The annual South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival, Austin, Texas, showcases quality fare for movie connoisseurs. It’s a brand of sophisticated cinematic entertainment that isn’t for those with pedestrian fast-food palates.
However, a fast-food stand—Burger Hut, supplier of "beef of the stars"—paradoxically is the setting for a series of trailers that humorously promotes the SXSW Fest.
In the 1:01 "Drive Thru," a weathered car pulls up to Burger Hut’s outdoor menu. A cheerful employee greets the driver via the tinny-sounding loudspeaker system. We see the smiling, clean-cut, all-American-looking employee—donned in apron and paper Burger Hut hat—as he delivers his spiel: "Hi. Welcome to Burger Hut, beef of the stars. Can I take your order, please?"
The camera then reveals the relaxed face of the car’s middle-aged driver, who replies, "May I have a regular cheeseburger, regular fries and a Coke, please?"
The Burger Hut guy starts his sales pitch. "Sir, I’ll gladly up-size your order, if you can …"
But he’s interrupted in mid-sell, as the driver quickly responds, "I don’t care for an up-size, thank you."
Unwilling to take "no" for an answer, the Burger Hut employee continues, undaunted. "Sir, if you let me finish, please. I’ll gladly up-size your order if you can correctly identify the best-supporting-actress Oscar-winner from 1935."
At this point, in his car’s rearview mirror, the driver sees a puppet bob past, dressed in Burger Hut uniform and carrying a bag of trash. Unperturbed, the driver again dismisses—this time in stronger words—any attempt to revise his lunch order.
"I said I don’t want your damn corporate up-size, alright!?" he insists belligerently.
With a condescending chuckle, our captain of the PA system strikes back: "Well, you’re not going to win anything with that attitude."
Suddenly, a third party enters the scene: the aforementioned puppet, a strange-looking creature that’s sort of a cross between the Muppets and Punch and Judy. "Hey, buddy!" he calls from the car’s driver-side window.
"Yeah?" replies the driver.
"It’s a trick question. There was no best-supporting-actress category in 1935." The Burger Hut greeter overhears. "Jimmy, are you out there?" he demands over the PA.
"No," shouts Jimmy, as the dialogue shifts to a tightly cued escalating exchange between the Burger Hut staffers.
"Jimmy, I think you’re supposed to be on trash detail," admonishes the human.
"I’m on my smoke break, man," retorts the puppet.
"When did you start smoking?"
"When did you start caring?"
(Bewildered) "What’s happening to us?"
(Dismissive) "This is not workplace conversation!"
The would-be customer can take no more: "Look, I just want some food," he pleads.
The spot concludes with a shot of the fast-food restaurant’s huge "Burger Hut" sign and "Beef of the Stars" slogan. Presumably the marquee underneath would normally list weekly specials; this time its black letters read, "SXSW Film Fest 2002." End credits display the logos for and list the many sponsors and patrons of the SXSW event.
This offbeat campaign was produced and directed by Dan Brown, who took on the project as a side gig to his full-time job: that of a staff producer at Austin ad agency GSD&M.
Brown—who helmed the job via Austin-based production house Action Figure—teamed with Mike Mitchell and Kent Osborne to write the campaign. Additionally, Osborne portrayed the human Burger Hut employee, while Mitchell was puppeteer for Jimmy. (Mitchell is also a feature director, with credits including Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo. He is currently slated to direct the upcoming feature Surviving Christmas, starring Ben Affleck.)
The DP on the SXSW campaign was Mark Miks. Production designer was Craig Denham, who is a staff graphic designer at GSD&M.
Ariel Quintans of Action Figure edited the package of spots. Jeff Franklin and Joe Malina of Matchframe, Austin, served as online editor and colorist, respectively. Sound designer/audio mixer was Corey Roberts of Sound to Image, Austin. Among those donating their services were MatchFrame, Action Figure, Alpha Cine and Eastman Kodak. Original music was composed by The Starlight Mints, a band based in Norman, Okla.
