One of the key characteristics of a good commercial is its look. Whether the visuals are sparse or an effects extravaganza, the way a spot is shot can make the difference between a mediocre ad that no one notices, or one that will keep people glued to their television sets.
In this week’s Special Report on cinematography, SHOOT looks at some of the directors of photography behind many of the recent spots with standout visuals. In "Feature Moonlighting," DP Paul Laufer, who is represented by bicoastal ICM, and DP Paul Cameron, who is handled by bicoastal Dattner & Associates, talk about their recent work on feature films directed by commercial helmers they collaborate with regularly. Laufer recently did cinematography on The Cell, directed by Tarsem of bicoastal/international @radical.media. Cameron, who has often shot spots for director Dominic Sena of bicoastal/international Propaganda Films, did the cinematography on Sena’s most recent film, Gone In Sixty Seconds. Both DPs admit that the transition to features can be a challenge, but that their experience on commercials helps them. "In some ways, it was not a whole lot different from what I had done in television," Cameron says of his experience on Gone In Sixty Seconds. "The script was changing all the time. The six weeks of prep work we did changed right before the shooting, so I was showing up cold, lighting huge exteriors. It became problem-solving, like a commercial."
DP Giorgio Scali, who is represented by The Mack Dolan Agency, Hollywood, is the cinematographer behind the ubiquitous Volkswagen ads "Vapor" and "Reflex." The spots, directed by Robert Logevall of Bruce Dowad Associates, Los Angeles, via Arnold Communications, Boston, promote two new VW Beetle colors that can only be purchased on the Web. In "Reflective Shooter," Scali discusses how shooting the spotsawhich offer the point of view of the carapresented some challenges. "The car is so round, and things are being distorted by those shapes," explains Scali. "There was a lot of discussion about what would be the proper lens."
DP Tobias Schliessler, who is represented by The Skouras Agency, Santa Monica, moves effortlessly between the feature and spot worlds. He just finished cinematography duties on Bait, the new feature from director Antoine Fuqua of Propaganda Films. Schliessler enjoys working in both worlds. In "Camera Crossover" the DP discusses how he brings his feature film sensibility to commercials, and in turn applies what he learns working on commercials to his longform projects.
Neil Shapiro, a DP who is handled by The Mack Dolan Agency, recently shot Budweiser’s "Submarine" via DDB Chicago, directed by David McNally of bicoastal Omaha Pictures. In "Simple Images," Shapiro discusses his aesthetic, which he says is flexible and dependent upon the needs of a particular director or situation. But at the core, he says, is simplicity. "I always take a very naturalistic, bare-bones approach in my work," Shapiro explains.
In "Sharpshooter," SHOOT reporter Elizabeth Michaelson talks to DP Salvatore Totino, who is represented by the Skouras Agency. Totino was the DP on Motorola’s "Mya Spin Cities," directed by Alex Proyas of bicoastal/international Chelsea Pictures. The spot is a seamless blend of CGI and live action, which Totino admits was a little difficult to shoota"it was hard, envisioning how Mya would look." CGI was done by Digital Domain, Venice, Calif.
Enjoy reading aboutaand looking atasome of the spots that these DPs contributed to, and as always, we welcome your feedback.
