The 30-Second Storyteller The Art and Business of Directing Commercials

by Richter, Thomas

• ISBN13: 9781598632262
• ISBN10: 1598632264
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-06-08
• Publisher: Cengage Learning PTR

Summary

Imagine a job where you need to work only 10 days a year to make $100,000. A job that allows you to be a respected artist, a savvy craftsman, and a hip partygoer who hangs out with celebrities, superstars, and top models. No need to wear a tie and suit. No corporate office hours, and no supervising department heads checking your time card. At your command explosions occur, cars crash, helicopters swoop, and you are expected to spend a million dollars in a week or two. This job exists. It's called a commercial director, the creative mind behind the production of a TV spot. While being a commercial director may be one of the coolest jobs in the world, it's also one of the toughest jobs to get (and keep). The 30-Second Storyteller: The Art and Business of Directing Commercials teaches any filmmaker how to get work as a commercial director, how to navigate the pitfalls of production, and how to get clients to keep coming back to you for more. The book is not a textbook on directing-plenty of other books cover that. Rather, The 30-Second Storyteller focuses on directorial challenges specifically related to creating a TV spot-the techniques involved, the technologies of choice, and the obstacles that come between you and a successful career. It begins by teaching you how to get your foot in the door-creating a spec reel, picking a specialty, getting signed with a production company, and successfully bidding for projects. It then covers the production of a commercial from preproduction through the shoot, all the way to finishing in post-production. Examples from a real-world commercial are utilized throughout to illustrate concepts. The book concludes with advice on obtaining work abroad, and making the jump from commercials to features, as TV ads are a training ground for Hollywood's next blockbuster director. Filmmakers like Ridley Scott, Michael Bay, David Fincher, Jonathan Glazer, Tarsem and Zack Snyder have all gotten their start in the 30-second world.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xi
Chapter 1 The Commercial Director's World	1	(24)
What Does a Commercial Director Do?	3	(1)
How Is a Commercial Made?	3	(19)
The Ad Agency's Role	4	(1)
The Agency Staff	5	(2)
Production and Post Production	7	(1)
The Specializations	8	(13)
Survival of the Specialized	21	(1)
The Director's Relationship with a Production Company	22	(3)
Chapter 2 Breaking into Commercials	25	(26)
Creating a Spec Reel	25	(11)
It's All About the Idea	26	(2)
Brand Yourself	28	(1)
Shoot the Same Commercial Again and Again	29	(2)
Stay Away from Variety	31	(1)
Budget Concerns	32	(2)
A Few No-Brainers	34	(2)
Contacting Production Companies	36	(6)
Into the Lion's Den	42	(4)
Signing, and What to Look For	46	(2)
I'm Signed—Now What Do I Do?	48	(3)
Chapter 3 Getting the Job	51	(32)
The Boards Come In—Now What?	51	(5)
Your First Look at the Board	56	(11)
Nuts-and-Bolts Stuff	67	(5)
Pages Formatted Like a Movie Script	68	(2)
An Agency Template with Two Columns	70	(1)
Storyboards with Frames	71	(1)
Animatic	71	(1)
What Is Copy?	71	(1)
Pack Shot	71	(1)
Super	71	(1)
Treatment	71	(1)
The Conference Call	72	(11)
Chapter 4 The Treatment	83	(30)
The Appearance	84	(2)
The Content	86	(20)
Title Page	86	(2)
Concept	88	(4)
Story	92	(1)
Notes	93	(1)
Look	94	(1)
Sound	94	(1)
Casting	95	(3)
