Orchestral fare–which may not be in vogue in today’s fast paced, at times seemingly synthesized society–nonetheless shows its timeless capacity to score, and score impressively, based on entries number one and two, which grace this Summer’s SHOOT Top 10 Spot Tracks Chart: Travelers’ “Bridge” and Mountain Dew’s “Master,” respectively.
“Bridge,” directed by Noam Murro of Biscuit Filmworks for Fallon Minneapolis, unfolds to music composed by Robert Miller of RMI, New York. The storyline lent itself to an orchestral composition which is why Fallon gravitated to Miller in the first place.
As “Bridge” opens, we see a man pulling a cart containing a large set of wings through a quaint village. As he walks along at a determined pace, villagers chase after him in anticipation. The man puts on the wings, stands atop a bridge and leaps off. “He can fly! He can fly!” people shout as the man soars above the river.
“But he can’t swim,” a grumpy old-timer barks as he walks away from the scene.
As the winged man is headed for an inevitable splash landing, a voiceover intones, “Your risks are always evolving. Shouldn’t your insurance stay in synch?” Miller’s orchestral treatment, highlighted by a solo violin performance as our inventor/dreamer soars into the stratosphere, is the perfect accompaniment helping to support and advance the story at the same time. A long cadence, for example, supports the sense among the villagers and the inventor himself that positive momentum is building and that the coveted achievement of flight is about to come to pass. The score had to straddle a creative fence, however: soaring with this “dreamer” yet staying connected to the small European village feel. There’s also the element, says Miller, of the villagers themselves. In a sense they–except for the grumpy dissenter–are lifted by the inventor’s flight, for a moment even living vicariously through the man who dared to step out on a limb.
Miller notes that his collaborators–including Fallon art director Dean Hanson and copywriter Dean Buckhorn–enabled him to soar musically. “The two Deans are warm folks to work with. They and Vic [Palumbo, Fallon’s executive producer on the job] were very sensitive to the issues of their film and what they’re looking to communicate.” And director Murro’s film itself, relates Milller, was a joy to score. “Murro’s film is brilliant–the casting, the feel, the sensitivity. My answer is yes if I am ever asked to work on anything directed by Noam Murro.”
PRAGUE
While “Bridge” was shot and casted locally just outside of Prague, Mountain Dew’s “Master” also has a Czech connection. The dramatic music for “Master”–composed by Jeehun Hwang via Groove Addicts, Los Angeles–was recorded with the Prague Symphony and an all-male chorus. The score mixes classical elements, Chinese instrumentalists and foreboding vocals to accompany epic visuals that tell the story of a man who comes of age as a warrior in a remote hillside retreat which has a martial arts feel. However, the skill being learned in this comedic tale is hand slapping.
In “Master,” directed by Traktor of bicoastal/international Partizan for BBDO New York, a young African-American would-be martial artist arrives at a sanctuary designed to train the mind, body and spirit. The Kung-Fu master of the compound greets the male youth yet then demonstrates how much faster he is than his new pupil. Indeed the young man is even overmatched when going against other hand-slapping students. His hands repeatedly take a beating in different scenarios, but undaunted he perseveres, training hard and becoming disciplined. Over time, he slowly turns the corner and we can see his improvement, of which the master takes note. Finally, with a can of Mountain Dew in hand, he is ready to take on the master himself. The master reaches for the drink but the apprentice’s hands appear too quick for his teacher who seemingly fails to grab the can.
But before any sense of triumph can set in, the pupil realizes that the can feels lighter in his hand–the master drank the Dew in the blink of an eye, leaving only the empty aluminum container behind. A parting message reads, “Do the Dew.”
Groove Addicts creative director Dain Blair brought Hwang onto the project. While Groove Addicts maintains a roster of spot artisans, Blair is also known for tapping into the feature, TV and general music scene for talent appropriate for select ad assignments. Hwang’s credits include include Aliens of the Deep (Disney/IMAX), Last Mysteries of the Titanic (Discovery Channel) The O.C. (Fox/Warner Bros. TV) and Resurrection Boulevard (Showtime).
