This spec spot thrusts us into the middle of a crime scene investigation in progress. Cops and detectives mill around a cordoned-off area. Beneath a pile of debris lies a body. A homicide detective bends down to examine the corpse more closely, searching for possible evidence of foul play. Suddenly the debris moves from beneath, causing the detective and his colleagues to recoil.
The supposed corpse has come to life—and to his feet. He’s a typical Gen-X-er who appears dazed and confused, wondering how he made it into a horizontal position. With one foot, he pops up a skateboard that emerges from the debris. He then looks up at a towering flight of concrete stairs. Indeed the crime—or more accurately, the accident—has been reconstructed. This daredevil nut, sans helmet, had tried to skateboard down a steep incline of stairs. Gravity brought him down to earth the hard way, knocked him out cold and left him to lie amidst the rubble in corpse-like repose.
Realizing what happened, the skateboarder dusts himself off and boards away, leaving the cops behind. One grizzled detective, though, shouts out a parting shot—"You **ing jerk"—to the Gen-X-er, who rides off into the sunset.
The :30 ends with a supered logo of Spitfire Skateware, a skateboard gear/apparel maker. The same logo appeared on the skateboard earlier, when it was revealed from beneath the pile of debris at the crime scene.
Justin Klarenbeck ofminus 30 Films, Culver City, Calif., directed the spec piece, entitled "Crime Scene," which was based on a board conceived by a Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis team for another client. The Fallon ensemble consisted of creative director Don McCarthy, art director Josh McCarthy and copywriter Erick Sorenson.
T minus 30 sought out different spec concepts on Klarenbeck’s behalf and uncovered "Crime Scene." Klarenbeck said he was drawn to the idea because it represented a chance to showcase his prowess in a brand of unexpected humor that still felt genuine. Earlier in his career, Klarenbeck was best known for his work in visual effects in tandem with live action. Then in ’96, he became more closely associated with live-action fare, based on some of the initial work for the "Enjoy The Ride" campaign out of TBWA/Chiat/Day, Los Angeles. He’s continued in that live-action mode and recently, viaminus 30, returned to the visual effects arena as well. Klarenbeck felt that "Crime Scene" would help broaden the marketplace perception of him in live-action storytelling and in comedy.
Executive producer on the job wasminus 30’s John Clark. Line producer was freelancer Daniel Stewart. The DP was Peter Makay, who shot on location in Los Angeles.
"Crime Scene" was edited by Dave Trachtenberg ofminus 30 Post, Culver City. The sound designer/audio mixer was Loren Silber of POP Sound, Santa Monica.
