Design-driven creative production company Sarofsky (Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Captain America: Civil War, The After Party) was commissioned by Ogilvy Chicago and investment management company, CFA Institute to create an ambitious series of :15-second animated digital videos that broke on the brand’s YouTube Channel and in various other broadcast and online placements worldwide.
On its site, The CFA Institute states that their mission is served by, “generating value for core investment management professionals and engaging with the core investment management industry to advance ethics, market integrity, and professional standards of practice, which collectively contributes value to society.” That message comes through clearly in the series of seven integrated, boldly-designed videos.
Ending with the tagline, “Let’s measure up,” each video features animation based on illustrations by acclaimed U.K. artist Paul Wearing. Led by Ogilvy Group Creative Director, Rob Jamieson, the Ogilvy team presented Sarofsky with Wearing’s art, along with several scripts focusing on CFA’s branding and ideas for bringing it to life.
“Rather than have the logo be what you see when the spot is over, we set out to ensure the logo itself becomes essential to the stories being told,” began Erin Sarofsky, company principal and executive creative director.
She continued, “Honoring the simplicity of the branding, the illustrations and the scripts, I knew that our success would be hinged on our restraint. The goal was to do let the branding and the messages sing.”
Also led by Executive Producer Steven Anderson, Creative Director Stefan Draht, and Associate Producer Madeline Miller, Sarofsky’s artists handled much of their work in Adobe Illustrator and After Effects, as well as Maxon’s Cinema 4D.
The stylized “vector” look of the finished animation reflects a seamless mix of both 2D and 3D.
Finishing the project in After Effects, Adobe Premiere was then used to create the numerous versions, customizations, compressions and exports.
“The team at Ogilvy was an amazing partner for us,” Erin added. “They knew what they wanted but were also open to ideas and exploration, which is a tribute to their strong, trusting relationship with their clients at CFA.”
The work is once again what we have come to expect from Sarofsky’s artists – visceral, innovative and diverse. Well, done.
CREDITS
AGENCY: Ogilvy, Chicago
Creative Director: Rob Jamieson
Art Director: Connor Flemming
Copy Writer: Damon Lockett
Producer: Maggy Lynch-Hartley
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Sarofsky
Executive Creative Director: Erin Sarofsky
Executive Producer: Steven Anderson
Creative Director: Stefan Draht
Associate Producer: Madeline Miller
Animators: Tanner Wickware, Chas Fries, Jeff McBride, Dan Tiffany, Brent Austin
Editor/Finishing: Erik Uy
Assistant Editor / Finishing: Sophie Mannaerts
Illustrator: Paul Wearing
Contact Colin Costello at colin@reelchicago.com or follow him on Twitter @colincostello10.
It would seem that Digitas wants to stay in the news this week.
So, we’ll help them with their goal. First, the Publicis Groupe marketing agency announced it would to drop LBi like a microphone from its name and return to the name Digitas. Since the merger between Digitas and LBi in 2013, the two leading digital agencies have integrated seamlessly to form one powerful global network.
The agency’s Global Brand President, Michael Kahn, had this to say about the name change, “Digitas is a brand of unrivaled passion and diversity of talent and capabilities, all under one roof. We now take the world stage united in name, in belief, and in the unique value we bring to our employees, to clients, and to Publicis Groupe. With ‘Truth. Connection. Wonder.’ as our strategic guidepost for the work we do, the people who do it, and the culture that enables it, Digitas is positioned for sustainable growth in 2018, and beyond.”
A statement from the agency says it will keep the unicorn logo. Well, thank god for that!
In a second move, Digitas Chicago has elevated popular and talented Mike Frease to EVP, Executive Creative Director replacing Morgan Carroll who will evolve from Managing Director/ECD to Managing Director/Executive Creative Chair. He will reportedly partner with Frease to lead the office’s creative and strategic vision.
For the past 4 years, Frease has been the creative force behind the agency’s Whirlpool portfolio including Maytag, KitchenAid and Jenn-Air. His work on the Whirlpool Care Counts campaign has garnered some of the industry’s most prestigious awards including:
A 2017 Cannes Lion Grand Prix Winner for Creative Data. Also took home one Gold, two Bronze and three Shortlists. In total, Whirlpool Care Counts reached finalist status 56 times and won 38 medals, including a silver and a bronze Jay Chiat Award; One Show Gold and Silver; a D&AD White Pencil; Silver Effies in Branded Utility and Positive Change; an ADWEEK Media Plan of the Year and Project Isaac Award – both for Research Invention and Data Invention and the top honor: the Gravity Award, ADWEEK’s Best of Show for creative innovation. Watch below:
Frease told Reel Chicago, “To have the opportunity to relaunch such famous brands like Maytag and Whirlpool is truly a creative blessing. And now, I could not be more excited, humbled, and ready to lead the Chicago office grow our creative culture around Truth. Connection. Wonder.”
Carroll added, “Mike has partnered with our clients to create iconic and award-winning campaigns. The results have been extraordinary—our Gold Lions, Pencils, Effies, and Grands Prix are proof of that. More importantly, the work has embodied our commitment to combine creativity, technology, and data in ways that no other agency can.”
Omnicom’s dedicated McDonald’s unit, We Are Unlimited, deepened its creative team with the addition of six new hires.
Executive Creative Directors Chris Moreira and Mark Schöller left Saatchi & Saatchi New York to work on McDonald’s U.S. account, reporting to Chief Creative Officer Toygar Bazarkaya.
“We are building a new agency model, which combines great talent with a great brand and one great ambition. Chris and Mark are the kind of people who love the idea of building something new, and their leadership will help us create groundbreaking work across the board,” Bazarkaya said in a statement.
Moreira and Schöller served as Executive Creative Directors at Saatchi & Saatchi, New York since September of 2014, working with brands such as Charter Spectrum, Head & Shoulders and Tecate. Prior to joining Saatchi & Saatchi they spent a little over a year as Creative Directors with CP+B Miami. Before that they worked together at JWT Sydney and Leo Burnett Sydney in their native Australia. Here is an example of their work:
Associate Creative Directors Augustus Sung and David Stevanov arrive from Ogilvy & Mather Singapore, where they most recently served as senior copywriter and senior art director, respectively, working with brands including KFC and Toys R’ Us, which just announced it was closing all 800 stores. You can see some of their acclaimed work for Allianz below:
Copywriter Kristen Manias and Senior Art Director Allison Bulow hail from mcgarrybowen, where they worked with brands such as Burt’s Bees, Disney Parks and Brita. Prior to mcgarrybowen, Bulow spent a year as an art director with Saatchi & Saatchi New York, working with brands such as Walmart, Cheerios and Tide. Watch an example of the team’s work for Burt’s Bees below:
We Are Unlimited’s latest round of hires follows the arrivals of Max Geraldo and Bruno Guimaraes as executive creative director and creative director, respectively, last July.
Contact Colin Costello at colin@reelchicago.com or follow him on Twitter @colincostello10.
Westchester Illinois’ Kathryn Hahn, who stars in Bad Moms and Transparent, shows off her rockin’ goofy side in a fun new campaign from Doner Detroit for the new Chrysler Pacifica S minivan. The five minute-long spots, directed by Jordan Brady of Superlounge, showcase the real-life mother’s vast comedic talents as she delivers an energetic and amusing performance even if it embarrasses her daughter and friends.
Named the 2018 Green Car Reports “Best Car to Buy,” the Pacifica is the first hybrid minivan and features 84 miles per gallon equivalent 33 miles of all-electric range. It’s versatile, efficient and affordable, starting at $40,000. Each spot highlights a different feature and ends with a super, “It’s loaded. With attitude.”.
So whether it’s picking her kids up from school, unloading groceries or having a night out with friends, it’s clear that Hahn acts out her guilty pleasures against music that spans the ’80s, ’90s and the ’00s, including Juvenile (Back That Thang Up), Fergie (M.I.L.F. $), Montell Jordan (This Is How We Do It), Chamillionaire (Ridin) and Scorpions (Rock You Like A Hurricane).
“This campaign spoke to me as both a mom who spends a lot of time with my kids while driving and as someone who still likes to turn up the volume after I’ve dropped them off at school,” Hahn said in a statement.
The first spot gives us Hahn dropping off her daughter at soccer practice in a shiny black Pacifica. Hahn’s daughter asks her to stay for practice, and Hahn promises but actually stays in the car the entire time. Sorry kids, but the truth for parents is soccer practice ain’t the most riveting to watch. Hahn uses the Pacifica’s features as she kills time in the spot below.
The next spot highlights the minivan’s exterior features while Hahn comedically writhes around the car and shows off its sliding doors. She climbs on the hood and runs her hands against its smooth exterior. The Scorpions blare as Hahn moves around, and we get a close-up of the Pacifica’s high-quality Harman Kardon speakers.
Kathryn Hahn gives parents something to talk about when she pulls up to school in the Chrysler Pacifica S. While she blasts hip-hop her ignore her and play Tic-Tac-Toe on the car’s 10-inch high-definition touchscreens.
