Riddle: How and when can failure be construed as success?
Answer: The "when" is that relatively rare occasion when a cinema commercial fails to elicit boos and hisses from a theater audience. Such failure is a key measure of a successful ad when being screened for a movie-going audience. Meanwhile, the "how" can take different forms but generally speaking, it’s pivotal that the spot be entertaining, if not humorous.
Indeed "Ejector Seat," an 18-second commercial for Cingular Wireless out of BBDO South, Atlanta, makes it mark, drawing audience applause not only in its story line but also, most likely, from actual movie theater customers. The ad manages to do this while coupling two of the arguably most offensive transgressions that can befall a movie-goer-a cinema commercial and the incessant ringing of a cell phone, which is picked up and answered by an obnoxious person during the screening of a film.
Directed by Tom Schiller of bicoastal Coppos Films, "Ejector Seat" depicts a new, forward-thinking way in which movie theaters plan to deal with annoying cell phone calls. The :30 opens on a theater audience enjoying a movie when suddenly a high-decibel mobile phone rings and disrupts the movie experience. The recipient answers loudly, "Hello? Oh, hey!"
Thankfully, the man is unable to continue his conversation as he is forcefully catapulted from his seat, launched high into the air with only the movie screen to stop his flailing body. The audience claps this new high-tech innovation-and the cell phone user’s fate. The spot then offers a simple supered explanation: "Cell Phone Ejector Seats. Coming to a Theater Near You," followed by the Cingular logo and a piece of well chosen advice which reads, "Silence Your Cell Phones."
"This was the first time in my career when I was able to bash someone into a wall forty-seven times and get paid for it," smiled Schiller, mastermind behind his self-coined "SchillerVision" philosophy. "SchillerVision," he related, "is a system of inducing laughter in order to make the client the most money in the least amount of time."
"Ejector Seat" will be screened in Loew’s Theaters, Star Cinemas and Magic Johnson Theaters nationwide.
The Coppos Films’ support team for Schiller included owner/executive producer Michael Appel, managing director Joanne Ferraro, head of operations Lucy Campos, head of production Alexandra Chamberlain, producer Barbara Gold and production supervisor Trevor Herrick. The spot was shot at Silvercup Studios, Long Island City, N.Y., by DP Barry Markowitz.
The creative ensemble from BBDO South consisted of senior VP/group creative director Jeff Nixon, copywriter Matt Ledoux, art director Lee Dayvault and producers Kathy Adkins and Jennifer Bertoni.
R!OT Atlanta had a contingent of contributors that included editor Carlton Eden, executive producer Mike Tremble, producer Laraine Stewart, visual effects supervisor Jeff Doud and Flame artist Gavin Holmes.
The colorist was D.C. Cardinali of Crawford Post Production, Atlanta. Kathleen Fitch produced for Crawford. Sound design and audio mixing was done by Greg Crawford of Crawford and Chris Basta from R!OT Atlanta.
This spot’s principal actor was Stephan Choiniere The SAG/AFTRA Commercials Contract Standing Committee has granted a waiver to allow commercials to be available for viewing on SHOOTonline.com. The spots cannot be copied, downloaded or emailed.
