Scott Betty Smokes Out ‘Gunfighters’
"Gunfighters," from director Scott Betty, suggests that a gunfight may not come down to the fastest draw – but the cleanest lungs. The spot is a top five finalist in the California Department of Health’s "Beareelhero" contest, and is expected to air soon.
"Gunfighters"
Executive Producer/CopyWriter/Director: Scott Betty
Producer: Nancy Wong
DP: Peter Thomas
Production Designer: Chris Forsberg
Post Production: Zen Film
Editor: Ross Wells
Colorist: Chris Martin, Spy Post
Talent: Michael Ray Wisely, Malcolm Brownson
Voice Over: Ross Wells
Toyota Prius: A Lesson in How to ‘Unlitter’
Producer Steve Reiss from Sea Level sent us this new spec, which shows how Toyota’s Prius hybrid turns the table on pollution. The ad was directed by Michael Moretti via Spotlab.
As an aside, we think it’s great that so many people are experimenting with green brands and products. Now, where’s the spec spot for The Hempest?
Client: Toyota Prius
Spot Title: "Unlitter"
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, Los Angeles
Copywriter: Mark Tripp
Art Director: Jeni Stewart
Director: Michael Moretti
DP: Graham Futerfas
Vfx & finishing: Sea Level VFX
Lead Flame Artist: Christopher Noellert
Executive Producer: Steve Reiss
Toyota Prius “Hello George” is an Experiment in Advertising…and an Introduction to Ab5trax
Ab5trax blew us away with this inventive, entertaining spec spot, which chronicles the extraterrestrial origins of the Toyota Prius.
"Hello George" uses awesome effects to take you on an outer space journey that will leave you exhilarated – and impressed by what can be accomplished when a limited budget meets unlimited imagination.
Production Company: Ab5trax
Director/Writer: Ryan Apuy
Executive Producer: Hunter Woo
Graphics: Ab5trax
Mock PSA Asks ‘Why Should You Care?’
Director Troy LaFaye sent in this advertising experiment, which offers that rare glimpse into the life of the lonely ninja.
While it parodies the popular "Save The Children Foundation" PSA, this spec has its merits: Winner of the Best Film of Minneapolis Film Race 2008, "Why Should You Care?" was produced by students and faculty of the Minnesota School of Business Digital Video & Media Production program. So, in the end, our youth has the last laugh.
Credits:
Director: Troy LaFaye
Producer: Jon Otto
Videographer: Skylar O’Flaherty
Editor: Jon Otto, Mike Cunniff, Troy LaFaye
Graphics: David Combs
Written by: David Combs, Mike Cunniff, Troy LaFaye, Geoff Lenort, Sky O’Flaherty, Jon Otto, Spencer Peter
Starring: Spencer Peter, Stephanie Chan, Luke Moran, Jon Otto, Mike Cunniff, David Combs, Manda Sisco, Troy LaFaye
Narrated by: Adam Windemir
Durex Stretches the Boundaries of Animated Advertising
We’re "Feeling" very amorous after watching this new spec spot for Durex directed and animated by Anik Rosenblum. The ad features a simple, imaginatively executed concept that was inspired by the song "Don’t You Want Somebody to Love".
"Love is something that involves our senses, and is a natural stimulant," says Rosenblum. "Love is being alive. Using this concept to advertise condoms is a bit of a joke, but the idea is to lend fun and energy to the Durex brand."
Read More »Nike Races Into the Past, Present, Future, with a New Advertising Experiment
With this beautifully executed spec commercial for Nike, director Dominic Lahiff conveys the pivotal role the brand has played in sports history – past, present, and future.
Read on, for the full story from the director:
"Both spots were written by me and were shot on a low-budget using the same crew who are all friends of mine. The first spot- Past Present Future- was an idea I had whilst watching the movie Marathon Man- to link three generations of Nike athletes through the framing device of a single race. In order to create the idea of fluidity, continuity and passage of time I knew that the camera had to move in tandem with its subject- All the practical footage was shot from a motorbike and sidecar- rig running along the track parallel to the athlete.
"Beginning with an actor playing Steve Prefontaine- Nike’s first sponsored athlete- I found out a 30 year-old but still functional pair of Nike track shoes on e-bay and then recreated the rest of his look using old photographs and movie references. The actor portraying Prefontaine- Emanuele Ancorini- was an active participant in this process growing the correct mustache and sideburns and allowing me to color his hair with golden paint. I kept the framing on this past section tight by using long-lenses in order to highlight the individual runner and the small scale of Nike’s origins in Beaverton Oregon. The green and gold color scheme was created both in-camera by my highly-talented dp- Chris J Lytwyn-and in post. Chris and I modeled the look after a famous book of William Eggleston photographs from the 70s. Finally in order to really emphasize the idea that this section was taking place in the past film scratches, grain and dust were added in After Effects.
