Team One Puts Man At One With Machine In “Running Man.”
CLIENT
Lexus Cars.
PRODUCTION CO.
HSI Productions, bicoastal. Paul Giraud, director; Bill Sandwick, executive producer; Kerstin Emhoff, executive producer; Jim Bouvet, producer; Paul Biddle, production manager. Makeup by Joanne Gair. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Team One Advertising, El Segundo, Calif. Tom Cordner, co-chairman/executive creative director; Scott Gilbert, co-chairman/CEO; Nicole Hartsel, account executive; Steve Levit, associate creative director/art director.
EDITORIAL
Stuart Waks & Co., Santa Monica, Calif. Stuart Waks, editor; Patricia Gushikuma, producer; Augusta Einarsdottir, assistant editor.
POST
POP Television, Santa Monica. Rob Lingelbach, colorist. Company 3, Santa Monica. Noel Castley-Wright, Henry artist.
AUDIO POST
POP Sound, Santa Monica. Jeff Payne, mixer.
SOUND DESIGN
tomandandy, bicoastal. Tom Hajdu, sound designer.
BY DAVID KAUFMAN
Nearly a decade ago, El Segundo, Calif.-based Team One Advertising had the lofty goal of introducing American drivers to a new and unconventional luxury automobile. The car was the Lexus, a Japanese newcomer looking to take on the jet-set big boys like Mercedes and BMW. This was a time when Japan was still synonymous with auto efficiency and affordability, and this new genre of Japanese vehicle was poised to shatter myths.
Fast-forward to 1997, and Lexus is no longer the new kid on the luxury block: It’s been joined by Infiniti and the new-and-improved European models. And with Wall Street booming and Main Street buying, the luxury-car market is hotter than ever. Today Team One has a different mandate to fulfill, a new message to convey.
Enter “Running Man”–directed by Paul Giraud of bicoastal HSI Productions–the agency’s most recent, and possibly most elaborate, Lexus spot. It’s a perfect spot for the late 1990s: A lone man runs the streets of a postindustrial Los Angeles as dissonant, pulsating Icelandic rock beats carry him on. It’s dark and moody, and the finely chiseled model is all alone, man against city.
But this is no ordinary man, and this is no ordinary street scene. There’s a Lexus in tow, and the man is at one with the machine. So at one, in fact, that his body seemingly melds into an automobile. How so? Via the artistic wizardry of makeup artist Joanne Gair (best known for her outre Vanity Fair covers), who applied an artistic rendering of a Lexus onto the model to make him literally appear to be part of the car. The message, according to Team One associate creative director Steve Levit, is that viewers, too, can experience this type of auto-affinity.
“For years Lexus had to really prove that [it was] worthy of [its] buyers,” said Levit. “So we did demonstration ads, telling viewers the car is smooth, quiet and luxurious. But it became like they were so quiet and so smooth that they [were] emotionless. Our goal was to make the car have more emotion, to make the car more connected to the driver–more powerful and engaging.”
So while part of Team One was off in Japan getting a firsthand feel for the new touchy-feely Lexus, Levit went back to his art-school days and images he had seen of model Verushka, who painted her entire body to match various backgrounds.
“She was connected to her environment,” he explained. “We wondered what it would be like to be connected to a car in the same way.” Enter the paint–and painter Gair.
For Gair, who has applied a similar paint-on-body-on-background technique to fashion spreads and music videos for artists like Mick Jagger, the project was particularly ambitious. Making the paint process somewhat easier was a related print campaign, undertaken three weeks prior.
“I had never drawn a car before in my life, so I was very glad to do the still first,” said Gair, who finds inspiration for her work from the body painting of the Maori communities in her native New Zealand.
Logistically, the production team faced a few uphill battles. The first concern, of course, was the paint. But despite an eight-hour drying period each day of the three-day shoot, this ultimately proved problem-free. Then there was the issue of the model’s state of dress, or undress. He was initially clothed only in a G-string, but that uniform was upgraded to tights due to concerns over unnecessary nudity.
