A hand caringly wipes a cloth across the side of an object that is difficult to make outaperhaps its a piece of furniture or maybe even a car. Presumably the same hand is then seen placing a boutonniere on the lapel of a white jacket. The hand then caresses a set of cuff links on an immaculate linen shirt.
The next scene shows a different set of hands folded and laying motionless across an elegant white suit. Then an overhead shot reveals an open casketathe unidentifiable object in the opening sceneawhich contains a corpse decked out in the pristine ivory suit, accessorized with the linen shirt, cuff links and boutonniere.
Just prior to the sight of the casket, a voiceover begins to shed a dark, humorous light on the subject, disclosing the corpses identity: On the morning of June 5, directly in front of the Carmine Street Social Club, Richie AThe Elbow Grasso was found beaten, stabbed and shot 57 times in this same suit.
Then an end logo appears with a super reading: Jerris Cleaners. Cleaning the Village since 1964.
This clever albeit morbid testimonial to dry cleaner Jerris prowess when it comes to getting the red out, was conceived by creative director/art director Steven Block and creative director/copywriter Brian McDermott of boutique agency NYBS, New York. It was done as a spec piece but the creative team secured a limited cable run in New Yorkawith Jerris blessingaso that the work would qualify for the awards show circuit.
The Elbow was directed by Holly Paige Joyner of Celsius Films, New York. Celsius Bob Fisher was exec. producer. Terri Shafirov served as producer. DP was Dave Ferrara.
The spot was edited by Neil Miller of 89 Greene Editorial, New York. Online editors were Fred McGraw and Howard Tate of Betelgeuse Productions, New York.
This is the second Joyner-helmed spot that has made The Best Work You May Never See gallery. Her previous entry was a dramatic, risque PSA for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, Rewind, out of Earle Palmer Brown, Philadelphia (SHOOT, 2/6/98, p. 15). Joyner did the PSAawhich warns women about the so-called date-rape drug Rohypnolaat her prior commercial production house roost, WildLife Management, New York.
aMillie Takaki
Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. Explore Generations,ย Old School vs. New School, In “Poppa’s House”
Boundaries between work and family don't just blur in the new CBS sitcom "Poppa's House" starring father-and-son comedy duo Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. They shatter.
"It's wonderful to come to work every day and see him and some of his kids and my sister and my brother and nieces and nephews. They all work on this show. They all contribute," says the senior Wayans. "I don't think there are words to express how joyful I am."
Wayans plays the titular Poppa, a curmudgeonly radio DJ who's more than comfortable doing it his way, while Wayans Jr. plays his son, Damon, a budding filmmaker who's stuck in a job he hates.
"My character, Pop, is just an old school guy who's kind of stuck in his ways," says Wayans, who starred in "In Living Color" and "My Wife and Kids."
Pop yearns for the days when a handshake was a binding contract and Michael Jordan didn't complain if he got fouled on the court. Pop laughs at the younger generation's participation trophies.
"It's old school versus new school and them teaching each other lessons from both sides," says Wayans Jr., who played Coach in the Fox sitcom "New Girl."
"They (the characters) bring the best out in each other and they're resistant initially. But then throughout the episode they have revelations and these revelations help them become better people," he adds.
The two have worked together before โ dad made an appearance on son's "Happy Endings" and "Happy Together," while son was a writer and guest star on dad's "My Wife and Kids." But this is the first time they have headlined a series together.
The half-hour comedy โ premiering Monday and co-starring Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson โ smartly leaves places in the script where father and son can let... Read More