Here, Hahn demonstrates the car’s automatic trunk feature as a cop comes to give her a parking ticket. She offers the cop a variety of far-fetched stories, such as her family dog dying and being chased by killer bees.
Hahn finally demonstrates the Pacifica’s parallel parking capabilities while playing the 1999 rap song Back That Thang Up by Juvenile. The Pacifica’s park assist program recognizes parallel parking spaces and tells the driver which directions to turn. Hahn is in the car with her girlfriends, who judge her for playing rap. The commercial ends with text saying, “It’s loaded. With attitude.”.
The series of spots broke across television, digital and online on Monday, March 5, 2018.
Contact Colin Costello at colin@reelchicago.com or follow him on Twitter @colincostello10.
LA-based David&Goliath has launched a new campaign for California Lottery’s Triple Jackpot Scratchers that should have audiences seeing in threes.
Helmed by renowned European director Bruce St. Clair and shot by Academy Award-nominated DP, Greig Fraser, “Triple The Feeling” lives up to its name, vividly bringing to life the idea of tripling your chances, anticipation and winnings every time you play.
Kicking off the integrated campaign is an infectious :60 film that encapsulates the feeling of playing for three top prizes versus one. It starts with a hopeful customer exiting a convenience store, fresh off the purchase of a Triple Jackpot Scratchers ticket. After pulling out a coin to start scratching, he suddenly multiplies into three versions of himself – one for each of the three jackpots found on the ticket. Overtaken by the prospect of tripling his win, he breaks into dance and spreads his joy to others as he journeys throughout the city.
Set to the song 13 by rising artist Allan Rayman, the dance sequence was choreographed by Fatima Robinson, recently named one of the “100 Most Creative People in Entertainment” by Entertainment Weekly. Robinson has been the choreographer behind many of the most memorable moments in dance entertainment and worked with artists including Prince, Rihanna, Pharell, and Black Eyed Peas, to name a few. Rayman recently received a Juno Award nomination for Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2018, and whose second album Roadhouse 01 dropped in February and is already receiving critical acclaim. All in all it’s a really beautiful film to look at.
A :30 version of the film aired this past weekend during the Oscars. Later this month, during March Madness, D&G will launch a social initiative called “Triple The Madness,” which will play off all three themes associated with basketball.
Additional elements of the campaign include OOH, digital, experiential and radio – all bringing “Triple The Feeling” to life in different, fun and surprising ways.
CREDITS
Agency: David&Goliath, LA
Founder & Chairman: David Angelo
Chief Creative Officer: Bobby Pearce
Creative Director/Copywriter: Greg Buri
Creative Director/Art Director: Raul Garcia
Associate Creative Director (Copy): Chris DeNinno
Associate Creative Director (Art): Tushar Date
Associate Head of Strategy: Kristen Knape
Planner: Chris Kwak
Managing Director of Broadcast Production: Paul Albanese
Executive Producer: Curt O’Brien
Senior Broadcast Producer: Juliet Diamond
Director of Business Affairs: Rodney Pizarro
Business Affairs Manager: Yenia Paez
Associate Business Affairs Manager: Travis Kohler
Managing Director: Robin Osborne
Account Director: Janet Wang
Account Executive: Sarah Cohen
Account Coordinator: Alexis Niekamp
Project Manager: Mike Antonellis
Director of Digital Production: Peter Bassett
Senior Digital Producer: Noah Luger
Digital Producer: Kyle Stein
Senior Digital Art Director: Tim Hagan
Director of Print Services: Meredith Walsh
Senior Art Producer: Andrea Rosenfeld
Production Company: Serial Pictures
Directors: Bruce St. Clair
Director of Photography: Greig Fraser
Founding Partner/Executive Producer: Violaine Etienne
Executive Producer: Timory King
Head of Production: Jennifer Gee
Line Producer: Joshua Goldstein
Editorial House: Spinach
Editor: Patric Ryan (from Whitehouse)
Assistant Editor: Nicole Stewart
Producer: Patricia Gushikuma
Executive Producer: Jonathan Carpio
Telecine: Adam Scott
Colorist: The Mill
Visual Effects Studio: JAMM
VFX Supervisor/Lead Compositor: David Hernandez
Flame Artist: Brian Hajek
Executive Producer: Asher Edwards
Producer: Ashley Greyson
Production Coordinator: Justine Pregler
Digital Production Company: Los York
Creative Director: Shane Griffin
Executive Producer: Garrett Braren
Producer: Christian López
Animator: Drake Welsh
Contact Colin Costello at colin@reelchicago.com or follow him on Twitter @colincostello10.
Former members of Alter, including Jim Armetta, Juan Salas, Abe Finkelstein and other long-time collaborators in the VFX community, have teamed up again to start 16 Bit Pileup.
Located in Fulton Market on the West Side of Chicago, this team of creatives has grown accustomed to utilizing old and new tech’s ability to turn dreams into reality.
16 BIT has the energy and excitement of a startup with the experience and relationships that come with decades of collaboration. Creative Director and VFX Supervisor Juan Salas states “We’ve all worked together for a long time.” For many of them, it has been decades.
Abe Finkelstein
Their studio is filled with so many buddies that Creative Director Abe Finkelstein explains, “For lack of a better term, it is a family business vibe.”
Jim Armetta, 16 Bit’s unofficial Chief of Everything, adds, “Even though it is a family vibe and we have a good time doing what we’re doing, we get a lot of stuff done. You’ll walk in and aside from feeling comfortable here, you’ll be overly impressed with how organized and well-thought out we are when it comes to executing jobs.”
Salas remarks that if someone were to just walk into their studio, they would “probably walk in at the tail end of a joke and hear everybody laughing.”
However, 16 Bit Pileup’s body of work is no joke, and their reel is seriously impressive:
Another point of emphasis at 16 Bit is the work they do with other studios and artists. For example, the Jim Beam Smart Decanter project was a collaboration with the production and post studio, October.
Both 16 Bit Pileup and October plan on continuing their long-term relationship.
Jim Armetta also represents Dan McBride, a photographer who specializes in post.
Jim Armetta
Armetta emphasizes the value of such collaborations: “when people come to us, and they need something that a Dan McBride can provide or October can provide, we have those relationships in place, are used to working with one another, and we deliver consistently great results.”
Emphasizing that the creative process is meant to be personal, clear, and unique is part of their business model. As Finkelstein says, “We really like keeping things hands on. We like that you know who you are talking to. You’re not getting passed around a company and each day it is a new producer. The feel of everything we’re doing is letting our personality show through.”
Juan Salas
16 Bit is proud that the process of working with them is so enjoyable that clients often want to change careers and work for them. For their CG Artist, Chris Greene, that is exactly what happened. Greene left his career as a business person, changed lifestyles, and became what 16 Bit’s website now calls “the oldest intern on earth.”
While 16 Bit’s members, clients, and collaborators have many ideas for what animals, robots, and moments they will turn from dream to reality during their first year, one thing can be certain, they are going to do it together and genuinely enjoy the process.
Independent filmmaker, and skateboarding enthusiast, Arthur Swidzinski, brings us the most unconventional road trip we’ll ever see in the documentary, Shred America.
Taking place in 2008, the film documents the 30-plus day, road trip of four twenty-year-old friends Arthur, Michael, James, and Anthony as they embark on a dangerous journey to travel from Chicago to New York … on skateboards and bicycles.
With no clear plan the four friends get quite a lot of positive and negative media attention. Using the Fly-on-the-Wall approach, director Arthur Swidzinski guides the audience every step of the way where these guys endure bad weather, water / food shortage, injuries, and the authorities.
There are many entertaining moments displaying the funny, relationship the guys share with each other including a moment where they have to wash their dirty clothes in a bathtub because the washing machine ate their quarters.
The issues with film lie with how the subjects were handled. Within 40-minutes of the hour and a half runtime the viewer is not given any clear goals or backstory on any of the friends. Why are they doing this? What’s their home life like? What struggles in life pushed them to do this? Are they seeking fame? How did their love of skateboarding come to be? Unfortunately these are questions that are never answered and this dilutes the impact of their actions.
My favorite moment is when the guys arrive at Love Park, a plaza located in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The park is considered the “Skateboard Mecca” of the United States. The sequence gives the viewer a little bit of emotion from Anthony and a bit of backstory on the park itself, which was very refreshing, but cut too short.
I went into my first viewing of Shred America, completely intrigued by the premise. The concept and story are great, but the way the subject matter was compiled was not. With the footage used, this could have been an extremely effective “short” 30-45-minute documentary.
That being said, these four friends have made an amazing and unique accomplishment that audiences have never seen before. Shred America is definitely worth a look.
My Grade: B-
Brian Sozinski
“Shred America” will Premiere in Chicago March 24th, 2018 at Patio Theater. Tickets on sale online or at the box office. PLEASE go out and support these local filmmakers by purchasing tickets here..
Besides being the creator of Toxic Reviews, Brian Soszynski’s credits include writer for the award winning Civil War fantasy short, “Before the Fall”.
Born in Tehran, Iran, Kamelya Alexan moved to Chicago when she was five-years-old, where she was raised.
