am very proud of my cast for their performances.

Thoughts on directing it?

I absolutely loved directing this spot. The concept was brilliant and the comedy was really fun to work with. I like to make my sets as fun as possible and this concept really allowed me to do that. It allowed me to keep the laughter rolling, even between takes.

Part of the process of this concept was rewriting the script. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my dialogue. When I read the concept I felt it was funny, but the dialogue could have been improved. Dan Sorgen, the genius copywriter, and I spent a lot of time--arguably too much time--working on the dialogue until it flowed the way we wanted. We went through a lot of iterations and rewrites until we both came to a place that we liked. Dan was incredibly patient, helpful and creative when it came to the rewrites and if not for him this spot would not be as funny as it is.

The actors were brilliant and great to work with, Laura and Michael's reactions made this spot what it was and I am so grateful to them for being a part of this.

Thanks:

My crew was great, I have been working with some of them for a few years now. I'm very grateful to my assistant director Joseph McPhillips, my location manager and associate producer Lauren Peters, my incredibly talented director of photography Jon Meredith and the always clutch costume designer Joyce Tom. Without them (and, of course, my wife) I could not have made this spot as well as I did. I am infinitely in their debt.

Bassmasters – "Can't Hear You" and "Have Some Fun."

2010-01-28T16:22:00.000-08:00

Director: Paul Van Wart

Click to watch "Can't Hear You" and "Have Some Fun."

Director of Photography: Anton Klima

Editor: Andy Schrader

Copywriter: Joel Stacy

Agency: Colle McVoy

Production Company: Werk Brothers Media

Time from concept to completion: 2 months

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

Talking animals? That don't actually talk? And when they do speak, they argue about which language they might be speaking. It is the perfect approach to post modern irony.

What was the casting process like?

Tough -- you can post on the web breakdowns, and call agents, but rarely do talking squirrels and bobcats actually show up at the casting session.

How did you search for/lock a location?

We actually used Lake Castaic, which is on the Bassmasters Elite fishing tour. So it was drop kick. Because it's under the jurisdiction of LA Country Parks and Rec, it is expensive. If we'd have shot this in Minneapolis, the location might have cost $250. Here in the Land of Cinema, it was almost ten times that amount.

How did you select your DP, crew?

Having previously worked with everybody previously on spots and promos, I leaned on them for the low, low almost free rate.

How did shooting go? Any challenges?

The porcupine can get a bit prick-illy, and the duck -- forgetaboutit. They are natural prima donnas. But they make nice comforters, though.

Tell us about editing and finishing.

Straight forward edit on Avid. No effects in this one. Color corrected via digital files and Apple Color via Cinelicious in Los Angeles. Mike Farnan at Deserati Media designed the sound and mixed the final to picture.

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

Maybe would have liked a longer dolly shot on the open, but it was tough to build the track in two feet of water....

Tobasco – "Different"

2010-01-28T16:05:00.000-08:00

Director: Paul Van Wart
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Click to watch.

Director of Photography: Anton Klima
Editor: Andy Schrader
Copywriter: Chad Smith
Creative Director: Chad Smith
Agency: Tracy-Locke, Dallas
Post Production EFX & Coloring: N2o Editorial, Dallas
Production Company: Werk Brothers Media
Editor: Andy Schrader
Music/Sound Design: Mike Farnan, Deserati Media
Composer: n/a
Time from concept to completion: 4 months

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

This spot was heavily dependent on dialog, casting, and making the eye look real. And the strategy was clearly reflected in the idea of "different".

I am drawn to ideas that with the exception of one small twist, might otherwise be pretty unremarkable. Add that twist to it, and it stands out from the crowd. And hopefully it's funny along the way.

What was the casting process like?

We cast long and wide for this spot. It really had to work with the boy. If we couldn't have found the right child, we would have looked for another concept. Sometimes the spot comes together in the casting, and if it doesn't -- move on. Or keep looking. And if you can't....well, start lying.

We saw a lot of talented child performers, but they had a certain show biz quality to them I was looking to avoid. The hard thing with spec work is that you're probably not paying very much,
so you get younger people just starting out in the biz, or older people trying to break into the biz. In this case we got really, really lucky.

Zander came in, and he was the 'real deal.' He was new to the biz, and had not yet developed those performing tricks that kids use to land the Disney spot. Then Bryan, his "Dad' came in, and they both looked they could be related, and we were off to the races. Bryan was just old enough to be his Dad, as he was 'new' to the biz, having just come from years of theater work and grad school.

How did you search for/lock a location?

We needed a large yard to work in. The key to making spec work look like 'real' work is to make the same choices you'd make if you were being paid for the spot.

Which means I can't shoot it in my buddy's back yard in Burbank. I like to use long lenses and back off the subjects, so we needed a large space, with a great-looking house in the background. So we used Will Rogers State Park in Topanga Canyon. That's Will's house you see in the background. His front yard is about the size of a Par 3 green, so we had plenty of space in which to lay dolly track, fly 20x20's, etc.

How did you select your DP, crew?

Having previously worked with everybody previously on spots and promos, I leaned on them for the low, low almost-free rate.

How did shooting go? Any challenges?

Although the blocking is very simple, we were always racing the light. State laws regulate how long a child can remain on set, so we had to give him up for schooling, mandated breaks, etc.
And we're in a canyon, so the light fades fast.

Tell us about editing and finishing.

Filmworkers in Dallas transcoded the rd3 files to Avid DNX files. We sent our Avid EDL to N2o Editorial in Dallas, where the agency is located. N2o used Autodesk Smoke to composite the eye from a series of close ups we shot during the day. The guys at Tracy-Locke set up all the post, so it worked out really well. Another reason why spec spots should come from agencies actually creating spots, and not that great idea I wrote just before last call on a bar napkin.

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

Not in terms of my directorial choices. If we'd been paid for the spot, I would have chosen the same location, the same talent, the same wardrobe, etc. Our post workflow was a bit complicated because our editor is an Avid guy, and the Red Workflow is so much easier if you're working in FCP with an Intel box. But in this case it was a bit easier for the final conforming of the DNX files using our Avid EDL. So next time we'll edit in FCP. Smoother workflow for the time being.

Any other thoughts.

Wish me luck on getting signed. Shooting specs spots is expensive..........

Good luck.

Red Sox – "Mail Guy"

2009-12-24T11:41:00.000-08:00

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"

2009-09-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

Director: Paul Van Wart
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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"

2009-08-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

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"

2009-05-12T10:13:00.000-07:00

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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"

2009-03-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

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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"

2009-03-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

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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"

2009-03-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

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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"

2009-03-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

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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