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mini cooper spec spot


Jeremy Russell

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I'd like to get some feedback on a spec commercial that I directed. We shot 35mm.

 

Any questions for my DP and I will gladly pass them to him.

http://www.jeremyrussell.net

Thanks,

 

Jeremy

I liked the photography overall. Did you try filming them through the windshield without the top down? I wish all my shots of people in cars would be convertables. <_< I am still interested in how you were able clear shot of them with decent exposure in the car yet still have a beautiful reflection of trees on the windshield.

 

Also did you use a steadicam or a gyro to acheive the smooth shots of it going down the highway?

 

What kind of camera,lens,film stock, lighting, and filters did you use? Do you mind if I ask what was the budget?

 

I think that since you are doing more specs it would probably be a good idea to do something with a funny story line, then maybe a serious product with a narative voiceover just to show you can do multiple types of advertising.

 

Goodluck in your success!

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I liked the photography overall. Did you try filming them through the windshield without the top down?  I wish all my shots of people in cars would be convertables. <_< I am still interested in how you were able clear shot of them with decent exposure in the car yet still have a beautiful reflection of trees on the windshield. 

 

Also did you use a steadicam or a gyro to acheive the smooth shots of it going down the highway?

 

What kind of camera,lens,film stock, lighting, and filters did you use? Do you mind if I ask what was the budget?

 

I think that since you are doing more specs it would probably be a good idea to do something with a funny story line, then maybe a serious product with a narative voiceover just to show you can do multiple types of advertising.

 

Goodluck in your success!

 

john,

 

We rented a few different car mounts to achieve all of the shots around the car, and Chase Bowman, my DP constructed a rig to shoot out of the trunk of a car to get some too.

 

We shot on an Aaton 35-III with 250D and a Cooke zoom. We shot the majority of all of the exteriors during magic hour to get the angular light and I believe for the shot through the windshield we used an ND and a polarizer. Some of the look was achieved in transfer with our colorist. Most notably on the pan shot from sunset, he brought the blue out in the sky.

 

As for more specs, I am directing two more shot on 35 in October, and one of them is a comedic one. Thanks for the comments.

 

Jeremy

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Looks great overall. Beautiful colors and contrast. It feels really natural.

 

I'd lose the last shot of the guy getting out of bed after the woman grabs the keys.

It's too bad the rearview mirror blocks the guy a bit when he smiles. I wish the shot of the woman waving her hand in the wind lasted longer.

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I don't think there's too much to critique technically, it looks professional. The shot selection was very strong and it did flow very well but it feels like an abbreviated version of a longer (60 second) commercial where the story has been edited out for time.

 

My humble opinion, and as I said, it feels very hypocritical to criticise something so well done, is that I would try to tie together a visual, narrative and/or metaphorical through line to link the images together and give the viewer a subliminal reason to continue to watch.

 

If we percieve that this is a succession of really beautiful images our assumption is that it will continue to be a succession of beautiful images. But with a story or some kind of through line the viewer will want to see it through to its conclusion. This is the logic behind why make over, count-down and police procedural shows are so popular. People have to stay tuned for the conclusion/reveal.

 

Just something to think about as you prep your next spec.

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Feedback should be negative as well as positive right? so in the interest of fairness I'll throw you a few problems I found with the spot. The story was bland to the point of mind numbing, the actors looked completely inane, the editing was stale and the music cut just plain bad. Why were the lovers (?) lying under a duvet, in bed, with their clothes on? Why does that woman do that wierd hand movement? Basically why do I care about these people? Could they not do something even vaguely interesting?

 

Spec spots should be different, exiting, dynamic- otherwise what's the point? The mini is also a very strong brand and you have made an ad that could be for any car. Recent adverts for the mini have also been pretty good (I can remember an add featuring 'Lassy' driving the car from the US and we had the excellent 'Mini Adventure' series over here- anyone remember the mini being chased by 'war of the worlds' type aliens from a few years back?).

 

Basically the only thing I can imagine this advertising (in the UK atleast) is one of those free with a newspaper CD type things, maybe called 'Music to drive with your lover, or posibly your brother/sister, on open roads whilst looking at each other like you've overdosed on Prozac'.

 

There's my feedback, sorry if you find it a bit harsh, I hope you find it constructive.

 

Keith

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Great job. You did a really good job of location scouting (especially that windy road in the mountains). Also, I loved the insert shot of the steering wheel.

 

 

Hawks Nest....

 

Hey, nice spec. DO you try to sell them when you are finished or just a reel builder?

 

Have you ever gotten any feedback from companies, and do you try to submit them at large?

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