Kamelya has worked on and completed over twenty-five projects including documentaries, shorts, music videos, and feature films such as The Dark Knight, Public Enemies, and The Express.
Her most recent film, Before the Fall, won Best Editing at the Beverly Hills Film Festival and is currently on a festival run throughout the United States.
As a VER Sales Support Executive, Kamelya spends her time finding new clients and pushing the “create extraordinary” theory.
Being the largest camera rental house in North America, VER supports everything from small independent work to successful Dick Wolf shows (Chicago P.D. and Chicago MED).
“What’s amazing about VER is the scale of shows we represent,” says Kamelya. “From the Super Bowl half time show to features and TV shows, we offer services that no one else does, like Enhanced Environment and Ncam — two technologically advanced ways of telling your story.”
When not working on film, Kamelya invests in real-estate, develops mobile applications, and is constantly looking for the next big business venture.
BEFORE THE FALL
How did you get into the business? I began my entertainment career in music, writing three-dozen songs and began putting together a band. Eight of those songs were set to become singles for a well-known artist. Due to some unfortunate events I broke away from music and found my love for film. When I was 15-years-old I wrote my first feature length film and pitched it to a producer/director in Los Angeles who has remained my mentor for the past 19-years. Ever since that day I’ve worked on a wide variety of independent & industry projects including shorts, documentaries, commercials, music videos, and feature films.
I was given an amazing opportunity to work with one the best camera rental houses in the Midwest, Fletcher Camera. It was here that the Fletcher family (Tom, Sally, and Archie Fletcher) guided me through the ins-and-outs of the Chicago production community and how to run a successful business.
Currently I work at the Midwest’s largest camera rental house VER as the Sales and Marketing Executive.
What obstacles have you faced specifically because of your gender? The obstacles I’ve experienced had to do with, not only my gender, but my ethnicity as well. As a female, Assyrian filmmaker, my career choice is very unique for my culture, so it took people time to adjust to my life choices. As a whole, my obstacles in film are nothing specifically related to my gender. I’ve experienced things that men and women have had trouble with, breaking into this industry and so far, I’m proud of where I’m heading.
Best thing to ever happen to you to remind you that you are a woman? There really isn’t “one” thing that positively reminds me that I’m a woman. Every time I’m in a production meeting or converse with people I’ve worked with, I’m treated as an equal and a person that could do what any male filmmaker could also do. They know me and they know that when it comes down to it, I’m going to get it done, and get it done great. Equality is empowering for anyone and it’s something I feel is finally becoming more prominent in today’s society.
Work you are most proud of? I’m most proud of my short film Before the Fall, and always the next project. From concept to completion Before the Fall has been a 5-year journey that has fully paid off. Winning Best Editing at the 17th Beverly Hills Film Festival, being nominated for Best Narrative Short and Best Editing at the Widescreen Film & Music Video Festival, etc. My favorite project is always the next one. I try to take my work one at a time and treat each one with more love and care than the last.
How do you describe the most significant #metoo moment of your life? The unfortunate event that pushed me away from the music industry helped me realize the challenge of being a respectable female artist. When I was 16 my manager, at the time, informed me that 8-of my songs could easily become hit singles. I was young and obviously excited of this possibility. However, there was an unfortunate catch. As a 16-year-old I was put in a horrible situation that I had to get out of. That day I walked away from the music industry and never looked back. I wanted control of my work and I gained that control becoming a female filmmaker.
How have professional attitudes towards women evolved during your career? In 2003, I had the pleasure of meeting Patty Jenkins (director of Wonder Woman) at an IFP screening of her film Monster. Her accomplishment on that film made me aware of how powerful women could be in this industry.
Since that time it’s been a slow, but satisfying incline of industry work by female filmmakers. With Kathryn Bigelow’s best Director Oscar win and Rachel Morrison’s cinematography nomination, I think we’re on the right track. There hasn’t been a better time to be woman than now and I’m so excited for the amazing possibilities the future will bring for women, minorities and independent filmmakers alike.
Trapped on an island what essentials must you have? My laptop and phone with a good internet/phone signal and my dogs. I always have to be on a need-to-know basis and be reachable!
If you had a time machine, what would you say to your past self? Hardship and success work hand-in-hand. Trust me, this will all pay off.
If you could have a one-on-one with anyone who would it be? And why? Christopher Nolan, hands-down. Working on The Dark Knight for 4 ½ months was the best experience of my life. The way Nolan handles a film set is beyond anything I’ve ever seen. He’s classy, organized, and careful about every single crew member working his set. He is a masterful filmmaker that has been an inspiration for every project I work on.
To see the up-to-date list of Reel Women, click here.
Six young filmmakers presented movie concepts to a panel of industry experts during Free Spirit Media’s pitch day at the film incubator Stage 18 last Thursday night. They spoke one at a time, clicking through slide shows on a large monitor before a room full of collaborators and judges.
“I had note cards, but I didn’t use them,” says Joy Duson, who was the first to go. “I practiced a lot over the last two weeks.”
Duson presented a script called Fuzzy Legs, which was written by Amber Eswani.
“It’s about a young, timid brown girl,” Duson continues. “She begins middle school and she’s trying to fit in, but with her hairy legs she stands out, so she gets bullied and provoked by other kids.”
Pitch night is a key component of Free Spirit’s Industry Pathways Cohort, a 12-week intensive training program dedicated to helping a small group of 18- to 25-year-olds prepare for work in the film, media and TV industries.
Joy Duson
Duson and Eswani had spent much of the previous month revising Fuzzy Legs. Their efforts were complemented by Free Spirit’s extensive professional network and an unexpected personal coincidence.
“It’s kind of weird, because the both of us had the same exact experience that the main character went through,” Duson explains. “I thought of things that Amber didn’t think about, and it really helped.”
After listening to the descriptions of loglines, characters, styles, budgets, distribution plans, and other essential information, the experts offered advice and asked each of them to explain exactly how and why his or her film deserved to get made.
Among them were Rich Moskal, Director of the Chicago Film Office; Gary Novak, Director of the School of Cinematic Arts at DePaul University; Stephanie Jeter OpenTV’s Head of Production; and Patrick Wimp, Creative Director of Digital Hydra and scriptwriter / creator of Public Housing Unit.
Their follow-up included comments such as “This could be like Idiocrcy, “You should never think of antagonists as totally bad,” and “You have to remember that people in Hollywood don’t read.”
Alexis Esparza
Then they huddled in a conference room to determine which film concept would receive $8,000 for a two-day shoot involving all thirteen of this year’s Cohort members.
“We prepped them really well for understanding what is expected from investors,” says Vunzai Yeazel, one of the program’s facilitators. “I’ve always seen creatives going to the market unprepared for the business side.”
Yeazel’s experience includes developing strategy for Leo Burnett and teaching entrepreneurship at Columbia College. She counseled the Cohorts on everything from content preparation to physical presentation.
“We did tell them about Slidebean and other things, but — just in case the investor doesn’t have the technology — we told them that PowerPoint is the safest way to go,” she added. “We also told them to pull from their inspirations, the Ugly Bettys and Malcolm in the Middles.
The story ideas can be broadly categorized — overcoming bodily imperfection, getting away with murder, manipulating pimps, resisting gentrification, coping with racism, and finding career satisfaction pretty much sums them up. But each one represents a degree of effort that exceeds description.
Pascal Fernandes
“I had some character profiles, but I hadn’t put any of that onto paper,” says Pascal Fernandes, who presented Cleopatra, a story about “a queen that didn’t know she was worthy of being a queen.”
Inspired by the Frank Ocean song of the same name, the film’s protagonist, Cleopatra, is the head stripper at Pyramids, a club in a fictional neighborhood on the near west side of Chicago.
In Fernandes’ script, she confronts a developer who seeks to transform the community into an expensive burrow of condominiums.
“I had thought a lot about who this character is,” Fernandes continues. “What she’s motivated by, what she’s fighting against, what is the system of power that she’s operating within, and how that interacts with traditional tropes of womanhood, black womanhood, humanity, ghettos, sex work.”
The Cohort is part of a larger mission pursued by Free Spirit, a nonprofit organization that “provides teens and young adults in communities of color … with a comprehensive foundation in media literacy and hands-on media production experience,” according to its website.
The participants, who applied for the program by completing an extensive selection process, were notified of their acceptance about a month ago.
Since then, they’ve gotten to know each other by partnering on scripts and working under the guidance of people like Gary Novak, whose contribution helped the program overcome a distinct new challenge.
“When Cohort started, there were no scripts,” says Chakka Reeves, the Industry Pathways Program Manager. “Only about five of this year’s Cohorts came in saying, ‘I have a story idea,’ but by the time Gary presented with them, eleven out of the thirteen wanted to write.”
Although the program has produced films in the past —2017’s highly awarded Drive Slow by Terrence Thompson was screened at the New York Television Festival — this was the first time that every member of the Cohort made a pitch.
Reeves leveraged her experience as a documentarian, producer, and former educator to help inspire the Cohorts.
“I tried to create opportunities to help them,” she says. “Like, we had a holiday party that we dubbed the writer’s room back in December.”
