YORK JRS Agency Treatment by Jordan Brady Dear Robert, Allen and Sandy; Thanks for considering me to direct your spots and for discussing them so thoroughly. I consider this a great opportunity to collaborate with you, and to do some fantastic work with people and critters alike. Here s a recap of what we talked about on our call: TONE & PERORMANCE I am a huge fan of subtle looks and little expressions, chiefly with the eyes. No broad facial gestures please, they tend to tip the comic hand, and talk down to us. Smart scripts merit smaller performances. Ultimately, the key to this spot is the character interactions and reactions. CASTING The guy you referenced on TV is actor Bob Stephenson. He is one funny guy, and a perfect reference point for our fictional Bob. More to the point, we don t want to cast on the nose; no clichéd trendy eco fellow. We want the atypical guy that happens to be green, not a stereotypical tree hugging, reggae grooving hippie. We want to show that it s easy to go green with York. ANIMALS Today s savvy viewers fully get that these animals are talking, without the costly lip-syncing CG work. A rabbit chewing rapidly isn t far from the desired effect. If you really want to do it, that s always an option. Regardless, let s use real animals. CAMERA & LOOK I see the camera as mostly static: let the comedy play out. The deliberate cuts to his reactions are best. Colors should be slightly saturated for the summer vibe of The Visitor, and for the cozy interior of In from the Cold. Ultimately, the negative I deliver will allow for any look in your final transfer. LOCATION We ll find a home that perfectly relates to our potential consumer. I see at least a 3 or 4 bedroom, middleclass house in the suburbs, with a manicured lawn and some trees. The Visitor will have a humid, summer feel. In from the Cold will obviously be set in snowy winter. THE SPOTS Allow me to take you through the spots as I see them. 1
The Visitor :30 TV My take is that this is not the first time Bunny has talked to Bob. She is a little lonely and just wants to make conversation. Open on a desirable, middleclass house. Birds are chirping. The faint purr of a York is audible only on the subconscious level. Cut inside to see Bob sitting down to read the morning paper. Bob appears to be just an everyday, slightly schlubby guy; definitely not someone you d expect to care about the environment. Before he can settle, the doorbell rings. Bob sighs. What is it this time? Bob opens the door and looks down, trying to be polite. Bob: Bob: Yes, Bunny? Bob, I forgot to say how awesome it is that you put in that York LX Air Conditioner. Didn t peg you for one of those green people. I do what I can. Bob smiles courteously and starts to shut the door, but Bunny tries to keep the conversation alive. Bob: Just goes to show how little we know about each other... Yeah. Right. He gives a little see you later wave and shuts the door. Maybe we hear Bunny one last time, through the closed door? Bye, Bob! Cut to a majestic, low angle shot that starts ¾ angle on the York LX A/C unit (to showcase the York faceplate) and dollies around slowly. A small bird lands on the top right corner. Chirps. A butterfly flutters. V.O.: The remarkably eco-friendly and affordable York LX Air Conditioner. Cut to a Female Squirrel in a tree (or perhaps a closed windowsill). Another bird is seen soft-focus in the background. Squirrel: Bird: Bob, you can hug my tree anytime. Good one. 2
Let s cover Bob s reaction to this. He thinks okayyy and wonders if he ll ever get to read the paper. Cut to the York logo as Bunny scampers across the frame. End. Note: We can certainly cover Bob s performance so that he gives a more surprised What the?! reaction to the talking rabbit. No problem, you can then decide in post. Both executions will get us big smiles. Obviously, I m pitching this because I believe it s less expected and gives our story a running start, while still delivering the crucial information. Logo treatment For the vines covering the wall with the logo, I d shoot video tests of a few ideas before rolling film. One idea is to submerge the final vine-covered shot in white milk. When the footage is reversed, the vines will emerge. Then we shoot separate vines as elements to add in that wild vine effect. Another approach is to pull the perfect vines out of frame. Reversing it will show them crawling. Either approach will require a little post love, but we ll provide all elements. In from the Cold :30 TV Since the call, and now seeing the board, I d like the animals to know about the York furnace. It s why they came over, after all. Open on a cute Terrier, lapping at his water bowl. His food and water dishes are near a home s side door. His doggy-door is seen in the background. Winter boots and mittens indicate it s cold outside. Just then, a Bunny Rabbit hops in through the doggy-door, tracking snow in with her. We hear the gusty wind and even see a few errant flakes of snow. Our Bunny is happy to be in the warmth of the house. Brrr!! Whassup dog! Our dog understands and has no problem with the bunny entering. NOTE: The framing in your boards is nice and practical, as we may need to split screen some shots. That way, we can work with animals separately, without spooking the ones further down the food chain. A squirrel enters, equally as happy to trade the cold for the warmth of the house. Squirrel: Ah, yeah. This is more like it. 3
The dog acknowledges the squirrel with a nod. Dog: Cozy right? The squirrel scampers off through frame. Then suddenly a skunk pops his head in and slightly struggles to get through the doggy-door. It d be nice to do a shot outside the house. We d get that sense of cold and snow, and see a skunk s butt. The dog cocks his head up, curious. Skunk: I heard you guys got a Cut back to the dog, as he ponders the dire possibilities of the skunk. Dog: Yep. Just don t you know. The skunk shakes off the snow before scurrying off. Skunk (o.s.): I promise! Cut to the hallway, low angle shot as the Raccoon opens the closet door. We boom up to be over his little raccoon shoulder, in a heroic shot up at the furnace. The dog enters frame. (And the trainer confirmed her live raccoon can actually open the door. Fun, huh?) Camera starts low and booms up with grace. Animals: V.O.: Nice unit. So that s the York? Impressive. When your home is heated by the most accurate and efficient furnace in the neighborhood, word gets around. Cut to the den, we reveal several more animals gathered, enjoying the warmth and some television. We hear the narration of a nature show. Raccoon: Hey, that s Billy! Or consider we hear the zany sound effects and upbeat music from an America s Funniest Videos type show. After a loud groin hit & moan, the animals all react. All animals: Raccoon: Ooooooo! That s gotta hurt. 4
Cut to end frame with York logo on the inside of a frosty window. We hear the animals continue to chat, as the voice over wraps it up. V.O.: Visit York.com to find out more. End. NOTE: Using practical shots, simple split screen and occasional green screen, we can accomplish everything. Sometimes one animal at a time. We should build a small two-walled set piece for our doggy-door area. This gives us maximum control for camera and lighting. Reset time with the animals is minimized using a door flat, versus opening/closing real doors. Conclusion It would be a joy to work together on this. Bob is a great character. I ve shot extensively with a wide variety of animals and their trainers, and feel I can deliver the comedic performances these scripts deserve. You ll have plenty of viable options for the editing room. The Visitor is about the relationship Bunny wants with Bob. Selfishly speaking, it would be a nice addition to my reel. If you d like to get back on the phone, I d love to answer any questions you may have. Looking forward to your thoughts. Truly, Jordan Brady 5
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