The tabletop field seems, in some ways, an industry unto itself. For one thing, tabletop directors are a rarified group. "There are only about six guys doing it," assesses tabletop director Bruce Nadel, who recently formed his own New York-based shop, Nadel Productions, after his former roost, OneSuch Films, closed last year.
The number of tabletoppers is shockingly small in comparison to the overall group of commercial directors—a figure that has swelled into the thousands. And significantly, it seems very few people are entering the tabletop field, a situation threatening to make tabletop specialists an endangered species.
Tabletop is, simply, a daunting arena to break into according to most of the tabletop directors SHOOT canvassed. "It is such a closed environment," observes director David Deahl of Big Deahl Productions, Chicago. "For anyone to get into it now, there’s a huge learning curve, with motion control and special effects. It’s a huge nut to crack."
As Deahl alludes to, computer-based post technologies that allow different elements to be integrated into film represent a major change in the industry, as compared to 10 or 15 years ago. Today, a tabletop director is not only expected to have acquired a photographic body of knowledge—including lighting, composition, design and the physics and mechanics of rigging—but must also learn about how and when to use motion-control equipment, and must be conversant in the world of postproduction and CG special effects. Because post technologies and the tools are ever evolving, the learning curve continues throughout one’s career.
Entering the tabletop-directing realm used to be an easier proposition. Consider, Deahl who, by age 17, had several of his photography pieces in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection. After graduating from the University of Iowa, he proceeded to apprentice with several photographers in Chicago before setting up his own photography studio at age 21. His print business was in the black after five years, which was about the time he hooked up with his wife, Rosemary, co-owner/CEO of Big Deahl, who took over sales for the company, and Deahl saw his business increase by 40 percent.
After 12 years of doing print, Deahl sought new challenges and began transitioning into film in ’88; soon afterward he started shooting spots exclusively. A couple of years ago, Deahl fortified his company with the signing of tabletop director Mark Klein, who regularly shoots cosmetics spots, and executive producer Noreen Szeluga, both of whom were formerly with Peter Elliott Productions, Chicago; Elliott is a noted tabletop director as well. Over the years, Deahl’s business—including regular work from McDonald’s, a client for 14 years—has grown to the point where his facility now offers one large and two medium-sized stages, a complete motion-control set-up and a metal and woodworking shop in addition to "people who are, for all practical purposes, resident prop masters and riggers," says Deahl.
While insert work—i.e. product shots that are integrated with footage done by another director—remains popular, Deahl says he is seeing more projects in which he is asked to shoot the live action as well as the product portions of the spot. Indeed, tabletoppers have made significant progress over the years. "There were the days when a live action director would shoot the product shots," says Deahl. "But there have been a handful of guys who have helped create a mystique around tabletop, with [their use of] motion control, lensing and technique. Now agencies, if they want an insert shot, realize the need to go to a tabletop specialist. Before, a lot of agencies just didn’t pay attention [to the product portion of spots]."
Deahl sees the benefit of maintaining a single vision all the way through post. The combo projects he directs now create "a nice synergy" for the client, he says. Among Deahl’s longtime clients is the aforementioned McDonald’s, for whom his involvement extends to supervising the telecine sessions. "One change for me is that I’m increasingly getting involved in jobs at the conceptual stage," he says. "One example is ‘Burst Your Bubble,’ a Budweiser spot for which the agency, DDB Chicago, came to us for the special effects. We expounded on that. I drew up storyboards and worked with [creative director] Gary Alfredson on it."
Deahl notes that as of now, HD hasn’t impacted his business, although he was called on to do an HD test for Sony. "I have faith one day they’ll match the look of film, but we’re years away from that," he says. "In a business where we’re selling fantasy and fluff, the look of HD video is flat—it’s too close to reality."
While acknowledging the economy’s downturn, coupled with the aftermath of 9/11, had an impact on business last year, Deahl says that 2002 is showing a rebound. His recent projects include "Doctor" and "Healthy Kids" for Tropicana via DDB Chicago; and "Everything You Love" for Healthy Choice via Grey, New York.
Tabletop director Michael Somoroff of bicoastal MacGuffin Films also started as a still photographer, working in New York, where he maintained his own studio for many years. He went on to spend 12 years living in Europe (in Paris and Hamburg), where he shot portraiture and still-life major magazines, including German Vogue and Elle. Several clients asked him to shoot motion picture film, and a couple of his first commercials, for Greenpeace and for Tuk’s, a German cracker, wound up earning Gold Lions at the Cannes International Advertising Festival, something Somoroff calls a "high watermark" in his career.
Somoroff then joined Directors Studio in London and continued to develop his craft. He returned to the U.S. in ’87, which was about the time he signed with Stiefel+Company, which is now in Santa Monica. For the last 12 years, he has been directing at MacGuffin. His longtime clients include Red Lobster, now handled by Euro RSCG Tatham, Chicago, for which he has worked for nearly a decade. Another regular collaborator is Olive Garden, a client of more than eight years, whose agency is Grey, New York. Recent Olive Garden spots for which Somoroff shot the food portions include "Breadsticks," "Pasta" and "Citizen Dad." He also shoots regularly for Taco Bell out of FCB, San Francisco, including "Bowl," "Fajita Fixation" and "Grilled Topped Fries." (Somoroff handled the food portions of the latter two spots, with Marcus Nispel of bicoastal/international Morton Jankel Zander doing the live action.)