Angellic Ross
Among those who showed up with a script in mind was Northwestern grad Angellic Ross. She transformed a tragedy that struck her great great grandfather into a drama titled Fruits.
“My family’s from Little Rock, Arkansas,” she explains. “My grandpa used to own a piece of land and he was very successful and, unfortunately, that made a lot of the white people in that community not happy. So, one day my grandpa went missing, and a few days later, they found his body.”
In Ross’ modern retelling of the story, a woman struggles to live as a single mother after her husband is murdered in a police raid.
When asked to explain why the film is relevant to all audiences, she speaks in a polite and articulate manner shared by all the cohort members.
“If they’re interested in making the world better for future generations, they need to hear different perspectives,” she says. “Learning what people have to go through will hopefully inspire them to make a change.”
Moesha Jones
At the end of the event, the panel offered distinction to three of the concepts. Ross’ presentation for Fruits was recognized as the best pitch of the night. Fernandes’ Cleopatra was awarded most creative story. Eswani’s Fuzzy Legs was chosen to be produced by the 2018 Free Spirit Media Industry Cohort.
The completed film will premiere at Free Spirit’s annual Focus fundraiser, a late-spring gala that brings hundreds of guests from Chicago’s communications and film industries to Tree Studios’ lavish Ivy Room in River North.
The Cohorts responded to the announcement with a long round of applause. The only thing stronger than their ambition seems to be their undeniable support for one another.
Photos by Chelsea Corbin, Development & Communications Manager, Free Spirit Media
What happens when your she shed goes to smithereens when it’s sauteed by fire … after a lightning strike?
That’s the idea behind DDB Chicago’s engaging and humorous new national campaign for State Farm which broke during the season finale of NBC’s This is Us. Titled, “Here to Help _____ Go Right,” the initiative is meant to bring more meaning and context to the already successful “Here to help Life Go Right” brand platform.
Crafted by the creative team of Brian Culp, Katie Bero, Christopher Bruney and Adam Cook, each story is basically a new way to define life’s various stages for a variety of people and features real State Farm agents filling in the blank for those stages. The spots successfully use humor and the agents’ down-to-earth approachability to demonstrate the breadth of ways State Farm can help.
The agency teamed with MJZ director Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Lars and the Real Girl) and Hungry Man director Dave Laden to bring the fully-integrated campaign to life.
The end result is creative that sheds amusing light on a variety of insurance moments, both expected and unexpected. The State Farm agents act as nice anchors to the wackiness on the other side of the phone.
In Pothole, real-life agent Benjamin Raymond helps his customer deal with the damage to his car.
In She-Shed, State Farm agent Zach Bay tries to assure his customer that her “She-Shed” is covered after being struck by lightning.
Each spot gives us dialogue that feels crisp, real, and unhurried, which is nice since the spots are fairly dialogue-heavy.
Here, agent Robert James shows his young customer how State Farm can help during the many stages life throws at us.
“Agents are what really set State Farm apart, so it’s been fun to pluck real ones out of their offices and shine a spotlight on their unique ability to help life go right when things go sideways. And it turns out, life can go sideways in a lot of ways,” said Mel Routhier, Executive Creative Director of DDB Chicago.
In “Awkward Photo” agent Oumar Sylla practically becomes an extension of his customer’s family as he shows them all the ways State Farm will be there to protect their home:
What’s nice as well, is that DDB and State Farm continue to pay attention to diversity in their casting which reflects the evolving demographics of the country. In “Shopping Cart,” agent Nora Vaden Holmes demonstrate the various situations in which State Farm is there to protect your vehicle, from runaway shopping carts to newly-minted teenage drivers:
“As a company, being here for our customers in expected and unexpected moments, is paramount,” said Patty Morris, Brand Content Director of State Farm. She added, “This chapter of ‘Here to help life go right’ focuses on our empathetic approach and puts our Agents front and center as a point of differentiation for our brand.” We at The Reel agree, Patty.
CREDITS:
CLIENT: STATE FARM
Pat Culligan: AVP – Marketing
Patty Morris: Director of Brand Content & Development
Troy Johnson: Marketing Manager
Jessica Soddy: Content Strategy Manager
Tim Thomas: Marketing Analyst
James Stahly: Marketing Analyst
Nick Rynerson: Marketing Analyst
Jessica Peres: Marketing Analyst
CREATIVE AGENCY: DDB CHICAGO
Chief Creative Officer, DDB North America: Ari Weiss
Chief Creative Officer, DDB Chicago: John Maxham
Chief Production Officer: Diane Jackson
Executive Creative Director: Mel Routhier
Group Creative Director: John Hayes
Creative Director, Art Director: Brian Culp
Creative Director, Copywriter: Katie Bero
Creative Director, Art Director: Christopher Bruney
Creative Director, Copywriter: Adam Cook
Executive Producer: Amy Turner
Executive Producer: Mary Cheney
Producer: Meghan Gross
Group Strategy Director: Jesse Bayer
Strategist: Amanda Schuneman
Group Account Director: Ben Gladstone
Account Director: Veronica Zamiar
Account Supervisor: Oliver Glenn
Account Executive: Amanda Ouellette
PRODUCTION CREDITS FOR
“Pothole”
“She Shed”
PRODUCTION COMPANY: MJZ
Director: Craig Gillespie
Executive Producer: Emma Wilcockson
Producer: Martha Davis
EDITORIAL: WHITEHOUSE
Editor: Matthew Wood
Assistant Editor: Meaghan Rahamut
Producer: Dawn Guzowski
AUDIO POST: THE STUDIO
Audio Engineer: Nicholas Papaleo
Audio Engineer: Justin Mayer
Audio Producer: Cameron Aper
VFX/FINISH: 8VFX
Executive Producer: Shira Boardman
Producer: Ryan Dahlman
Creative Director: Jean-Marc Demmer
VFX/CG Supervisor: Julien Forest
Senior Crowd TD: Tanner Owen
Modeler: Leticia Saldana
Rigger: Thomas Lopez
Designer: Jaguar Lee
Lead Flame Compositor: Talia Gleason
Nuke Compositor: Jerry Hall
COLOR GRADING: COMPANY 3
Colorist: Stefan Sonnenfeld
Color Producer: Katie Andrews
MUSIC: COMMA
Bonny Dolan – EP
Leigh Salzman – Senior Producer
Peter Schmidt – Composer
Matt Kelly – Composer
PRODUCTION CREDITS FOR
“Awkward Photo”
“Sir Robert”
“Shopping Cart”
PRODUCTION COMPANY: HUNGRY MAN
Executive Producer: Caleb Dewart
Director: Dave Laden
Producer: Justin Diener
Apple made the wise move of enlisting Chicago’s Erin Sarofsky and her team at Sarofsky, Inc. to showcase the capabilities of the new iMac Pro’s hardware and compatible software.
“It was a thrill to get a call out of the blue from Apple to essentially be a spokesperson for the iMac Pro, and the brand,” remarks Sarofsky who says that she has owned a Mac “ever since I was a little girl.”
“I’ve grown up with the brand and it’s my main tool as an artist,” she adds.
Apple sought to push the iMac Pro to its absolute limit in a slick and stylish manner.
Sarofsky went beyond that goal by creating a rendered-to-the-max, beautiful, and poignant Artist Film.
A behind-the-scenes video that further emphasizes the iMac Pro’s professional focus complements the film.
Besides showcasing the computer’s technical finesse — it was shot on a Phantom Flex at 270 fps and was edited in 4k — the video explains the creative process and highlights the iMac Pro’s role as companion to any great studio.
In addition to Sarofsky, Apple invited Buck, Esteban Diácono, Luigi Honorat, ManvsMachine, and Michelle Dougherty to create iMac Pro films. The select group of designers, artists, and filmmakers has earned a legion of international admirers, including Sarofsky herself.
Erin Sarofsky
“It is humbling to be producing work along with these other amazing artists,” she says. “The work across the board is inspiring.”
Combined, these six Artist Films and their companion videos effectively showcase the technical capabilities of the iMac Pro. This collaboration between Apple and the artists also serves as an excellent excuse to fund elaborate and eye-popping short films.
For the viewer’s sake, let’s hope these relationships continue.
CREDITS
Erin Sarofsky’s iMac Pro Artist Film
Sarofsky
Lead Artist and Director: Erin Sarofsky
Artists: Duarte Elvas, Josh Smirka and Brent Austin
Flame on Mac Artist: Cory Davis
Sound Design and Music: Groove Guild
Sound Designer/Composer: Paul Riggio
Phantom Camera courtesy of MK Films
Special thanks: Darren Weninger and Mark Klein
Contact Joey Filer at jafiler01@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @FilerJoey.
From the we’re a fan dept.: Longtime advertising ECD/CCO Dennis Ryan now works directly with clients as a digital video content consultant. “To me, it’s a natural progression to use video as a communication platform. After years of speaking generally to attract as wide an audiences as possible, it’s energizing to speak as specifically as possible to the wants and needs of smaller, more defined audiences. Brand visions, video white papers, policy influencing: the success of any kind of video communication still boils down to how well you tell a story.” Watch his new video below:
For production, Dennis collaborates with Drive-Thru Productions & Editorial in Minneapolis. “Mark Setterholm’s a great guy who assembles really smart teams that take projects the entire way from start to finish. Working together has been a blast.”
