Creative mainstay Bill Bruce is exiting his professional roost of some 23 years, BBDO New York, to embark on a directing career, joining the roster of RSA Films. Bruce’s last day at the agency as its chairman/chief creative officer is Friday (4/2).
Bruce is no stranger to RSA, having not only collaborated on projects as a creative with its directors over the years but also helming work through the production house, dating back to his directorial debut in October 2009: a web film for New Balance titled Feet On Head, out of BBDO.
At the time of that film’s online premiere leading up to the New York City Marathon on Nov. 1, Bruce told SHOOT he had longstanding directorial aspirations but his immediate plan was to stay put at BBDO.
As for what happened since then to alter that plan, Bruce now explains, “When we spoke back then, my intent was to continue to work at the agency while trying to direct some jobs there along the way. It got to the point where I found myself extremely happy when I was involved in directing. While my creative work was fulfilling and challenging, I didn’t love it as much as I did directing. I had to follow what I wanted. You have to remember that this has been a long journey for me. A dozen or so years ago I wanted to direct. But one thing led to another and the agency business took over for me. Still, my desire to direct never abated. I’m now following that dream.”
Propelling that dream were two recent directorial gigs Bruce took on while at BBDO, subsequent to New Balance’s Feet On Head: a two spot AMP energy drink campaign, and six PSAs for Save The Children. Bruce had a creative hand in both assignments for BBDO, and directed them via RSA.
The AMP campaign consisted of a spot featuring race car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., and another profiling mixed martial arts fighter Urijah Faber.
The Save The Children fare gives a new perspective to defining heroes, departing from the norm of putting athletes and celebs on a pedestal. For example, in one spot, we meet a man playing basketball. He is described to us as having no inside shot, no outside shot, and no shot at the NBA. But he’s a star in that he has walked endless miles to bring medicine and food to children, saving the lives of kids who would have never had a shot without him. This series of portraits of Save The Children volunteers–and their daily heroics–took Bruce to Ethiopia and Bangladesh.
The aforementioned New Balance viral film–based on an idea from the core BBDO creative team of art director Cesar Finamori and copywriter Avital Pinchevsky–showed Bruce’s comedic chops as well as his ability to work with someone else’s concept. The short opens on a New York street scene. Bobbing up and down in this crowd of humanity is a curious sight–what appears to be a pair of feet at head level with other pedestrians. Eventually we get an eyeful of the oddity–a jogger with feet coming out of his head. As he makes his way through Central Park, even several seen-it-all New Yorkers take puzzled notice. At one point the jogger tries to get water from a drinking fountain but his feet get in the way, rendering him unable to reach the faucet. He continues his run, the destination being the local hospital.
Next we see an X-ray view of the runner’s head with feet attached, and find him laid out on an emergency room operating table. A surgeon and his team get to work, having assorted medical instruments at their disposal–as well as a Brannock measurer, the metal device seen in most shoe stores to measure foot size and width.
A few incisions and snips successfully remove the runner’s old shoes, which are then replaced with a proper-sized pair of New Balance running shoes. Suddenly the patient is back to normal with feet no longer attached to his head. He leaves to find a waiting room full of other runners with feet literally on their minds.
A parting super simply reads, “Think about your run. Not your feet,” followed by an end tag carrying the New Balance logo.
Comfort level
Bruce said he feels a comfort level with RSA based on his experience both as an agency creative and director there. He cited his affinity and respect for RSA president Jules Daly and its directors. “They do great work, they care and they support not only the directors but the agency and anyone they are working with.”
At the same time Bruce is leaving a comfort zone at BBDO N.Y. In the late 1980s, legendary ad creative Phil Dusenberry (who passed away in December 2007) brought Bruce aboard BBDO as a writer. “I was two years out of school and I came to work at BBDO on Pepsi,” recalled Bruce. “It was a dream come true to work there. BBDO was the place. It was like the Yankees. And I think I’m leaving the agency in that same position. It’s an agency that continues to reinvent itself and the work keeps on getting better.”
Bruce moved up the ladder at BBDO over the years, from writer to creative supervisor to creative director and he eventually became chairman/chief creative officer five years ago. His notable writing include Mountain Dew’s “Do The Dew” campaign, the Ray Charles work for Diet Pepsi, and Aquafina’s “Drink More Water.”
Robert Eggers and Willem Dafoe Reunite For “Nosferatu”
When Willem Dafoe enjoys working with a filmmaker, he'll often jump at the chance to do it again.
The list of directors with whom the 69-year-old has worked with more than once is extensive, including Wes Anderson,Yorgos Lanthimos,Paul Schrader,Lars von Trier and, now for a third time, Robert Eggers. "If it's good, you come back," Dafoe said plainly.
The pair spoke about Eggers' adaptation of "Nosferatu" that hits theaters Wednesday, some of the challenges they faced making "The Lighthouse" — their first project together released in 2019 — and the unique relationship that exists between actors and directors.
The interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: Willem, I read that you called Robert after you saw "The Witch." What did you say?
DAFOE: I want to meet you and I want to know who this filmmaker is.
Q: What is it about him that keeps bringing you back?
DAFOE: Well, if it's good, you come back. When I saw "The Witch," I thought, "Wow, this is a film about a period that I'm not particularly knowledgeable about, but I enter it so easily. This is relevant. It's rooted. It's my story. I'm with these people."
That's quite an incredible trick because a lot of period films, they're always pointing to themselves. They're always sending messages. They're always showing. This had a kind of energy and the kind of physicality and sensuality that I thought, "Who does this? I gotta see this guy." And then I had a wonderful experience in "The Lighthouse" and I played a part that was really fun in "The Northman." So, when he wants to do this passion project and offers me this beautiful role of Professor Von Franz, I say,... Read More