A gamer is seated on the couch, transfixed on a video game. He tells his roommate, who’s just come home from work, that a package came for him. The roomie doesn’t look too pleased that the box–a delivery order from Frys.com (the online site of regional retailer Fry’s Electronics)–has been opened, but a smile comes to his face when he looks at the contents. He then exits out of sight into the adjoining room.
Suddenly all the power goes out and a bright light flashes from that next-door room. An instant later the power returns to the home and the gamer gets off the couch to see what the heck happened. He’s stunned to find no sign of his roommate–just a spinning swivel chair in the center of a technological labyrinth. “Steve,” he says sheepishly, realizing that his roommate is somewhere far away. Turns out the component from Frys.com was the missing piece to a time travel machine.
An end tag identifies the sponsor, Frys.com, accompanied by the slogan, “Welcome home, tech heads.”
“Pod” is one of three spots in a campaign directed by Simon West of Zoo Film, Hollywood, for Santa Ana, Calif.-based agency DGWB.
Gower Frost executive produced for Zoo, with Dawn Fanning serving as producer. The DP was Matthew Libatique. West has re-entered the spot arena via Zoo. He has extensive directorial credits in the ad discipline (Pepsi’s “Boy In A Bottle,” and the Cannes Gold Lion winner Little Caesar’s “Italian Feast”) and then diversified into feature helming (Con Air, The General’s Daughter, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider).
The DGWB team on the Frys.com package included partner/executive creative director Jon Gothold, creative directors Dave Swartz and John Zegowitz, associate creative director/art director Joe Cladis, associate creative director/copywriter Steve Harbour, designer Stan Chow and producer Scott Seltzer.
Editor was T.G. Herrington of Babbage Industries, Santa Monica. Colorist was Beau Leon of The Syndicate, Santa Monica. The Syndicate’s Verdi Sevenhuysen was Flame/visual effects artist, with Kim Evans producing for the company. Audio post mixer was Jeff Payne of Eleven, Santa Monica.
Sound designer was Reinhard Denke of stimmung, Santa Monica.
Principal actors were Joel Huggins and Jayk Gallagher.
AICP’s Matt Miller Looks To Build Support For Production In L.A. After Devastating Wildfires
Editor’s note: AICP president and CEO Matt Miller issued the following statement addressing the wildfires in Los Angeles and how the industry can help this key production market--a hub of major resources essential to the health of the overall commercialmaking industry:
Who Needs Los Angeles? We Do.
By Matt Miller, AICP president and CEO
One doesn’t have to be a statistician to know that there are fewer commercials being shot in the U.S. today for the American market than ever before, and a dramatic decrease in L.A. in particular. In the last five years, as reported by FilmLA (the office tasked with issuing permits), L.A. commercial production has dipped 31 percent.
But here’s the thing: This doesn’t mean that L.A. has lost its importance as the production center of the world. Production in L.A. is vital. It is the go-to. It’s where you can count on access to exemplary crews, a support infrastructure second to none, varied location and backlot options, a large population of on-screen talent and (fairly) predictable weather.
The fact is, with overall decline and now the devastation of the fires, we’re on the brink of losing this mainstay resource. Without employment opportunities and now many without homes, talented and trained crew are bound to leave either the industry or the L.A. area for other opportunities, unless there are enough job opportunities to sustain a solid living.
Now is the time when we ALL must support and bolster this community.
Production is needed in L.A., now!
Of course, advertising is a business, and marketers’ money should be spent as efficiently as possible, BUT we have to think beyond each production and know that if we lose the... Read More