For presentations or content development, contact Dennis here.
Carmichael Lynch Named Outstanding Company for Working Mothers
Chosen by She Runs It
Carmichael Lynch is having quite the week. First, agency CEO Marcus Fischer was selected as this year’s Mosaic Champion. Now the agency has been honored by She Runs It (formerly Advertising Women of New York) as one of five Outstanding Companies for Working Mothers in its annual awards event celebrating marketing and media leaders who are redefining work/life balance and serving as positive role models and mentors.
“We are immensely proud to be recognized by She Runs It as one of the nation’s top organizations that help mothers succeed at work and at home,” said Carmichael Lynch CEO Marcus Fischer in a statement. “We have taken great effort to be an industry leader when it comes to building an inclusive environment for parents, and we’ll continue to do so.”
Carmichael Lynch offers 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, six weeks of paid paternity and adoptive parent leave, and a phased-return policy. The agency also has two mother’s rooms supplied with hospital-grade pumps, an active parents’ support group, agency family date nights, and a program which covers and provides materials for new moms to ship or transport breast milk home while travelling (Milkstork). The agency has also introduced a new-mom mentoring program to help the transition back to work.
“In our 14 years of evaluating submissions for working mothers of the year, we have been profoundly inspired by the nominees, plus we gained a lot of visibility into corporate practices and programs, many of them initiated by the women who were being put forward,” said Lynn Branigan, president and CEO of She Runs It. “It became increasingly clear that the culture and environment a company fosters to support working parents is critical to individual success.’”
The recognition comes a year after Carmichael Lynch President Julie Batliner was recognized by She Runs It as a Working Mother of the Year of 2017.
Winners were chosen for activating policies and practices to create a supportive environment for mothers who want to excel as parents and as corporate and community leaders. The five 2018 corporate honorees are 72andSunny, Carmichael Lynch, Periscope, Starcom and T3.
Colle McVoy kills it at The Show
AdFed Minnesota held their annual award show recognizing the best creative across the industry. Once again Colle McVoy killed it winning 43 awards, including Best of Show in the B2B category in partnership with Elanco and the Own the Cone campaign.
CM’s total award tally includes seven gold, 15 silver and 21 bronze pins. Work was recognized on behalf of client partners including 3M, WinField United, Elanco, USA Swimming, Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism, Cenex, Farm Credit Mid-America, AIGA MN, and The BrandLab, as well as internal agency work. Several awards were won in partnership with 10 Thousand Design, CM’s branded design practice. Here’s their award-winning spot for Jackson Hole Tourism:
“The Show is the best representation of just how incredibly creative our Twin Cities advertising community is,” said Mike Caguin, chief creative officer, Colle McVoy. “We love being recognized each year.”
More than 1,000 entries were submitted to The Show, which were judged by a well-respected panel of industry experts from across the country.
New Work: Preston Kelly for Gundersen Health System
This year’s campaign, the fourth collaboration between Kaboom, Michelle Atkins, and Preston Kelly, takes inspiration from real patient stories whose lifestyle changes are central to a happier, healthier existence.
“Our clients at Gundersen Health wanted to take their Love + Medicine up a notch to create a community health movement in their market,” according to Preston Kelly ECD Chris Preston. “Michele’s understanding of the humanity in everyday acts has helped turn what could be pretty standard health care advertising into something emotional that actually touches our audience.” Watch the spots below:
Credits
Client: Gundersen Health System
Chief Business Development and Marketing Officer: Pamela Mass
Marketing Information Specialist: Julie Besl
Creative Services Manager: Kendra Maggert
Agency: Preston Kelly
EVP/Creative Director: Chris Preston
Producer: Anne Swarts
ACD Art Director: Melissa Tresidder
ACD/Copywriter: Terry Thomas
Associate Account Director: Ron Hall
Production Company: Kaboom
EP: Lauren Schwartz
Director/DP: Michele Atkins
HOP: Steven Sills
Post: Drive Thru
EP: Beth Wilson
Editor: Mike Uzendoski
Have news from the Twin Cities? Contact Colin Costello at colin@reelchicago.com or follow him on Twitter @colincostello10.
Jeanne Caliendo is a born and bred Chicagoan who graduated from Columbia College with a degree in film. By her own admission, she has had “one fulltime job my entire life.”
“I worked at Studio Lighting, which was absorbed by Essanay,” she explains. “I did a little bit of everything, until I found my niche as an AD.”
“My very first 1st-AD job was a pilot for Dick Wolf called the Human Factor,” she continues. “When it got picked up, they offered me the position.”
These days, Caliendo is the Unit Production Manager for another of Wolf’s hit shows, Chicago Med.
From her office on the second floor of a building across from the main entrance Cinespace Chicago Studios, she works behind the scenes to coordinate much of the action and review the props, prosthetics, makeup and special effects featured in every episode.
Although Caliendo resides in Arizona, she relocates to the Windy City during production every year. This year, she’s got a town house in Little Italy.
“My husband and my dogs will stay until the weather is bad, which is right around Thanksgiving,” she explains. “Who wants to be here January, February, and March?”
The answer is obvious: people who love the city and have a passion for their work learn how to ignore the cold. Caliendo is among them.
“It’s like shooting in Rome,” she says. “No matter which way you point the camera, it’s Chicago, and it’s great.”
How did you get into the business? I went to Columbia College to study film production. I got my first job in the business working at Studio Lighting, (now Essanay), and then worked in various on-set positions until I realized my path was in the DGA.
What obstacles have you faced specifically because of your gender? I didn’t really encounter any obstacles until I became a First AD. It was a time when it was harder for a woman to be hired in that position.
Best thing to ever happen to you to remind you that you are a woman? I wouldn’t say there’s just one thing in particular, but having the opportunity to work with other women has always been a pleasure.
Work you are most proud of? It’s impossible to choose just one, but I am, in fact, very proud of my work on Chicago Med. Working first as a Unit Production Manager and then also as a Co-Producer, I’ve seen the show grow from its first episode into what it is today.
How do you describe the most significant #metoo moment of your life? I have been lucky enough to not have personally had a particular #metoo moment myself, but as someone in a position of influence in the television industry, it’s important to me to be an advocate for those who do.
How have professional attitudes towards women evolved during your career? Overall, I’d say that things have greatly improved. Women have a unique professional perspective that is now being recognized as the valuable asset that it is. We’re on the horizon of real change.
Trapped on an island what essentials must you have? Do pets count? Because if so, I’d bring my cockatoo, Louie. I think he’d do well on an island. I’d also bring my fitbit — no better place to get those steps in.
If you had a time machine, what would you say to your past self? I’d tell myself to be confident in my decisions as I was making them. Own what you want when you’re at a fork in the road.
To see the up-to-date list of Reel Women, click here.
Chicago director Ky Dickens earned a lot of trust from the people she interviewed for Zero Weeks, a documentary about the importance of paid family leave. Asking for descriptions of intimate and often painful experiences, she combined a proven professional technique with a personal memory to get the details.
Broadly described, Zero Weeks is about the importance of temporarily leaving work to stay healthy.
When employees are adjusting to life with a newborn, dealing with a grave illness, mourning the loss of a loved one, or caring for a family member, they need personal time to maintain professional focus.
“Family leave impacts everyone,” says Dickens. “(But) people don’t think about it until they need it.” It is also regarded as a basic right in pretty much every country in the developed world, except the United States.
Since its world premiere at the Camden Film Festival last September, Zero Weeks has screened heavily in states with pending leave bills like Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Elected officials in Maine and the Colorado Board of Health have scheduled the film for several dates and, on April 17, it will screen for the U.S. Congress.
Like many people, Dickens became aware of the issue by dealing with an unforeseen life event. It happened shortly before she gave birth to her daughter, Harlow, who turns four this year.
“I was at a small production company and they told me that, because they’re small, they don’t have to do anything for pregnancy leave,” she recalls. “I thought, ‘that can’t be right.’”
Ky Dickens on loction
After consulting with her friends, her mother, and Google, she determined that it was not only true, but also “not the small company’s fault.”
“They were doing their best,” she continues. “For most Americans having a baby or a tragedy, there is no policy. You have to work for a company of fifty or more, and work for over a year, to apply for unpaid leave.”
It was also, as she quickly learned, an impending national crisis. When people worry that taking time off for family or medical issues might put their jobs at risk, they can become demotivated and, occasionally, quit. Since our culture is hooked on the female homemaker role, this can affect women the most.
“For medical emergencies, usually it’s the woman who drops out,” Dickens says. “We’re not going to have equality in the workplace until we have equality at home.”
“Zero Weeks”
The film also cites factors that affect minorities in the workplace, leading the director to believe that, “paid family leave is the best way to reduce gender inequality, pay inequality, socioeconomic inequality.”
All the while, companies have to cover the cost of rehiring employees while losing the ones who offer institutional memory. Sooner or later, the situation costs everyone.