Somoroff has observed an increase in insert work and sees the integration of different elements (live action, special effects, and product shots) as a positive development. In such scenarios, he notes, "there are more experts collaborating and there is a greater sharing of information.
"We’re now in a moment that demands experimentation," he continues. "This industry supports directors able to master a conglomeration of skills. I’m constantly being given the opportunity to learn new things, which I love. In the last five years, I’ve had to become absolutely computer literate; I use that information every day."
New Talents
Like Deahl, Somoroff notes that he has been increasingly invited into the post process, which makes perfect sense. "The person creating the elements knows best how they should be put together."
Unlike his fellow tabletop compatriots, Somoroff does see new faces on the tabletop horizon. He cites Kevan Bean and Nick Fuglestad as two up-and-coming tabletop directors with MacGuffin, whom he is helping groom. "I’m old fashioned," Somoroff comments. "I believe in the old master/protégé system in which information that has been gathered is given over to the next generation. I feel a deep responsibility to share those gifts. Without the generational hand-off, I think the craft diminishes."
The down economy has not led to a significant work slowdown, says Somoroff, who opines that the culture is now experiencing "a wake-up call." While the company is doing the volume of work it did years ago, he notes, "We believe in virtues such as servicing and taking care of clients. I think clients flock to a safe haven, and we’ve worked hard to build a reputation as an honest, hard working company. Winning awards has never been the first goal; the work is."
In contrast to his fellow tabletop helmers, Nadel began as a freelance producer. It was on what was to be a five week project with the late Elbert Budin, the "grandaddy of tabletop," that Nadel began what turned out to be a 10-year tenure with Budin. Nadel produced for Budin for eight years and, in the last two, started shooting projects—the ones that Budin didn’t want to do, says Nadel. Following this, Nadel went out on his own and proceeded to join the former Cooper, Dennis & Hirsh. After two and a half years, he and executive producer Bob Ramos launched their own company, Nadel Productions, and its successor shop, OneSuch Films, where Nadel worked for a collective 18 years.
"[OneSuch] had run its course," explains Nadel of the now-shuttered company. "The business had changed so much. There were newer, younger guys coming into the business. They didn’t feel the company was nimble enough, so it closed by attrition."
This year, Nadel moved to a new studio on 54th Street, and set up shop with executive producer Rick Katzen and Mario Malave, his production coordinator of 15 years. While board flow is beginning to pick up again following last year, Nadel laments the changes wrought by the economy. "The biggest change for me is that, two years ago, I’d know what I’m doing in September—I’d be booked. Now, we get last-minute calls by clients with five days’ notice for jobs. The first question they ask is ‘Are you available?’ and everybody is."
In Nadel’s view, clients are not committing to creative and to budgets as quickly and he finds that clients are requesting fewer shoot days. Often, there is a strong tendency to re-run commercials that were done in previous years. "The feeling is, ‘Why go shoot something new when you have something already that’s good.’ "
However, he notes that "these things are cyclical. There are products to be sold and when the economy picks up, clients will start advertising. Tabletop doesn’t seem to advertise luxury items—it’s the consumer staples that have to be sold."
More insert work is also a trend, Nadel notes, as is the increasing involvement of postproduction in tabletop projects. In some cases, he says, post is even replacing what used to formerly be accomplished with shooting motion control; he estimates that 50 to 60 percent of what he used to do motion control is now done in the computer.
"You can do so much in post," he says. "It’s an integral part of the finished product. And I find I’m being contacted for jobs not only by ad agencies, but by post houses." For instance, Nadel recently got a call from effects studio BUF, Paris, asking him to shoot the live action for two Moen Faucets spots, "Revolution" and "Aqua Suite," via Cramer-Krasselt, Chicago. Nadel directed footage of a woman in the shower for the spots, which were 70 percent CGI.
"It was a very enjoyable and satisfying process," assesses Nadel, whose other recent projects include "Hands," a Pur water filters spot via Saatchi & Saatchi LA, Torrance, Calif.; and TGI Friday’s "Chefs," out of Publicis Mid-America, Dallas. On the latter, Nadel shot the food portion only; Tom Schiller of bicoastal Coppos Films did the live action. "With the Moen job, there was the opportunity to problem-solve and it was challenging. I didn’t feel like an insert director; I felt like an intricate part of the process."
The integration of different disciplines opens the door to creativity, which Nadel believes has lately been a bit lacking in tabletop. "I’ve noticed that it’s all starting to look alike…the McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s. Those insert food shots are indistinguishable. That it’s so homogenized seems to be a trend in fast food advertising—the idea that a burger is a burger is a burger. It’s gotten not as interesting as it could be, and I too have participated in some of that not-so-great work."
Nadel apologizes for sounding cynical, and hastens to add that he remains invigorated by the challenges of tabletop. He, too, attends all transfer sessions for his projects and strives to be as involved as possible in the process. "It’s all about trying to create a new look."