Levit and Giraud also wanted the spot to be moody, so night shooting was chosen, as were superurban locales. But then the pair became concerned that the spot would be over the top, that the model “would look like Spider-Man running around,” according to Levit. They wanted the look to “be surreal without looking goofy.” So some Henry work came into play, to match the fine lines between the man and the automobile, and make him appear consistent with his environment.
But not too consistent. “We did not want him to look like he was done on a computer,” said Levit. “We wanted him to look as humanly done as possible. All of the lines could have disappeared, but then what would have been the point?”
The music for “Running Man” is needle-drop from a band called Gus-gus, an Icelandic pop group one of the creatives knew about.
In the end, the biggest challenge “Running Man” faced was making it past the client review board, especially as the end result, Levit noted, was even moodier and edgier than the original concept, “more surreal than they’d expected.” Levit also admitted to “being scared at first about how the dealer in Topeka might react to it.” But the Lexus team supported the spot, and no changes were ordered.
“These are very conservative people, but everything turned out fine,” said Levit.
***
Dowad, Admusic Escape For Isuzu
CLIENT
American Isuzu Motors/Isuzu.
PRODUCTION CO.
Bruce Dowad Associates, Hollywood. Bruce Dowad, director; Bojan Bazelli, DP; Heidi Nolting, executive producer; Jessica Cooper, producer. Shot at Sony Pictures Studios, Culver City, Calif.
AGENCY
Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, San Francisco. Rich Silverstein, principal/creative director; Greg Bell, art director; Ron Saltmarsh, copywriter; Tod Puckett, producer; Robert Riccardi, account director/associate general manager; Todd Grantham, assistant account manager.
EDITORIAL
Nomad Editing Company, Santa Monica, Calif. Tom Muldoon, editor; Gus Koven, assistant editor; Susye Idema, producer.
POST
POP Television, Santa Monica. Mike Pethel, colorist. Hollywood Digital, Hollywood. Rob Sciarratta, transfer.
VISUAL EFFECTS
POP Television. Kristin Johnson, graphics/visual effects. Digital Domain, Venice, Calif. Patrick Davenport, producer; Stephanie Gilgar, coordinator; Andy MacDonald, visual effects supervisor; Paul Kirsh, David Stern, Dennis Davis, Scott Rader, Sonja Burchard and Claas Henke, compositors; David Isyomin, CG supervisor; Toshiaki Shiiozawa, animator; Joe Mandia, Chris Bayz, Linda Prescott, Mike Frick and Jon Aghassian, digital artists.
AUDIO POST
POP Sound, Santa Monica. Jeff Payne, mixer/engineer.
MUSIC
Admusic, Burbank, Calif. Steve Hampton, composer.
SOUND DESIGN
Machine Head, Venice. Stephen Dewey, sound designer.
THE SPOT
In “Giant,” a colossal man begins to build his own city filled with skyscrapers, walls and road signs. As the Isuzu Rodeo drives into the giant’s city, he attempts to stop the vehicle. The Isuzu blasts through the man’s legs, and as he tries to catch up to the car, he trips over a fence. The Isuzu manages to leave the city behind for a beautiful forest.
Spot broke Sept. 12.
***
The A+R Group Walks For Pledge
CLIENT
S.C. Johnson & Son/Pledge.
PRODUCTION CO.
The A+R Group, bicoastal, Michael Cuesta Jr., director/DP; Roberto Cecchini, executive producer; Mike Downey, producer. Shot at Raleigh Studios, Hollywood.
AGENCY
Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago. Debbie Heagy, senior producer; John Scott, VP/client creative director; Betsy Simson, copywriter; Ginni Selle, art director; Tom Lohr, VP/management director; Kerri Stenstrom, account director; Mark Grehan, account executive.
EDITORIAL
The Lookinglass Company, Chicago. Greg Snider, editor.
POST/VISUAL EFFECTS
The Filmworkers Club, Chicago. Martin Hicks, online editor; Mark Ward, Flame artist. Encore Santa Monica, Santa Monica, Calif. Beau Leon, colorist; Nigel Randall, compositor.
AUDIO POST
Chicago Recording Company, Chicago. Tim Butler, audio engineer.