The realization that “this is happening all over the country” prompted Dickens to make a bold move. “I wasn’t going to give up time with my daughter,” she says. “I ended up leaving that job to work on this film full time.”
She wasn’t the only one.
Brian Wilson had made a similar career adjustment after his former employer failed to provide sufficient time for he and his wife, Krystina, to properly mourn the loss of their twin daughters, Riley and Ashlyn, in 2015.
Krystina was there when he called work on speakerphone to enquire about taking time off. She describes the moment as “a pretty horrific way” to learn about paid family leave.
“My husband called his H.R. and said, ‘I’m grieving my daughters, I need to be with my wife,” she remembers. “I’ll never forget it: they said, ‘well, you had two deaths instead of one, so we’ll give you six days instead of three.’”
Brian stayed away from the office for a month without pay.
Krystina, Bella, and Brian Wilson
A short while later, Krystina read about Zero Weeks in a Chicago Tribune article. She reached out to Dickens.
“I told her … why we wanted to help get this film made,” she recalls. “I wanted to make sure no human being on the planet has to hear what we heard from that H.R. department.”
At the time, she figured it was just a conversation, thinking, “I can’t do this on camera.”
But she changed her mind after Dickens and producer Alexis Jaworski took her and Brian out to dinner.
Dickens’ sincerity and experience had a lot to do with her decision.
“When you’re dealing with people, it’s about emotional relationship building,” she explains. “It’s about their life, sharing their stories publicly. I see and value that commitment. Some people you meet and it works out … Krystina and Brian and I felt that instantly.”
Up to that point, Krystina had endured the tragedy through a significantly different context than the one that confronted Brian.
“Zero Weeks” makes its Chicago premiere tomorrow night at AMC Theaters
“My company was wonderful,” she says. “They gave me a month of paid maternity leave to recover.” She also had been “very open” to discussing the experience, whereas Brian “was private.” But that night, he was ready to open up.
“We walked out of that dinner and he said, ‘we have to do this,’” she recalls. “We were walking home in the West Loop and I was crying. I’m insanely proud of him for being part of the film.”
She was also six months pregnant.
When their daughter Isabella was born a few months later, Brian was working for a different company. Unfortunately, it offered no “maternity leave for men.” So he decided to quit and stay at home with their daughter.
Krystina is “very grateful” for his decision.
“Six months ago, Bella was asking for Daddy instead of Mommy to put him to bed,” she says. “And (Brian) said, ‘as a man, I always figured I would be on the outside looking in.’”
To purchase tickets for “Zero Weeks'” Chicago premiere tomorrow night at AMC Theaters, click here.
To contact Reel Chicago Editor Dan Patton, click here.
Life is short, so make sure to enjoy playing in the great sandbox!”
I dive into things I dream of, and 2017’s Lost ‘n’ Found was no exception. I had the privilege directing some exceptional talent in our six-episode package. In addition to directing, I also produced the episodes.
In hindsight, it was insanity taking on both tasks when one is a full time job – BUT what a ride it was and oh we had some fun!
When art is a collaboration — it’s a beautiful thing!
LITTLE MAN OF STEEL PRODUCED BY MONICA ZAFFARANO
How did you get into the business? I got in to the business organically — was first an actress for several years and naturally fell into the world of producing and directing AND I LOVE IT!
What obstacles have you faced specifically because of your gender? So far and gratefully I don’t feel my gender has challenged me!
Best thing to ever happen to you to remind you that you are a woman? I do find this a boys club, but, perhaps because I am a bit of a tomboy, I feel I fit in. I know being a woman, I can bring a smile to that men’s club and break the energy in the room. Using my gender for good!
Work you are most proud of? I am most proud of how people feel when on set with me. I have often heard how my crew feels supported and always seem to have a good experience. I like spreading sunshine … every day.
How do you describe the most significant #metoo moment of your life? Oh where do I begin. I have always looked at life as in chapters. There have been many significant moments in each of the chapters I have lived. I hope they don’t ever stop!
How have professional attitudes towards women evolved during your career? Certainly, and most notably of late there has been a joy prevalent … empowerment. Its everywhere! That has been like a seed that recently sprouted and it’s glorious! I love being a woman and love it even more these days!
Trapped on an island what essentials must you have? Laptop, sunscreen, lip balm, sunglasses and a good book!
If you had a time machine, what would you say to your past self? Maintain the healthy body healthy mind connection, ALWAYS. Don’t waste time with the noise.
If you could have a one-on-one with anyone who would it be? And why? Dalai Lama. He seems very funny, humble and at peace. I would LOVE to spend an afternoon with him. Or Oprah.
To see the up-to-date list of Reel Women, click here.
I like a tasty donut with my coffee (and now, thanks to Charlotte, vegan donuts). A garlic bagel with lox, cream cheese and capers as well? You betcha.
But gum? Hmm.
According to a quirky new campaign for Alert Gum by Chicago’s Energy BBDO, caffeine gum’s a thing now.
Alert Caffeine Gum is a first-of-its-kind from Mars Wrigley Confectionary. With 40 mg of caffeine per piece — the equivalent of half a cup of coffee — it offers adults a simple and portable alternative to energy drinks, coffee and soda.
In order to get the word out about Alert Caffeine Gum, the brand has launched a new creative platform, from the creative team of Paul Carpenter and Chris George, which owns the uniqueness of the product. While gum and caffeine don’t normally mix, the team has created a tagline that touts, “That’s a thing now.”
The new campaign launched last weekend on Facebook and YouTube kicking off with a timely activation around Daylight Savings Time. Still getting used to the time change? I sure am and it sucks. Alert clearly agrees as it poked fun at how much Daylight Savings sucks with this 1:29 music video. Oh and it’s sung by a character in a blazer with Alert Gum as its head:
This isn’t the first rodeo for Alert. The gum was originally introduced in 2013, but then halted production after the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) announced it was investigating the safety of caffeine in food amid concerns about the effect on children and teens. Since its introduction the market has seen a slight rise in the number of entrants in the caffeine gum category including Raw Gum, Kerry Gum and Jolt Energy Gum. Here’s a look at a amusing :15 spot for Alert. This one tackles dating:
If by this time, you still haven’t gotten the concept of Alert, the brand doesn’t care as it playfully pokes fun at itself in this now popular :06 format:
In the coming weeks, there will be a total of 20 different social films featuring colorful characters and depicting that caffeine gum is “a thing now.” Mars Wrigley will sell the gum across all channels including – c-stores, mass, grocery, drug and online. The company will also increase spending support in 2018 with online, social and paid media.
So the bottom line, do I like the campaign? Well, yes. I think the creative team of Carpenter and George have created work that’s bold, colorful and knows what it is. I think audiences will get a boost from the work alone. See what I did there?
CREDITS:
Client: Alert Caffeine Gum
Title: “That’s a Thing Now”
Agency: Energy BBDO
Chief Creative Officer: Andrés Ordóñez
Executive Creative Director: Josh Gross
Executive Creative Director: Pedro Pérez
Creative Director: Alejandro Juli
Creative Director: Manuel Torres
Copywriter: Paul Carpenter
Art Director: Chris George
Executive Producer: John Pratt
Senior Producer: Jeff Davis
Director of Music: Daniel Kuypers
Managing Director: Jeff Adkins
Client Service Director: Lianne Sinclair
Global Account Director: Jamie DeFer
Account Supervisor: Layne Steele Paddon
Global Strategy Director: Allison Arling-Giorgi
Program Director: Jeremy Hawking
Production Company: Flare
Photographer: Brian Cooper
Executive Producer: Mitch Monzon
Animation: Jason Voke
Sound design/Mix: Sarah Krohn
Have new work? Contact Colin Costello at colin@reelchicago.com or follow him on Twitter @colincostello10.
RSA Films president Jules Daly announced Monday that “The Force” is now with RSA as former Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ewan McGregor, has joined the Ridley Scott-owned company. The acclaimed film, theatre and TV actor, who won a Golden Globe this year for Best Actor in FX’s Fargo, joined for commercial representation globally. McGregor’s directorial credits include feature film American Pastoral which he starred in with Jennifer Connelly and Dakota Fanning, and the original short film Bone, part of Time Out’s Tube Tales series based on the true-life experiences of London Underground passengers. Here’s a look at American Pastoral’s trailer:
McGregor first gained worldwide renown as an actor for his BAFTA-winning role in Trainspotting (1996). Some of his other most well known acting credits include T2 Trainspotting, the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Moulin Rouge!, Big Fish, Angels and Demons, The Ghost Writer, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Beauty and the Beast. He received Golden Globe nominations for both Moulin Rouge! and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. He’s also starred in theatre productions of Guys and Dolls and Othello. And in 2016, BAFTA honored him with the Humanitarian Award.
Whitehouse Post welcomes editor Matthew Hilber
Whitehouse Post’s new editor
Known for both his comedic timing and ability to work across multiple genres, acclaimed editor Hilber has joined award-winning Whitehouse Post.
“Matthew is an exciting addition to our roster here in LA,” says Executive Producer Joanna Manning. “He has an amazing, star-studded reel and fierce work ethic, and he’s also a really nice guy. We’re delighted he has decided to join us.”
