MINNEAPOLIS-Looking to drum up a little media attention for a worthy PSA? It helps to involve famous names-either behind or in front of the camera. Or both, in the case of a pro bono ad for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) featuring Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura which was directed by his 19-year-old son, Tyrel Ventura.
The :30 PSA, "Get Into College," was conceptualized by Minneapolis-based North Woods Advertising, the media communications firm which had a hand in creating the political ads that helped get Reform Party candidate Jesse Ventura elected to the governor’s office last year (see SHOOT, 11/20/98, p. 7).
The PSA puts the governor in a news conference setting. From a podium, he surveys the throng of press people in front of him. Throughout the spot, we see black and white images interspersed with color shots, as Ventura offers his thoughts, heard in voiceover, "Some days I ask myself, "How’d I ever get here?’ I wasn’t the greatest student in high school, so I went into the military, then into college. That worked for me but it isn’t for everybody."
Cut to him addressing the assembled press corps directly: "Our state colleges and universities are some of the best in America. They work hard, so every Minnesotan who wants to go to college can afford it. So get into college." "Who knows," Ventura’s internal monologue resumes, "Maybe you’ll end up here someday," referring to his elected office as he stands on the podium with arms outstretched. "Or maybe you’ll end up being one of them," as the camera pans on frenzied reporters.
According to North Woods president Bill Hillsman, the pro bono piece was designed to address the fact that a lot of high school graduates are postponing going to college, opting to instead take time off or to immediately go to work. "It’s been a problem for the entire university system up here, in addition to the University of Minnesota," said Hillsman. "So the idea was to encourage kids to go to college sooner rather than later, and get their education. There’s a lot of good reasons for doing that-not the least of
which is that it gives us more talented people here in the workforce, so they can begin to apply themselves to making Minnesota’s economy better and helping solve the challenges facing the state."
MnSCU had secured Gov. Ventura as its spokesman, related Hillsman, but the client initially had no script or concept. The governor’s office suggested that MnSCU contact North Woods to develop the PSA because "we know Jesse, we know his style and we usually have some pretty good ideas about these things," said Hillsman, who served as the job’s creative director/copywriter. The agency creative team also included art director Jeannette Carrell and freelance producer Amy Brewster, who also line produced and assistant directed.
One of Hillsman’s ideas was to tap Tyrel Ventura, whom he knew was interested in working in film. Hillsman observed he didn’t know precisely how skilled the 19 year old was, but he knew the Ventura name would generate interest among viewers and television stations. "It’s particularly hard to get PSAs on the air in times when people will see them," said Hillsman. "But if the PSA in question is something people are wanting to see, chances are the stations will put it at the head of the class. So we tried to utilize the free media attention on this to encourage the stations to air this."
It was a break for Tyrel Ventura, co-founder of his own Minneapolis-based production/ development company, Frogband Productions, whose associates include effects/makeup artist Rob Gerber, independent filmmaker Ryan Wood and screenwriter Michael Moore. Ventura told SHOOT he has been making camcorder movies since second grade, writing the scripts and procuring friends to act in them. "It was just me being creative as a kid."
When Hillsman called, Tyrel Ventura related, he told him of the project, the $15,000 budget and asked point-blank if the aspiring director could do it. After Ventura said he could handle the job, Amy Brewster-who had been working with Frogband-helped assemble a veteran production crew to support Tyrel, including established DP David Doyle.
The one day shoot, at the St. Paul-based World Trade building, went smoothly, said Ventura, who cited his biggest challenge as "trying to sound like I knew what I was doing." Without having gone to film school, Ventura said, he didn’t have the technical film terms at his disposal; he compensated by asking Doyle, for example, if he could do "a tricky little camera angle" or demonstrate with his hands.
It was also an unusual experience to direct around 30 actors, including his father, said Ventura, who added, "Not calling my father "Dad’ was another hard thing to get over, too."
"Looking at the piece, you’d never guess what it actually cost," said Tyrel Ventura. "I guess that tells me that the crew and I did a good job." He added that he is continuing to look for film projects-notwithstanding the PSA’s message, college is on hold for him.
"If I’m constantly working in the profession that I want to work in," said Ventura, "then there’s really not a need [to attend college]. But I’ve got a lot of life left in me; I’m only 19."
Among the companies Ventura has talked to is A Band Apart Commercials, bicoastal and Minneapolis, and its co-president/CEO Michael Bodnarchek. According to a spokesperson for A Band Apart, Bodnarchek-who is a member of the Minnesota Film Commission and who knows Jesse Ventura personally-has told Tyrel that if the appropriate opportunity arises, he would support his directing efforts.
Additional credits go to assistant cameraman Peter Lund; production manger Mary Rapache; offline/online editor Shane Perry at Alt Edit/Effects, Minneapolis; and graphic artist Chris Evans, React, Minneapolis. The score was supplied by music composer/sound designers Mike Michel and Chan Poling of Trail Mix Music and Sound Design, Minneapolis.