Hwang’s music captures the sense of journey and progression for the aspiring warrior. Blair describes the composer as having “a clear understanding of the cultural references in this spot. Employing both uniquely Chinese and Western instruments, Hwang creates the perfect balance reflected in the spot’s imagery.”
| Title | Music/Sound | Audio Post | Agency | Production | |
| 1 | Travelers’ “Bridge” | RMI, New York: Robert Miller, composer; Heather Weisberg, executive producer. Blast Digital, New York: Joe O’Connell, Gerard Collins, Casey Hogan, sound designers | Blast Digital: Joe O’Connell, mixer | Fallon Minneapolis | Biscuit Filmworks, Los Angeles: Noam Murro, director |
| 2 | Montain Dew’s “Master” | Groove Addicts, Los Angeles: Jeehun Hwang, composer; Dain Blair, creative director. Nomad Editing Company, Santa Monica: Francois Blaignon, sound designer | Sound Lounge, New York: Tom Jucarone, mixer | BBDO New York: Loren Parkins, music producer | Partizan, bicoastal/international: Traktor, director |
| 3 | Sprite’s “Greenhouse” | Musikvergnuegen, Hollywood : Walter Werzowa, arranger; Pat Weaver, executive producer; Rod Argent (“Time of the Season”), composer. Amber Music, bicoastal/international: Bill Chesley, sound designer | RavensWork, Venice, Calif.: Eric Ryan, mixer | Crispin Porter+Bogusky, Miami: Bill Meadows, music producer | Smuggler, bicoastal: Happy, director |
| 4 | Nike Golf’s “Swing Portrait” | Elias Arts, bicoastal: Chris “Kimo” Kemp, composer; Dave Gold, creative director; Ann Haugen, producer | Eleven, Santa Monica: Jeff Fuller, mixer | Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore. | Anonymous Content, bicoastal: Malcolm Venville, director |
| 5 | Coca-Cola’s “Video Game” | Amber Music, bicoastal/international: H. Scott Salinas, arranger; Paul Williams, composer (of the original “You Give A Little Love”); Chris Smith, sound designer | POP Sound, Santa Monica: Peter Rincon, mixer | Wieden+Kennedy, Portland | Nexus Productions, London: Smith & Foulkes, directors |
| 6 | United Airlines’ “The Night” | Trivers/Myers Music, Manhattan Beach, Calif.: George Gershwin (“Rhapsody in Blue”), composer; Trivers and Myers Music, arrangers; John Trivers, Elizabeth Myers, composers (Chinese music) | Pixel Farm, Minneapolis: Ken Chastain, mixer | Fallon Minneapolis | Pascal Blais Studio, Montreal: Alexander Petrov, director/animator |
| 7 | Fruit of the Loom’s “Cruisin'” | Wojahn Bros. Music, Santa Monica: Roger Wojahn, Scott Wojahn, creative directors/composers; Dara Norris, producer, | Charlieuniformtango, Dallas: Russell Smith, mixer | The Richards Group, Dallas | MJZ, bicoastal/ international: Phil Joanou, director |
| 8 | Embarq’s “Brenda” | Bang Music+Sound Design, New York: Brian Jones, composer; Lyle Greenfield, executive producer | audioEngine, New York: Tom Goldblatt, mixer | Mullen, Winston-Salem, N.C. | MJZ: Rocky Morton, director |
| 9 | McDonald’s “Dad’s Making Dinner” | Comma, Chicago: Bryan Rheude, composer; Larry Pecorella, executive producer. Chicago Recording: Michael Coyle, sound designer | Chicago Recording: Michael Coyle, mixer | Leo Burnett USA, Chicago | Bob Industries, bicoastal: Peter Care, director |
| 10 | Allstate’s “Girls Day Out II” | Spank! Music and Sound Design, Chicago: Greg Allan, composer; Ken Kolasny, executive producer.; Another Country, Chicago: John Binder, sound designer | Another Country: John Binder, mixer | Leo Burnett USA, Chicago | Tool of North America, bicoastal: Tom Routson, director |