MUSIC
Antelis Music, Chicago. Ira Antelis, composer.
SOUND DESIGN
Chicago Recording Company. Tim Butler, sound designer.
THE SPOT
“Walk, Walk, Walk” features an energetic little boy playing on a dirty wood floor; he walks, stomps and prances around in different types of oversized shoes, dragging mud, dirt and toys all along the scuffed floor. The :30 shows how Pledge restores the wood floor to its original splendor.
Spot broke in late July.
***
George Kline Co. Homers For FootAction
CLIENT
FootAction.
PRODUCTION CO.
George Kline Company, Dallas. Bobby Sheehan, director/DP; George Kline, executive producer; Jordan Kaiser, producer; Cindy Velsor, sales representative; Teresa Messineu, production manager. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Dieste & Partners, Dallas. Abel Barron, creative director; Aldo Quevedo, associate creative director; Dee Anne Bostic, agency producer.
EDITORIAL
Kranmar Editorial, New York. Alex Albanese, editor.
POST
The Filmworkers Club, Dallas. Rick Stephenson, colorist. Janimation, Dallas. Steve Gaconnier, online editor.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Janimation. Steve Gaconnier, animator.
AUDIO POST
Soundtracks Inc., Miami. George Blackwell, mixer.
SOUND DESIGN
Soundtracks Inc. George Blackwell, sound designer.
THE SPOT
In the :30 “Stroll,” Juan Gonzalez of the Texas Rangers talks about the challenges he faces as a hitter. The spot ends with Gonzalez hitting a homer and trotting around the bases.
Spot broke in July.
***
Pavlov Prodns. For Drug-Free America
CLIENT
Partnership for a Drug-Free America.
PRODUCTION CO.
Pavlov Productions, Culver City, Calif. Marty Weiss, director; Jan Bruggeman, DP; Tracy Hauser, executive producer; Lesley Chilcott, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago. Bill Paul, client creative director/senior VP; Bob Richter, art director; Amy Spizzo, copywriter; Colleen Dirsmith, producer/VP; Kurt Zoller, management director/senior VP; Julie Jensen, account executive.
STOCK FOOTAGE
Film & Video Stock Shots, North Hollywood. Stephanie Siebert, contact.
EDITORIAL
Cosmo Street, Santa Monica, Calif. Chan Hatcher, editor.
POST
POP Television, Santa Monica. Mike Pethel, colorist. Avenue Edit, Chicago. Jim Annerino, online editor.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Avenue Edit. Greg Huber, digital effects artist.
AUDIO POST
Chicago Recording Company, Chicago. Stanley Oda, engineer.
MUSIC
Red Squared Music, Chicago. Bryan Rheude, composer.
THE SPOT
“Mother Says” features Michael Jordan’s mom, Dolores, warning against the dangers of sniffing inhalants. The :30 PSA opens with retro black-and-white images of children doing what they are always told not to–jumping on the bed and sitting close to the television. The spot cuts to Mrs. Jordan’s living room, where she expounds on the deadly consequences of sniffing glue, paint and various household products.
Spot broke June 19.
***
Asche & Spencer Dreams For Wrangler
CLIENT
Wrangler Corp.
PRODUCTION CO.
Giraldi Suarez Productions, New York. Bob Giraldi, director; Max Malkin, DP; Debbie Merlin, executive producer; Lisa Hollingshead, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
The Martin Agency, Richmond, Va. Tom McElligott, creative director/copywriter; John Noble, producer; Brian Fandetti, art director.
EDITORIAL
Lost Planet, New York. Andre Betz, editor; Jay Slott, assistant editor.
POST
Lost Planet. Andre Betz, online editor. SMA Video, New York. Bill Gabor, colorist.
AUDIO POST
East Side Audio, New York. Tom Jucarone, engineer.
MUSIC
Asche & Spencer Music, Minneapolis. Thad Spencer, creative director; Chris Beaty and Tommy Barbarella, composers; Joel Smith, producer.
SOUND DESIGN
Lost Planet. Andre Betts, sound designer.
