Aero Film has formed a production team dedicated to the development of advertising intended specifically for big-screen cinema. The Santa Monica-based commercial production company, headed up by partner/president Skip Short and partner/executive producer Lance O’Connor, maintains a directorial roster that includes Ken Arlidge, Henrik Hansen, Klaus Obermeyer, Brent Jones and Nelson McCormick.
Just last month, Aero Film’s “National Guard/Citizen Soldier” (directed by Obermeyer) was nominated by The Cinema Advertising Council (CAC) as an entry in the CAC’s 2007 Creative Excellence Awards which recognizes high-quality, entertaining advertising messages showcased at the movies. The spot was nominated in the Top Integrated Cinema Advertising Campaign category.
“We’ve looked into every viable avenue for agencies and their clients,” said O’Connor. “TV advertising can be powerful but with DVR penetration and so many in-home distractions, a lot of ad messages just aren’t getting through. YouTube, Yahoo!, broadband, podcasting and being virally active is nice, but they are just icing on the cake. We love cinema because it gives brands proven distribution on a massive scale. Over 100 million people a month in this country go to the movies. Other alternative offerings are still just a lot of hype that lack distribution and proper measurement. We’re all looking to connect with the audience and build brands, hence our effort, which brings together a team of production pros from Aero with reps from Screenvision [the New York-headquartered cinema advertising firm] to get across the message that cinema delivers. Aero’s message to agency creatives is, let’s produce advertising with cinema in mind.”
Aero Film is the first commercial production company to specifically target cinema advertising with market-leader Screenvision. “Aero Film has been an ideal partner for us in the production of ads for cinematic release and in courting clients to develop media strategies that include cinema,” said Jason Brown, executive VP of national and regional sales for Screenvision. “In every test, the recall rates for their ads placed in cinema are always at the top of what we see….They approach production from a cinematic point of view and in doing so have developed a proven expertise in generating impact for advertisers. We’re currently working with the Aero team in conjunction with some big agencies, discussing possible cinema release for their upcoming campaigns.”
Aero has quickly amassed an expertise in producing ads for the big screen. In the past year, Aero Film produced cinema ads for the Army National Guard, the U.S. Navy, Suzuki, Northrop Gruman and General Motors. According to statistics by the Cinema Advertising Council, spending on cinema advertising has grown more than 20 percent in each of the last three years–in part because of agencies shifting dollars away from traditional tv spots affected by DVR penetration that allows views to skip ads. In 2005, cinema advertising revenues totaled more than $528 million dollars, and are expected to reach $1 billion by 2010.
Andy Blenkle, account supervisor at Alexandria, Va.-based LM&O, said work on the aforementioned campaign for Army National Guard with Aero Film provided the foundation for their integrated ad campaign. “You go to movies for entertainment, but with incredibly higher expectations for everything you see,” said Blenkle. “Aero knows how to keep the story and emotion, which makes all the other ads in our integrated campaign more effective. The strength of our theater campaign makes our TV, direct mail, everything in our integrated effort more effective.”
Producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher To Receive Harold Lloyd Award From The Advanced Imaging Society
Producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher will be presented with the 2025 Harold Lloyd Award in recognition of their producing achievement in creating Gladiator II at The Advanced Imaging Society’s (AIS) 15th annual Lumiere Awards luncheon, which takes place Friday, February 7, 2025, at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Empowering their storytelling with groundbreaking technology and skill, Wick and Fisher have thrilled audiences and driven the film industry forward for three decades. Their steadfast dedication to the highest standards of cinematic excellence have resulted in epic films, including Memoirs of a Geisha, The Great Gatsby, the Stuart Little franchise, the Divergent Series and both Gladiator films. The first Gladiator earned Wick an Academy Award® for Best Picture. In light of their consistent and distinguished contributions over the years, as exemplified by this year’s Gladiator II, the Advanced Imaging Society wished to recognize the team with this year’s esteemed Harold Lloyd Award.
“Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon Entertainment have revolutionized modern filmmaking with their bold storytelling and ability to elevate large-scale productions to epic levels,” remarked Jim Chabin, AIS president. “Their work has not only captivated audiences but also redefined filmmaking standards, leaving an indelible mark on the art of cinema. At AIS. we deeply admire their visionary contributions and enduring influence on the film industry.”
Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of the late, great Harold Lloyd, remarked, “Doug’s artistic vision and Lucy’s dynamic leadership have brought authenticity, beauty and profound emotion to some of our favorite epic films. Together, they are a... Read More