Picture yourself in a movie theater or another venue as the unwilling, unknowing centerpiece of a film festival promo. In a sense that is what director Christopher Hutsul of Soft Citizen, Toronto, and agency TBWAVancouver, B.C. have done in this cinema trailer/viral campaign for the Vancouver International Film Festival, (Hutsul is repped stateside by Sleeper Films, Santa Monica.)
Each trailer focuses on a film fest archetype, from the die-hard fan to the overly analytical, self-anointed critic to the person in over his or head, among others.
“Foreign Film” shows a woman seated in a theater who has facial expressions of dread, bewilderment and boredom at different times. She is surrounded by other moviegoers who seem enthralled in anticipation of what they are about to see on the big screen. The camera remains fixed on this sampling of the audience with the woman being the focal point.
While the camera perspective is static, the male voiceover reads a “tribute” to this woman which keeps us as attentive and interested as the audience members surrounding her.
“Thanks to all the people who aren’t really into foreign films but came because your friend or significant other or Internet date is,” relates the voiceover.
“And now you’re completely out of your element, about to see a film with subject matter you didn’t even know existed and that could possibly scar you for life, bore you to death or leave you wondering what the hell just happened. And you’ll probably spend the entire time silently wishing you were in a megaplex watching a light romantic comedy starring that lovable British fellow–you [or is that Hugh?] know who we’re talking about.”
Then a super appears which simply reads, “We’re glad you’re here,” followed by an end tag logo and ID for the Vancouver International Film Festival.
Other promos in the package take the same humorous approach and bent. For example, “Overnanalyzer” has us looking through a coffee shop window at a man seated at a table across from another person. The man animatedly gestures as he seemingly makes observation after observation to his captive companion. The voiceover pays homage to “all the people who will overanalyze the following film over a bite to eat and find symbolism in every single scene–symbolism the filmmaker didn’t even know was there whether it’s the opening shot of an elderly man buying suspenders or the cutaway of a camel spitting….”
“Die-Hard” centers on a man who views the film festival as akin to an “iron man competition.” He’s there for the duration with sandwiches, snacks and other forms of sustenance to keep him in the theater ad infinitum. The voiceover notes that this is “time that could be instead spent with loved ones.”
And “Seat Saver” shows us the poor schlub who puts garments over the seats next to him in order to save them for “friends” who live closer to the theater than he does–and who have the day off. Meanwhile he endures the proverbial “stink eye” from other theater-goers. The voiceover describes him as having to wear “three chair-saving layers of clothing before you awkwardly strip down” to preserve part of a row for your buddies.
Reflecting screen Hutsul said he was “immediately attracted to the idea of turning the movie screen into a kind of mirror to the audience. Instead of focusing on the big stars and directors of the festival, the goal was to study the audience and illustrate some of the quiet narratives surrounding its culture.
“The challenge was to find the characters to best embody the film festival archetypes presented by the creative team–the over-analyzers, the diehards and the lowly seat saver, etcetera. We tell these stories in long, seamless takes that allowed our actors to enrich their characters with subtle expressions and movements. The moments are designed to be understated so as to feel natural and to complement the voiceover. The final product is the result of a smart idea, great writing, and a character-driven, uncluttered visual approach.”
It’s fitting that Hutsul helmed this week’s “Best Work” entry. A year ago in our fall 2007 Directors Issue, he was profiled as one of the up-and-coming directorial talents to watch.
Agency team The TBWA ensemble included creative director Paul Little, copywriters Addie Gillespie and Jon Murray and producer Mike Hasinoff.
The DP was Phil Lanyon. Editor was Melanie Snagg of Tonic Post, Vancouver. The Vancouver Festival began on Sept. 25 and wrapped earlier this month.