Hilber, whose frequent collaborations with sports legends LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Tiger Woods earned acclaim, spent the past 16 years at Joint in Portland where he teamed with directors including David Gordon Green, Ulf Johansson, Jake Szymanski, and Stacy Wall on memorable campaigns for top-tier brands such as Facebook, Old Spice, Coca-Cola, Chrysler, and P&G. Here is a look at his memorable 2017 Super Bowl spot for Turbo Tax:
“Building upon the knowledge and experiences from the last 16 years at Joint, I’m looking forward to more diverse creative opportunities with new agencies and old friends,” explains Matthew of his move to Whitehouse Post. “I love doing great work, but I also love working with great people, and I think I can do both at Whitehouse.”
Director Ciaramitaro joins above + beyond films
Ciaramitaro joins above+beyond
Good things happen to good people. Director Sam Ciaramitaro has joined the roster of above + beyond films. His recent work includes spots for Porsche (Parallels), Ford (Next Generation) and Hyundai (Go Time!).
Ciaramitaro, who was formerly repped by ModOp Films, first established himself on the agency side of the business, serving as a director and producer at Leo Burnett, Chicago, VP/exec producer at FCB Chicago, and then Digitas New York.
He has garnered various awards for work he’s directed, including a U.S. Army campaign which earned a Cannes Cyber Lion as well as a Gold Effie. Check out one of his videos for Porsche below:
“I’m really excited to join above+beyond films,” the director told Reel Chicago. He added, “Beginning my career as a Leo Burnett producer put me in a position to learn from some of the best people in advertising and film. So I demand a lot of myself, which basically means I put a lot of time and thought into every project to make it as good as possible regardless of the budget.”
Among his other directorial credits are: Take Me Out To The Ballpark, a short film about the Chicago White Sox LGBT Pride Night; and The Show, a documentary series that follows six Triple A minor league baseball players vying for the chance to become big leaguers.
Comedy director Sheppard joins Backyard
Backyard imports Sheppard from Canada
Backyard has added comedy director Daniel Sheppard for U.S. commercial representation. According to the statement, Sheppard is a “borderline-obsessive” commercial director who knows more about ads than he does about film and TV. Audiences around the world (but mostly in Canada) have laughed at his spots for such top brands as Wendy’s, Advil, GMC, Walmart, Classico, Microsoft, Sprint, Canadian Tire, and Tim Hortons. He is also the creative mastermind behind the satirical spin-off of the Cannes Lions: “The Dannes Lions.”
Despite the lack of rosé and yacht parties, “The Dannes Lions” have racked up spot submissions from many top ad agencies, and has gained industry media attention. To this day, many real Dannes Lion trophies sit behind La Croix-filled mini fridges worldwide.
Daniel accidentally wandered into the advertising world as an agency producer in Nebraska. He reportedly kept himself sane during the endless winters by wearing multiple hats as a writer, editor, director and producer. He later stepped into the commercial directing limelight when he won a national ad creation competition for Chipotle that garnered millions of views online, was among the top 20 most viewed videos on YouTube in 2009, and proved that there is true value in a love for burritos. The success of the video did not lead to free guac, but it did lead to Chipotle funding a scholarship for creative excellence in his recognition at his alma mater.
In addition to his new responsibilities at Backyard, Sheppard will continue to direct spots out of Toronto-based Partners Film from his home base in Long Beach, CA.
The Corner Shop adds Grbovic to roster for U.S. representation
Corner Store reps Grbovic for U.S. commercials
Director Ivan Grbovic has joined The Corner Shop for U.S. representation. He had previously been handled by BRF (B-Reel Films).
Having earned a Masters degree in cinematography from the American Film Institute in Hollywood, Grbovic soon switched to directing music videos and acclaimed short films in Canada. His first commercial work was a humorous piece for Canadian hardware store chain Rona tied into the 2010 Olympic Games. Grbovic’s other credits span such brands as Bank of America, Ubisoft, Lexus and Burger King.
Anna Hashmi, managing partner/EP for The Corner Shop assessed, “Ivan’s impressive reel of work, shows his cinematic eye and ability to tell big scale narratives whilst effortlessly employing VFX and humor. And he may well be the best under exposed director you’ve yet to work with.” Here is a look at his Burger King spot, titled Last Meal:
Grbovic will be repped by The Corner Store sales force consisting of Ziegler/Jakubowicz on the East Coast, Resource LA on the West Coast and Mary Kate Hatfield in the Midwest.
Zambezi hires 72andSunny’s Gardner
Gardner is Zambezi’s new Business Development Director
Zambezi CEO Jean Freeman recently announced that the agency has hired former 72andsunny Business Development Director Alexandra Gardner. She joins Zambezi with the same title and will oversee the agency’s ability to manage an increase in high-value business opportunities. Gardner reports directly to Freeman. She joins the agency as it recently has been named lead creative agency for Venmo, and has won assignments for Qantas and Bravo. Zambezi also has expanded its operations, doubling its footprint in its Culver City offices.
Gardner will be in charge of the growth of the mainline agency, and its female consumer insights engine – Zambezi X – which works with Nike Women, among others.
Gardner started her career in business development at mcgarrybowen in New York City, where she participated in account wins such as Bud Light, FiOS, P&G Aussie Hair care, Reebok, Honda, and United Airlines and helped launch the agency’s London and Dusseldorf offices.
She then moved to BBDO’s flagship office in New York as an account executive working on Gillette and Belvedere brands, eventually segueing into new business at the agency, helping land Wells Fargo, CVS, SAP, American Family Insurance, and all of the Bacardi Limited Portfolio.
Gardner joined 72andsunny in 2015 just as the L.A. creative shop began its meteoric rise, nabbing brands such as Coors Light, eBay, Infiniti and Uber.
Altman joins Buddha Jones as Game Capture Director
Altman joins Buddha Jones
Talented Fredric Altman has joined Buddha Jones as the company’s new Game Capture Director. He joins one of the more innovative companies in Los Angeles, that has created ground-breaking work for Dunkirk, Suicide Squad, IT, Better Call Saul and Mr. Robot.
Altman began his career working for one of the largest marketing firms in Los Angeles where he gained strong technical and creative knowledge of the process working on games like Call of Duty, Far Cry and Assassins Creed.
For most of 2017, Altman worked with major game developer, Monolith Productions, creating both in house and external assets for their latest AAA title.
Contact Colin Costello at colin@reelchicago.com or follow him on Twitter @colincostello10.
RSA Films promotes Chris Karabas to executive producer
Before the promotion, Chris Karabas was the Midwest representative for RSA Films. In his new role, Karabas is expected to utilize RSA Films’ resources to branch out into multiplatform storytelling – especially social media.
Previously, Karabas worked for Shafer Antelis Music in the early 90s, was a songwriter for EMI Music in Nashville, was a partner at the House of Representatives agency in Chicago that represents RSA Films, and founded Rock House Entertainment.
RSA Films, and its co-founder Ridley Scott, likely made a wise choice in Karabas precisely because of this range of skills in the media and entertainment worlds. The hire comes amid an overall push towards transmedia at RSA Films.
Real Prayers Song Competition extends deadline to April 3rd
Chicago-based actress and producer, Ann Hagemann, and her film project, Real Prayers Are Said In German, are hosting the Real Prayers Song Competition. Musicians are called to submit a song that will be used in the film by April 3, 2018.
“Real Prayers Are Said in German”
The Real Prayers Song Competition encourages musicians to use a female vocalist and a piano for the music and recording. In the film, the song will be performed by a 13-year-old girl and accompanied by a muni band and accordion.
Musicians must send their name, email, phone number, mp3 recording of their song, and the transcribed sheet music (lead sheet) to realprayerscompetition@gmail.com.
The winner of the competition will receive $1,000.00 and be asked to collaborate with the filmmakers on turning the short song into a full arrangement for the feature film.
World Premiere of “Make Out Party” – March 30th and 31st
The film premiere of Emily Esperanza’s Make Out Party, and its accompanying extravaganza of live performances, carnival games, dance parties, and kissing booths, is scheduled for March 30 and 31, 2018. Tickets are sold online and no tickets will be sold at the door.
“Make Out Party”
Festivities begin at 7 pm and the film is to be screened at 8:30 pm at the VAM STUDIO, located on 1621 N Kedzie Ave.
The premiere of Make Out Party is presented by the Chicago Underground Film Festival, IFP Chicago, and Full Spectrum Features — a Chicago-based non-profit dedicated to supporting LGBT, minority, and women filmmakers.
Emily Esperanza wrote and directed this wild movie that reflects the chaos and joys of an early John Water’s film. Attendees can expect a night as fun as the film itself.
CAF accepting nominations for “2018 Advertising Woman of the Year”
The Chicago Advertising Federation is accepting nominations for the 2018 Advertising Woman of the Year. Last year’s winner was President of mcgarrybowen, Laurel Flatt.
This is a lifetime achievement award for a female advertising or marketing professional who lives and works in the greater Chicago area, holds an executive role, and has made significant contributions to the industry, her company, and others through civic and community activities.