THE SPOT
“Seat Belt,” which opens in black-and-white, shows a man boarding an airplane and exchanging flirtatious glances with a woman seated behind him. As he buckles his seat belt, the spot cuts to color, and a hand gripping a rope on a saddle. At a rodeo, the same woman watches a bucking bronco toss the man around to the accompaniment of dramatic opera music. After he is thrown from the horse, he awakens on the plane to find that he was only dreaming. He looks back at the woman and finds that she, too, is asleep.
Spot broke in mid-July.
***
THD Benefits From Ben Gay And CD&M
CLIENT
Pfizer/Ben Gay.
PRODUCTION CO.
Open Frame Productions, New York. Kevin Jones, director/DP; Andrew Swee and Nan Swoyer, executive producers; JC Addison, producer. Tape House Digital, New York. Michel Suissa, designer/director; Karen Stewart, executive producer; Frank Devlin, senior producer. Shot at Silvercup Studios, Long Island City, N.Y.
AGENCY
Cline, Davis & Mann, New York. Ed Wise, creative director/ copywriter; Ralph Skorge, creative director/art director; Gary Hill, producer; Cris DiFalco, group account supervisor; Andria Coyne, account supervisor.
EDITORIAL
Editing Concepts, New York. Mary Alice Williams, editor.
POST/VISUAL EFFECTS
Tape House Digital. Tim Crean, visual effects artist; Kevin Brown, online editor; Milan Boncich, colorist. AFCG Computer Animation, New York. Floyd Gillis, computer animator. DuArt Film & Video, New York, laboratory.
AUDIO POST
Photomag, New York. Todd Miller, mixer.
MUSIC
Elias Associates, bicoastal. Todd Schietroma, composer.
THE SPOT
“Range of Motion” blends scientific data about Ben Gay with graphics and footage that emphasize the personal connection with arthritis sufferers. The :30 opens with a spokeswoman explaining the benefits of Ben Gay, followed by close-ups of body parts and graphics depicting the movement of joints.
Spot broke in July.
***
Saatchi & Saatchi Fills Up With Kix
CLIENT
General Mills/Kix.
PRODUCTION CO.
Harmony Pictures, Hollywood. Bill Scarlet, director; Michael Brown, DP; Kay Millet, executive producer; Ward Ricke, producer. Shot at Silvercup Studios, Long Island City, N.Y.
AGENCY
Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, New York. Scot Carouge and Dick Holt, creative directors; Jerry Boyle, associate director of broadcast production.
EDITORIAL
Horn/Eisenberg Editorial & Graphics, New York. Alan Eisenberg, editor.
POST
Horn/Eisenberg Editorial & Graphics. Alan Eisenberg, online editor. Post Perfect, New York. Victor Mulholland, colorist.
AUDIO POST
The Mix Place, New York. Kenny Fredrickson, engineer.
THE SPOT
In “Big Big Bowl,” two young brothers sit at a counter with two large bowls and a box of Kix. The older boy pours Kix into his brother’s bowl as the little one asks, “How come you made such a big bowl?” He replies, “ `Cause all the little bowls are in the dishwasher.” The older brother looks on in amazement as his brother, having already finished his cereal, refills the bowl.
Spot broke July 21.
***
TAG Pictures Races To Super 8 Motels
CLIENT
Super 8 Motels.
PRODUCTION CO.
TAG Pictures, New York. Tricia Caruso, director; Marc Blandori, DP; Jim Golden, executive producer; John Hoffman, producer; Kendra Gelner, head of production. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Grey Advertising, New York. Rich Kushel, VP/group creative director; Ken Barre and Sheralyn Silverstein, VPs/associate creative directors; Brad Kimmelman, producer; Ernestine Hess, business manager.
EDITORIAL
Red Car, New York. Beth Cramer, editor; Julian Soast, assistant editor.
POST
Red Car. Roe Bressan, managing director; Andrea Adler, postproduction producer; Tommy Tortoriello, online editor; Jason Weingarten, assistant online editor. Post Perfect, New York. Victor Mulholland, colorist.
