A new commercial campaign for Vanderbilt University’s Athletic Department reimagines a practice field and workout facility as proving grounds for victory. nArtfully directed by STORY‘s David Orr for Birmingham agency Luckie & Company, one spot, “Limits,” presents de-saturated images of football players lifting weights and engaging in drills with words such as “perseverance” and “dedication” woven into the backgrounds. A second spot, Pull, centers on two athletes playing tug of war with a tire as teammates cheer. Accompanying graphics proclaim, “Victory is awarded on Saturday…but it’s earned long before then.”nnThemed “Game Changer,” the campaign is aimed at altering Vanderbilt’s image as an underdog in the powerful SEC. “The story is told through simple, poignant images,” explains Luckie & Company Associate Creative Director Andy Odum. “What they represent is unique within the category, and it’s something Vanderbilt can own. Everybody at Luckie & Company, Vanderbilt and Story is excited about what we have created.”nn
nnDue to class and practice schedules, Orr’s time with the student athletes was limited. For the tug of war scene, the director had players for just 90 minutes. To make the most of their time, Orr meticulously planned every shot and choreographed the production to limit the number of times he would need to move gear. nn”We made sure that, every moment we had with the athletes, we were shooting,” Orr recalls. “We worked out a strategy where we were continually moving the camera closer. We’d start on a dolly, then move to a ladder for an overhead shot, then go to a hand-held close-up. We had a strict list of shots that we had to get, but we also left time for those moments you can’t see coming but are often the best.”nnOrr used a psychological ploy to get the performance he wanted from the tug of war sequence. He asked the strongest athlete on the team to “lose.” “He was not happy about being cast as the loser because, usually, he wins,” Orr says. “His expression speaks volumes. It was perfect.”nnOdum notes that Luckie & Company had previously worked with Orr on a campaign for Regions Bank, and were impressed with his efficiency and design skills. “We knew he would be the perfect director for Vanderbilt,” Odum says. “And, he didn’t disappoint. In true David Orr fashion, he went above and beyond in his preparation, which allowed us to cover a lot of ground and get more coverage than we had originally planned. On top of that, his collaborative nature, conceptual thinking and visual sense resulted in a powerful, memorable spot.”nnCreditsnTitle: Limits, PullnClient: Vanderbilt UniversitynAgency: Luckie & Company, Birmingham, AL. nBrad White, Executive Creative Director; Andy Odum, ACD/Copywriter; Rich Guglielmo, ACD/Art Director ; Mike LaGattuta, Executive Producer; Karen Kizzire, Producer.nnProduction: STORY. David Orr, director; Mark Androw and Cliff Grant, Executive Producers. nnEditorial: Beast, Atlanta. Jeff Jay, editor. Molly Baroco, Executive Producer.nnSTORY is represented is represented on the East Coast by SuperPowers (646) 633-4578; in the Midwest by Dawn Ratcliffe (312) 491-9194, in the Southeast by Miller + Associates, (954) 563-6004; in the Southwest by Gossip!, (214) 288-2813 and on the West Coast by Sherry Howell, (213) 999-9879.nnFor more information, visit www.storyco.tv.
Mark Androw Executive Producer Story 312.642.3173 Contact Mark via email
Contact:Media: Linda Rosner ArtisansPR 310.837.6008 Contact Linda via email
Who Needs Los Angeles? We Do.
One doesn't have to be a statistician to know that there are fewer commercials being shot in the U.S. today for the American market than ever before, and a dramatic decrease in L.A. in particular. In the last five years, as reported by FilmLA (the office tasked with issuing permits), L.A. commercial production has dipped 31 percent. But here’s the thing: This doesn’t mean that L.A. has lost its importance as the production center of the world. Production in L.A. is vital. It is the go-to. It’s where you can count on access to exemplary crews, a support infrastructure second to none, varied location and backlot options, a large population of on-screen talent and (fairly) predictable weather. The fact is, with overall decline and now the devastation of the fires, we’re on the brink of losing this mainstay resource. Without employment opportunities and now many without homes, talented and trained crew are bound to leave either the industry or the LA area for other opportunities, unless there are enough job opportunities to sustain a solid living. Now is the time when we ALL must support and bolster this community. Production is needed in L.A., now! Of course, advertising is a business, and marketers’ money should be spent as efficiently as possible, BUT we have to think beyond each production and know that if we lose the incredible resource of L.A. production as we know it, then marketers, agencies and the industry loses in the long run. Over the past several days, some agencies have issued directives to production companies that are unilaterally pushing upcoming production options out of L.A. The fact is L.A. is a large area, and many sections of the city and county are not directly impacted... Read More