If you know someone worthy of this outstanding award, fill out the CAF nomination form.
ASMP Chicago/Midwest asks members to submit images to be featured on website
The organization dedicated to aiding fellow photographers in the Midwest has just rolled out its new website, but one key element is missing: photographs.
ASMP Chicago/Midwest is calling Chicago/Midwest chapter members to submit their images to be featured on the new site. Submissions are due by April 10, 2018.
For more information on submission guidelines, click here.
Second City produces programming for the Kennedy Center’s District of Comedy Festival
The Second City Training Center is partnering with the Kennedy Center for its District of Comedy Festival on July 19-21, 2018.
The Second City will provide original content for the festival through its new show titled Generation Gap…Or, How Many Millennials Does It Take to Teach a Baby Boomer to Text Generation X?
The Second City Training Center will also host improv, stand-up, and character development workshops at the festival. The names of the workshops are Intro to Improv Fundamentals, So You Want to Try Stand-Up, and Character Generator.
For more information on the District of Comedy Festival, click here.
Eric Lane casted for role in Fox’s “Rel” pilot
Eric Lane
Chicago actor Eric Lane has landed a role in the new Fox pilot, Rel. Lane has played significant roles in Chicago productions for two decades, including Barbershop, Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chi-Raq the Series, and Empire.
The pilot, Rel, is named after Lil Rel Howery – the hilarious Chicago actor and comedian who has recently received national attention for his outstanding performances in HBO’s Insecure and Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning Get Out.
Clare O’Connor
Clare O’Connor casted as young Madeline in untitled Fox pilot
Chicago actor Clare O’Connor will be a series regular in a currently untitled 20th Century Fox TV pilot. O’Connor has been casted as the younger version of a fearless lawyer named Madeline.
Film and television powerhouses Danny Strong and David Elliot will be producing and writing the new show.
Media Burn Archive offers free digitization of tapes till May 31st.
Media Burn Independent Video Archive is offering new clients the chance to have three videotapes digitized for free. This offer ends May 31, 2018.
Media Burn specializes in the archival and digitization of footage for artistic, historical, corporate, cinema, and personal purposes.
Confession time. I’ve always had an odd crush on Rachel Dratch. Yeah, Debby Downer. Her. I can’t explain it, but I have always found the Second City alum kind of alluring through all of her oddball skits.
So imagine my surprise and deep down joy (lust?) when I saw these amusing new Ruby Tuesday spots that just dropped … starring the woman who played Denise, the rough and tumble Boston teen on SNL? Of course I was making these our “Reel Ad of the Week.”
With new ownership and a renewed investment in building around its brand, the Ruby Tuesday campaign from the Chicago office of MARC USA features Dratch playing all six roles in three pairs of polar opposite characters. These include a cheerleader and Goth girl, Grim Reaper and angel, hockey player and figure skater. These characters are not randomly chosen. They are all there to convey the message that Ruby Tuesday’s new $24.99 dinner-for-two deal is so good it can bring anyone “two-gether.”
Created by the team of Matt Sullivan and Toni Caravello and helmed by Company Films’ Fred Goss, this is the first time the restaurant chain has used a celebrity in its advertisements. And it works.
Dave Skena, Ruby Tuesday CMO, explained that the spot is designed to reach a broader audience beyond its core guests. “We wanted to stand out in the casual dining category and deliver on Ruby Tuesday’s promise of honest food, warm welcomes and healthy helping of hospitality.”
Joe Burke, MARC USA Executive Creative Director, added, “There’s a lot of information to communicate in 15 seconds. With Rachel’s genius for creating memorable characters, the “two-for” idea comes to life instantly. Plus, her broad appeal really resonates with our expanded target audience.”
Both spots highlight Dratch’s disarming humor, while successfully driving home the new message for Ruby Tuesday. Combined with a targeted media strategy, I think the campaign should reach beyond the restaurant chain’s core guests and find a broader audience.
The 15- and 30-second spots, developed with MARC USA’s Chicago office, targets adults ages 25-54 across networks such as A&E, CNN, HGTV, APL, ION and Spike, as well as online.
Maybe Dratch will, um, you know meet me at Ruby Tuesday. We can hit the salad bar.
CREDITS:
Client – Ruby Tuesday
Chief Marketing Officer: David Skena
VP Marketing: Angie Heig
Marketing, Strategy and Innovation Consultant: Tom Bowden
Director of Culinary: Joel Reynders
Agency – MARC USA
SVP EVC: Joe Burke
SVP GCD / Art: Matt Sullivan
Sr. Copywriter: Toni Caravello
Executive Producer: Snake Roth
Account Director: Stephane Auriol
Talent
Actress: Rachel Dratch
Paradigm Talent Agency
Director of Business Affairs: Linda Tinoly
Production – Company Films
Executive Producer: Richard Goldstein
Executive Producer: Robin Benson
Director: Fred Goss
Director of Photography: Igor Jadue Lilio
Head of Production: Ari Schniederman
Producer: Becky Brown
Editorial – Hootenanny
Executive Producer: Don Avila
Producer: Samm Smith
Editor/Graphics: Sean Halvorsen
Smoke: Jim Annerino
Asst. Smoke: Eddie Loera
Asst. Edit: Christina Bolanos
Color Grading – Nolo Digital
Colorist: Elliott Rudmann
Executive Producer: Joe Flanagan
Music –
Comma Music
Audio: CRC
Engineer: Mark Ruff
Asst Engineer: Jason Hoban
Producer: Rose Razal
Have new work? Contact Colin Costello at colin@reelchicago.com or follow him on Twitter @colincostello10.
Laurel joined mcgarrybowen in 2009 and currently serves as President of the Chicago office. In addition to her agency responsibilities she continues to lead the Disney Parks and Resorts account.
Prior to mcgarrybowen, she fine-tuned her skills during a ten-year stint at Fallon Minneapolis, working with such clients as EDS, Nikon, and Citi.
Her efforts have helped generate multiple awards including three Effies, Adweek’s “Campaign of the Year,” an Emmy, and a Cannes Lion.
Laurel was named the Chicago Advertising Federation’s “2017 Women of the Year.” She also helped land mcgarrybowen among Chicago Tribune’s “2016 Best Places to Work,” and Ad Age’s “2017 Comeback Agency of the Year,” and a “2018 Agency to Watch.”
One career highlight that she was not entirely prepared for, however, was the immense pride she felt bringing to life Disney’s I Am A Princess campaign.
Finding the work “incredibly inspiring,” Laurel was deeply affected by how the campaign celebrates the strength, bravery, loyalty, and kindness at the heart of every Disney princess, not to mention every little girl everywhere.
Laurel earned a Bachelor of Arts in History from University of Michigan and a Masters of Science in Marketing from Northwestern University. She currently lives outside of Chicago, where she indulges in her favorite activity — spending her free time with her husband and son.
I AM A PRINCESS BY MCGARRYBOWEN, FOR DISNEY
How did you get into the business? I always had my heart set on advertising. We had a family friend who worked in the business and it always seemed it was a much more interesting than any of the other jobs out there. My first job was working on the client side at an in-house advertising department before I made my way to the agency side. I was at Fallon for 10 years and I’ve been at mcgarrybowen for almost that long.
What obstacles have you faced specifically because of your gender? I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked for women and men who always encouraged me to take on more responsibility and provided me with endless opportunities to grow. That said, my experience is not everyone’s experience so I’m very mindful that as a leader of an agency to provide a safe workplace and foster a culture of equality and inclusivity without any barriers to advancement.
Best thing to ever happen to you to remind you that you are a woman? Receiving the Chicago Ad Fed’s Advertising Woman of the Year was amazing. It was an incredible honor and the fact that my agency submitted my name meant the world to me.
Work you are most proud of? I love the work we did for Disney on the “I Am a Princess” effort. It was inspiring to work on a brand as iconic as Disney to help reinforce their vision for what it meant to be a princess today… a force for strength and kindness. It was developed in partnership with our client, Marty Muller, a strong and kind woman herself, who had a clear point of view and tirelessly championed the project.
How do you describe the most significant #metoo moment of your life? I think the most significant moment was understanding just how prevalent the problem was across industries and how many women were forced to put up with horrible situations for so long. I believe the universality of the issue has driven the incredible response to help stop it.
How have professional attitudes towards women evolved during your career? I like to think people have finally begun to acknowledge that women who have children can be both successful at their jobs and successful parents. This business is tough whether or not you’re a parent and raising a family is tough whether or not you have a job. I’ve very glad to see that people have started to realize one does not need to impact the success of the other.
Trapped on an island what essentials must you have? My family of course. And coffee. A cell phone, decent reception, and a toothbrush would also be helpful.
If you had a time machine, what would you say to your past self? Listen more and wear sunscreen.
If you could have a one-on-one with anyone who would it be? And why? For me it would be Anna Wojcicki, the founder of 23andMe. I love everything I read about her. She is brilliant and has such a fighter mentality but she also seems very down to earth. Most importantly, her vision of giving a consumer voice to healthcare is groundbreaking. I want to understand what she sees as the next frontier in this area.
To see the up-to-date list of Reel Women, click here.
