Converse Spec Ad

Cole Webley · August 11, 2007

So, I just shot a :30 sec spec ad for an old professor of mine from BYU. He is an Art Center grad and teaches in the Communications department. He teaches the commercial class over there as well.

We shot this spec at the BYU's Museum of Art. The concept begins with a bunch of "high society", "posh" patrons standing around waiting for an exhibit of 1920's memorabilia to open. The curator realizes at the last moment that he is missing the last exhibit and he searches franticaly to find something to replace is missing art. He sees a "punk" kid pushing a broom. We see the boy leaving the museum with a wad' of cash and no shoes. The curator smiles over his last exhibit of a pair of Chuck Taylor Converse...Converse Since 1928.

I wanted the characters to be lit from below, as if the lighting was similar to an art exhibit which at times is either lit from above top lit, or from below. I lit the characters from below using 1k's shooting into bounce boards. This style of lighting was very flattering - it gave the characters a polished, glamour-like look which seemed to work well with the concept. For one character, the boy who loses his shoes for a few bucks, I left the lighting hard and didn't fill in any of the shadows. I wanted his lighting to be less flattering and to imply his social status in the given situation. By doing so, we were able to excentuate our message of Converse's ability to transcend social status and time. Not only was the common man a believer, but the high society patrons held the shoes as art symbol.

I shot 5218, rated at 400 ASA with no filters. I will be transfering at R!OT. The camera was the old Mitchell Mark II with a set of Canon Primes - which all opened to a T 1.4 I shot most of the spot at a T 2 / T 2.8.

I edited these photos a bit in iPhoto and Photoshop to try and figure out which way we want to take it in telecine, I won't be able to make the transfer so the director and I were playing with some ideas.

Here are some stills from the shoot.

The Patrons.

The Curator.

The curator touching up the exhibits...

The Boy.

Cole Webley · August 11, 2007

The curator touching up the exhibits...

I forgot to mention that I lit this scene with a 4' 4-Bank Kino Flo Tungsten tubes with 2 on. They were right below frame, with the grid on. I wanted this light to be harder and a touch stylized, I think it turned out nice.

The rest of the pics were lit with 1ks bouncing off of a 4x4 bead board - pretty simple.

Rodrigo Llano · August 12, 2007

simple and effective .. great job

Cole Webley · August 12, 2007

Thanks Rodrigo.

I lived in the Dominican Republic for a couple of years - spent some time in Azua, Los Alcarrizos near Santo Domingo, Los Arroyos (in the capital), and San Juan. I loved it. I hope to go back to visit. Great country.