AUDIO POST
Red Car. Rob Sayers, mixer.
MUSIC
North Forty Music, New York. Alan Smallwood, composer; Jim Todd, arranger.
THE SPOT
“Let’s Look” focuses on the Super 8 Motel room of NASCAR champion Bill Elliott, which contains racing uniforms and a toolbox. Elliott’s crew is shown under a bed with their legs sticking out at all angles, like a pit crew working beneath a race car.
Spot broke in September.
***
Bedford Falls Dials
1-800-COLLECT
CLIENT
MCI Communications/1-800-COLLECT.
PRODUCTION CO.
Bedford Falls, Santa Monica, Calif. Boris Damast, director; Bill Pope and Larry Fong, DPs; Nancy Fishelson, executive producer; Andrea Kikot, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Messner Vetere Berger McNamee Schmetterer/EURO RSCG, New York. Tony Gomes, creative director/copywriter; Max Jerome, art director; Priscilla Watts, producer.
EDITORIAL
Berwyn Editorial, New York. Scott Gaillard, editor.
POST
Nice Shoes, New York. Chris Ryan, colorist; Rick Schreck, online editor, “Lecture” and “Basketball”; Scott Burch, colorist; Ed Patrowicz, online editor, “Surfer Dudes” and “Tow Truck.”
AUDIO POST
East Side Audio, New York. Bob Giammarco, mixer, “Lecture” and “Basketball.” Photomag, New York. Rex Recker, mixer, “Surfer Dudes” and “Tow Truck.”
MUSIC
JSM Music, New York. Greg Mangiafico, composer, “Lecture”; Josh Kirsch, composer, “Basketball”; Jon Silbermann, producer. tomandandy, bicoastal. Andy Milburn and Peter Rundquist, composers, “Surfer Dudes” and “Tow Truck.”
THE SPOT
Phil Hartman portrays Max Jerome, a private eye who offers solutions on how to save money on long-distance calls using 1-800-COLLECT. In “Basketball,” a college basketball player is about to call home to tell his mom what time his game will be on television. Max arrives at the scene and describes the benefits of 1-800-COLLECT. The spot ends with referee Chris Rock giving some final words of wisdom about the MCI service. Max assists a couple stranded by the side of a road in “Tow Truck”; Rock portrays the tow-truck driver. In “Lecture,” Max instructs a classroom full of students on the finer points of 1-800-COLLECT. And Max sets a pair of skateboarders straight in “Surfer Dudes.”
Spots broke in September.
***
Przyborski Prodns. Helps Out With Kira
CLIENT
Kira.
PRODUCTION CO.
Przyborski Productions, Pittsburgh. Glenn Przyborski, director/DP; Jim DeVincentis, executive producer; Judy Elbel, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
The St. George Group, Pittsburgh. Brad Wucher, writer/creative supervisor; Shirley Yee, senior art director; Bruce Downing, senior account executive; Darla Heberle, account manager.
EDITORIAL
Przyborski Productions. Glenn Przyborski, editor.
POST
Henninger Elite Post of Nashville. Brent Clenney, colorist. Przyborski Productions. Glenn Przyborski, online editor.
AUDIO POST
Przyborski Productions. Glenn Przyborski, mixer.
MUSIC
ASA Productions, Indianapolis. Rich Airis and Scott Kemper, composers.
THE SPOT
The :30 “Linda” illustrates how Kira, a natural antidepressant, helps a young mother who suffers depression from job- and home-related stress.
Spot broke in July.
***
Scene Three Tackles Baptist Hospital
CLIENT
Baptist Hospital.
PRODUCTION CO.
Scene Three, Nashville. Marc Ball, director; Danny Ross, director/DP; Scene Three, executive producer; James Bolosh, producer. Shot on location.
AGENCY
Ericson Marketing Communications, Nashville. Tom Johnston, creative director; Kay Kinnard, producer; Barb Dickey, group creative director/art director; Jeff Moore, copywriter/music producer; Steve Dennison, account executive.
EDITORIAL
Scene Three. Brian Puckett, editor.