"The present day section features Gayson Kewley playing a modern day Nike Olympian victor. I was able to buy the exact track spikes which Nike sprinters wore in the last Olympics. The running singlet was a little more difficult as these are made exclusively for the Olympic team and are not commercially available. However I was lucky enough to know a very- skilled costume designer- Liza Marzolf- who constructed me an exact replica for only $60.00!!. The framing on this section was a little wider to indicate the extent of Nike’s growth and their influence on the world stage. Lacking a budget for extras I had hoped to throw the audience sections of the stadium into darkness using only flashbulbs to suggest a packed crowd. However when we arrived at the location we discovered the practical lighting was not controllable to this degree. It was at this point my VFX artist G M D THREE came to the rescue painstakingly rotoscoping each frame of the moving footage and replacing the empty stadium with a virtual audience complete with individually nuanced crowd members. The flashbulb guns we had shot were augmented to become larger explosions of light which helped to transition from present to future.
"The future section was created entirely through CGI. A detailed model of a cyborg-athlete was modeled using numerous references from movies, Japanese art and comic books. This was them painstakingly animated frame-by-frame using a combination of Gayson’s running cycle ,videos from Getty Images and a variety of stills. Camera positions and movements, an intricate futuristic stadium and mobile light-beams were then added to create a high-tech yet plausible vision of Nike’s future. None of this would have been possible without the immense talent and generosity of G M D THREE whose vision and dedication to the project is apparent in every frame.
"Last but not least, coherence and fluidity was brought to the piece by the prodigious talent of my editor Lucas Howe."
Director/ Writer: Dominic Lahiff
Production Company: www.dominiclahiff.com
Cinematography: Chris J Lytwyn
Editing: Lucas Howe
Graphics: G M D THREE
NIke Spec Commercial Will ‘Carry That Weight’
Director AG Rojas sent us this Beatles-inspired spec spot for Nike, and we’re anxious to hear what you think about it. You have to watch the spot all the way to the end to decide if it truly carries its weight…
"I’ve had this idea since college," says Rojas, who directs music videos and other film projects. "One day, I decided to get up and do it."
Director: AG Rojas
Producer: Chris Black
Spec Commercial Spotlight Shines on SpotLab
"Imagine a job where you work 10 days a year and make a hundred grand?"
Welcome to SpotLab, a new Web series following fledgling commercial directors in which each participant will shoot three original spec spots in three months to break into advertising.
15 filmmakers were chosen from over 60 applicants – each ready to become the next hot commercial director. Financing a commercial shoot is no small feat and these brave directors will put it all on the line, pulling together a new showreel in the next 90 days. The series runs on http://www.thespotlab.com.
We covered the launch of SpotLab – the program – on our Artists in Advertising page last month (click here for that story), and it’s only appropriate that news of SpotLab – the Web series – should break on our home page. Not only are we excited to see a series about the creation of a commercial showreel, we’re confident that this will be an entertaining and informative series, given that it is based on a hugely successful program.
Formerly known as Group101Spots, the organization has an impressive track record launching the careers of over 70 commercial directors through connecting members with agency scripts and one-on-one mentoring. "One of the things we’re most proud of is that we are not only bringing up the directors, but all the dps, editors, producers, production designers, and other artists who collaborate with them," founder and executive producer, Dina Mande-Gould points out. "We’ve heard of many people working in the industry getting their first agent, or getting bumped up from assistant editor to staff editor, as a result of the work they’ve done in this program."
The Web series tracks the directors’ progress as they select their scripts, shoot their spots and create a great new reel to transform their careers.
"It’s not film school, but it is a laboratory, and it’s a place from which directors can launch or transform their careers" says Mande-Gould. We’re tuning in to watch these stories unfold.
Watch the teaser online now… The first episode, "Meet the Directors," will be up soon!
Read More »The State of Bengal
Spec Commercial of the Month, March 2008: ‘Pimpin Ain’t Easy’
Our Spec Commercial of the Month, for Monster.com, started out at the agency but never got made. Copywriter Ella Nemcova brought it to director Lanre Olabisi, who brought to life this story of a talented man in search of a new profession. "Pimpin Ain’t Easy," but for the right dude, it can open the door to a new career.
"Pimpin’ Aint Easy"
Director: Lanre Olabisi
Production Company: sugar|travelers
DP: Larry Hillier
Writer: Ella Nemcova
Producer: Lanre Olabisi & Gabriel Sedgwick
