By MILLIE TAKAKI
To Sinatra’s rendition of the classic standard "Witchcraft," a woman quietly slinks into a bedroom, being careful not to disturb her man who is fast asleep. She spies what she was looking for-his favorite pair of jeans stretched out on the floor. She picks up the jeans and embarks on her intended good deed.
The woman throws the pants into a washing machine, adds detergent and the spin cycle begins. The spot cuts back to the sleeping male who is also agitated, as he thrashes around in bed. The woman then takes the jeans out of the washer and crumples them up into the dryer. Similarly the man-who’s in anything but peaceful slumber-is seen rolled up on the bed in a fetal position.
The dryer turns on and our angst-filled man starts to literally feel the heat, although he’s somehow still asleep. Mercifully, the dryer turns off and the woman pulls out the jeans, shaking them back to their original form. This serves to shake the man out of his deep sleep. He is possessed by a sense of urgency, springs out of bed and begins searching frantically for his better half. He arrives in the nick of time, stopping the woman in her tracks as she is about to plunge a hot iron into the denim. A supered message appears at the bottom of the screen: "They’re part of you. Lucky Brand Dungarees."
This piece is one of three spec spots that comprise a directorial reel finished last month by Maggie Choo who has been freelancing as an agency art director for the past year and a half. Prior to that she spent five years at BBDO/West, Los Angeles: a year as a creative assistant followed by two years as an assistant art director and another couple of years as a full fledged art director. In the latter capacity on staff at BBDO, Choo worked primarily in print; but her apprenticeship as a creative assistant and assistant art director included many forays into television. Among her recent credits as a freelance art director was an L.A. Cellular campaign directed by Jonathan David of bicoastal Shelter Films for BBDO West, Los Angeles.
Last year, Choo decided to pursue her directorial aspirations, resulting in the filming of the three spec ads in the summer of ’98. But having called in favors along the way and continuing to work as a freelance art director, Choo had to patiently trudge through the process to completion of the finished spots. She has just begun meeting with and screening the reel for production companies.
Choo directed, produced and helped conceive the job under her own banner, SpyGirl Productions, Venice, Calif. She partnered creatively with copywriter Rob Pearlstein who’s currently on staff at BBDO West, Los Angeles. Earlier she and Pearlstein freelanced together for BBDO.
"Soul Mate" was shot by DP Jeffrey Greeley. Editor was David Lee of Us 2 Editorial, Venice. And post was handled by a Digital Magic, Santa Monica, team consisting of Henry artist John Scheer, assistant Henry artist Christopher Reichel, colorist Paul Lear and assistant colorist Julie Chavez. Audio post was done by engineer Dona Richardson of AudioBanks, Santa Monica. Sound designers were AudioBanks’ Richardson and Brian Banks, backed by studio producer John Author.
“Memoir of a Snail” Takes Top Prize At London Film Festival
The Official Competition jury said: “Our jury was incredibly moved by Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail, which is a singular achievement in filmmaking. Emotionally resonant and constantly surprising, Memoir tackles pertinent issues such as bullying, loneliness and grief head-on, creating a crucial and universal dialogue in a way that only animation can. The jury is delighted to recognize an animated film alongside its live-action peers.”
Rounding out the winners of this year’s films screening In Competition are:
- Winner of the Sutherland Award in the First Feature Competition – On Falling (Dir. Laura Carreira)
- Winner of the Grierson Award in the Documentary Competition – Mother Vera (Dirs. Cécile Embleton, Alys Tomlinson)
- Winner of the Short Film Award in the Short Film Competition – Vibrations from Gaza (Dir. Rehab Nazzal)