By MILLIE TAKAKI
To Sinatra’s rendition of the classic standard "Witchcraft," a woman quietly slinks into a bedroom, being careful not to disturb her man who is fast asleep. She spies what she was looking for-his favorite pair of jeans stretched out on the floor. She picks up the jeans and embarks on her intended good deed.
The woman throws the pants into a washing machine, adds detergent and the spin cycle begins. The spot cuts back to the sleeping male who is also agitated, as he thrashes around in bed. The woman then takes the jeans out of the washer and crumples them up into the dryer. Similarly the man-who’s in anything but peaceful slumber-is seen rolled up on the bed in a fetal position.
The dryer turns on and our angst-filled man starts to literally feel the heat, although he’s somehow still asleep. Mercifully, the dryer turns off and the woman pulls out the jeans, shaking them back to their original form. This serves to shake the man out of his deep sleep. He is possessed by a sense of urgency, springs out of bed and begins searching frantically for his better half. He arrives in the nick of time, stopping the woman in her tracks as she is about to plunge a hot iron into the denim. A supered message appears at the bottom of the screen: "They’re part of you. Lucky Brand Dungarees."
This piece is one of three spec spots that comprise a directorial reel finished last month by Maggie Choo who has been freelancing as an agency art director for the past year and a half. Prior to that she spent five years at BBDO/West, Los Angeles: a year as a creative assistant followed by two years as an assistant art director and another couple of years as a full fledged art director. In the latter capacity on staff at BBDO, Choo worked primarily in print; but her apprenticeship as a creative assistant and assistant art director included many forays into television. Among her recent credits as a freelance art director was an L.A. Cellular campaign directed by Jonathan David of bicoastal Shelter Films for BBDO West, Los Angeles.
Last year, Choo decided to pursue her directorial aspirations, resulting in the filming of the three spec ads in the summer of ’98. But having called in favors along the way and continuing to work as a freelance art director, Choo had to patiently trudge through the process to completion of the finished spots. She has just begun meeting with and screening the reel for production companies.
Choo directed, produced and helped conceive the job under her own banner, SpyGirl Productions, Venice, Calif. She partnered creatively with copywriter Rob Pearlstein who’s currently on staff at BBDO West, Los Angeles. Earlier she and Pearlstein freelanced together for BBDO.
"Soul Mate" was shot by DP Jeffrey Greeley. Editor was David Lee of Us 2 Editorial, Venice. And post was handled by a Digital Magic, Santa Monica, team consisting of Henry artist John Scheer, assistant Henry artist Christopher Reichel, colorist Paul Lear and assistant colorist Julie Chavez. Audio post was done by engineer Dona Richardson of AudioBanks, Santa Monica. Sound designers were AudioBanks’ Richardson and Brian Banks, backed by studio producer John Author.
Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. Explore Generations, Old School vs. New School, In “Poppa’s House”
Boundaries between work and family don't just blur in the new CBS sitcom "Poppa's House" starring father-and-son comedy duo Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr. They shatter.
"It's wonderful to come to work every day and see him and some of his kids and my sister and my brother and nieces and nephews. They all work on this show. They all contribute," says the senior Wayans. "I don't think there are words to express how joyful I am."
Wayans plays the titular Poppa, a curmudgeonly radio DJ who's more than comfortable doing it his way, while Wayans Jr. plays his son, Damon, a budding filmmaker who's stuck in a job he hates.
"My character, Pop, is just an old school guy who's kind of stuck in his ways," says Wayans, who starred in "In Living Color" and "My Wife and Kids."
Pop yearns for the days when a handshake was a binding contract and Michael Jordan didn't complain if he got fouled on the court. Pop laughs at the younger generation's participation trophies.
"It's old school versus new school and them teaching each other lessons from both sides," says Wayans Jr., who played Coach in the Fox sitcom "New Girl."
"They (the characters) bring the best out in each other and they're resistant initially. But then throughout the episode they have revelations and these revelations help them become better people," he adds.
The two have worked together before — dad made an appearance on son's "Happy Endings" and "Happy Together," while son was a writer and guest star on dad's "My Wife and Kids." But this is the first time they have headlined a series together.
The half-hour comedy — premiering Monday and co-starring Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson — smartly leaves places in the script where father and son can let... Read More