POST
Scene Three. Brian Puckett, online editor; Scott Neumann, graphics. The Filmworkers Club, Nashville. Rodney Williams, colorist.
AUDIO POST
Scene Three Audio, Nashville. Phil Gazell, audio engineer/ mixer.
SOUND DESIGN
Scene Three Audio. Phil Gazell, sound designer.
THE SPOT
Tennessee Oilers head coach Jeff Fisher walks through Baptist Hospital as patients are working out in the Sports Medicine Center. Fisher points out that while he just calls the plays, his players are the ones who actually take the hits, so he relies on Baptist to take care of them.
Spot broke July 25.
***
Hurwit Sacks Critic For Miller Lite
CLIENT
Miller Brewing Co./Miller Lite.
PRODUCTION CO.
Crossroads Films, Los Angeles. Bruce Hurwit, director; Tom Krueger, DP; Cami Taylor, executive producer; Coni Lancaster, producer. Shot at GMT Studios, Culver City, Calif.
AGENCY
Fallon McElligott, Minneapolis. Bill Westbrook, creative director; Kevin Amter, art director; Christina DeLouise, producer; Steve Johnston, copywriter.
EDITORIAL
Mad River Post, New York. Livio Sanchez, editor.
POST
Nice Shoes, New York. Ed Patrowicz, online editor; Chris Ryan, colorist.
AUDIO POST
East Side Audio, New York. Tom Goldblatt, mixer.
MUSIC
tomandandy, New York. Andy Milburn, composer.
THE SPOT
In the :30 “Book Chat,” "a critic and a jock “debate” the merits of Miller Lite’s Football Handbook.
Spot broke in September.
***
Noren Goes Bananas For Quaker Oatmeal
CLIENT
Quaker Oats/Quaker Instant Oatmeal.
PRODUCTION CO.
Noren Productions, Seattle. Gary Noren, director; Michael Chevalier, DP; June Leahy, executive producer; Lisa McClelland, producer. Shot at Jonas Jensen Studios, Seattle.
AGENCY
Foote, Cone & Belding, Chicago. Gary Rosenbaum, senior VP/chief creative director; Tony Wallace, producer; Barbara Biancalana, senior VP/management director.
EDITORIAL
Avenue Edit, Chicago. Michael Gannon, editor.
POST
Avenue Edit. Paul Rosckes, online editor; Peter Jannotta, colorist.
VISUAL EFFECTS
Avenue Edit. Paul Rosckes, effects.
AUDIO POST
Avenue Edit. Paul Rodgers, engineer/mixer.
MUSIC
HotHouse, Chicago. Rich Manners, composer.
THE SPOT
Two :30s–“More Fruit I” and “More Fruit for Kids”–feature people enjoying a bowl of oatmeal. As they savor the flavor of new Quaker Instant Oatmeal with more fruit, each is suddenly showered with fresh produce.
Spots broke Sept. 1.
***
Ink Tank Wins For TriState Megabucks
CLIENT
TriState Megabucks.
PRODUCTION CO.
The Ink Tank, New York. R.O. Blechman, creative director/designer; Brian O’Connell, executive producer/co-director; Liz Wassell, producer; Laura Rosenberg, coordinator; Tissa David, animator. Animus Films, New York. Daniel Esterman, cameraman.
AGENCY
OGBE Communications, Manchester, N.H. Rose Longo-White, executive producer; Sean P. Bice, VP/creative services; Grace Wieczorek, art director.
EDITORIAL
The Ink Tank. David Courter, editor.
POST
The Tape House Editorial Company, New York. Richard Dare, colorist; Jay Tilen, online editor.
AUDIO POST
Blast Digital Audio, New York. Joe O’Connell, engineer.
MUSIC
Arnold Black Productions, New York. Arnold Black, composer; Kinny Landrum, arranger.
THE SPOT
In “Win Cash,” a befuddled janitor attempts to move an oversized sack of money. After many unsuccessful attempts, he pulls out his cellular phone. A crane then picks up the jackpot and drops it into a wheelbarrow, which collapses under the sack’s weight.
Spot broke Sept. 8
