By Emily Vines

To capture a feeling of antiquity in “Bucket Brigade,” a :90 for PBS, out of Fallon Minneapolis, director E. Elias Merhige of Independent Media, Santa Monica, created a charming, yet forward-thinking community in the remote hilltop village of Curtiduria, Chile.

The spot, although not meant to be anywhere in particular, has a European sensibility. Perhaps it’s the accordions in the arrangement of “La Noyee” by Yann Tiersen from the Amélie soundtrack. Composers Colin Smith and Simon Elms worked on the piece through Amber Music, New York.

This unique melody accompanies villagers as they work together to extinguish a fire burning in their library. Upon discovering that the town’s well is almost dry, residents transport the flames, in buckets, to the dripping water source. This ingenious human assembly line was born out of the fact that since the villagers couldn’t bring water to the inferno, they decided to bring the flames to the H2O. “Be more inventive” the end tag encourages.

This spot is part of the “Be More” campaign that has been running on PBS since 2002. Airing indefinitely on PBS, Fallon group creative director Mike Gibbs described the target audience as people who watch the network to become more well-rounded and aware of various perspectives on a range of subjects. Executive creative director Bruce Bildsten referred to the members of this audience as social capitalists, “basically people who are very socially concerned and want to know about the world.”

Gibbs and Bildsten also said the spot is a metaphor for the state of PBS, which has had declining donations and memberships. In “Bucket Brigade,” a group of people tries to save something they feel strongly about, the library, Gibbs related. Bildsten added that the scenario speaks directly to what PBS is about and the predicament it is experiencing.

 

HEADING FOR THE HILLS

Regarding the tone of this cinematic spot, copywriter Dean Buckhorn said, “We didn’t want the spot to be scary and threatening. We wanted it to have a little bit of a magical, fable quality to it.”

To achieve this look, Merhige (who directed the feature Suspect Zero, released last year) said he styled his storyboard in order to give a sense of community and connection between the people and the land. Casting, which was done in Santiago and a nearby town of Talca, was also a key element.

“In this particular piece, I felt it was important to photograph it in such a way where you get a feeling that all of these people are strong, they’re caring, they’re loving,” the director said. “They are a cohesive and living community that is very much in touch and in synch with the landscape.” Bruno DeBonnel (A Very Long Engagement) was DP.

At an isolated location in the foothills of the Andes Mountains, which required oxen to ascend, the production crew erected a library and controlled the fire within. Some of the buckets, those nearest the well, had fire in them, but visual effects house The Mill, New York and London, created the rest of the flames in post. Hitesh Patel was the visual effects supervisor.

“There was a whole kind of old world feeling to this way of working and the hiring of local actors, many of which had never worked before,” Merhige shared. “I love the opportunity of finding these great and unforgettable faces and I think it really strengthens the piece and makes it feel even more timeless.”

Rick Lawley edited the spot out of The Whitehouse, New York. Dan Maloney was assistant editor, Corina Dennison, senior producer.

Additional agency credit goes to art director Gerard Caputo, who is now an associate creative director at BBDO New York. Robert van de Weteringe Buys was executive producer.

    Susanne Preissler executive produced for Independent Media.

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