Technical Considerations	98	(7)
Locations	105	(1)
Copyright	106	(1)
Budget	106	(4)
The Waiting Game	110	(3)
Chapter 5 Director's Prep	113	(32)
Shot List	115	(16)
Beats	116	(1)
Editing in Advance	116	(15)
Shooting Board	131	(14)
Chapter 6 Preproduction	145	(20)
Casting	145	(5)
Crew	150	(5)
Producer	151	(1)
Assistant Director	151	(1)
Director of Photography	152	(2)
Production Designer	154	(1)
Location	155	(5)
Stage	157	(1)
Real Locations	158	(2)
Production Design	160	(1)
Wardrobe	161	(1)
Car Prep	162	(3)
Chapter 7 Preproduction Meeting	165	(18)
Take Charge of the Presentation	167	(2)
Tell the Story	169	(2)
Step by Step	171	(2)
Play the Game	173	(3)
Tech Scout	176	(3)
Schedule	179	(4)
Chapter 8 Getting the Shot	183	(20)
Concentrate on Your Objective	184	(1)
Discover Your Approach	184	(2)
Find the Moment	186	(2)
The Meat	186	(1)
The Intensity of the Performance	186	(1)
Movement	186	(1)
Transitions	187	(1)
Variations	187	(1)
Various Shot Sizes	187	(1)
Go with the Flow	188	(1)
The Voyeur Cam	189	(1)
Beware o' the Elements	190	(8)
Background Plates	190	(3)
Moving Objects	193	(4)
Different Exposures	197	(1)
Logo Backgrounds	197	(1)
Listen to the Experts	197	(1)
The Atmosphere	198	(5)
Chapter 9 Working with the Agency-Dealing with the Client	203	(16)
Know Your Place	204	(4)
Video Village	208	(4)
Never Light According to the Monitor	209	(1)
Less Is More	210	(1)
Roll Tape, Hal	210	(2)
The Attack of the Bad Idea	212	(2)
Be Part of the Solution	214	(2)
Extracurricular Activities	216	(3)
Chapter 10 The Director's Cut	219	(16)
The Lab	221	(3)
Push Processing	222	(1)
Pull Processing	223	(1)
Skip Bleach/Bleach Bypass	223	(1)
Dailies	224	(3)
One-Light	225	(1)
Safety One-Light	225	(2)
Transfer All	227	(1)
Let the Editor Have a Look	227	(2)
It's Your Vision	229	(2)
Enter: The Agency	231	(4)
Chapter 11 Director's Prep	235	(20)
Telecine	235	(5)
Who Needs an Adjustment?	236	(3)
Nitty-Gritty Telecine	239	(1)
Digital Elements	240	(4)
3D Graphics	241	(2)
2D Graphics	243	(1)
Online Edit	244	(3)
Audio	247	(6)
Location Sound	248	(1)
Music Composing	249	(1)
Sound Design	250	(2)
Dialogue and Voiceover Recording and Re-Recording	252	(1)
Audio Mix	252	(1)
Putting It All Together	253	(2)
Chapter 12 The Next Step	255	(16)
The View from Hollywood	256	(3)
International Representation	259	(12)
How to Make International Friends	259	(2)
Cannes You Look at My Reel'?	261	(1)
Work the Web	261	(1)
Canada	262	(1)
United Kingdom	263	(1)
Italy	264	(1)
Spain	264	(1)
Germany	265	(1)
Scandinavia	266	(1)
Eastern Europe	266	(1)
Asia	267	(1)
Middle East	268	(1)
South and Central America	269	(1)
Australia/New Zealand	270	(1)
Appendix	271	(20)
The Interviewees	271	(3)
Joe Murray	271	(1)
Tor Myhren	272	(1)
Matt Tolmach	272	(1)
Kelly Trudell	272	(1)
John van Osdol	273	(1)
Jim Zoolalian	273	(1)
Resources	274	(4)
DGA	274	(1)
AICP	274	(1)
WheresSpot	275	(1)
Shots Magazine	275	(1)
Shoot Magazine	275	(1)
'boards Magazine	276	(1)
Adweek	276	(1)
Advertising Age	276	(1)
Post Magazine	276	(1)
Group101Spots	277	(1)
FastChannel	277	(1)
AdCritic	277	(1)
Source TV	277	(1)
LA 411 and NY 411	278	(1)
Technology Glossary	278	(5)
Avid	278	(1)
Frozen Moment	278	(1)
Green Screen	279	(1)
Helium Balloons	279	(1)
High Definition (HD)	279	(1)
Motion Capture	280	(1)
Motion Control	280	(1)
Photosonics	280	(1)
Previz	280	(1)
R1 Rig	281	(1)
Remote (Stabilized) Head	281	(1)
Repeatable Heads	281	(1)
Russian Arm	282	(1)
Snorkel Lenses	282	(1)
Swing and Tilt Lenses	282	(1)
Techno Crane	282	(1)
Wire Cam	283	(1)
Commercial Director's Sample Contract	283	(8)
Index	291