The human stories behind such bedrock banking offerings as savings accounts, debit cards and small business services are explored in a new campaign for North Carolina-based First Citizens Bank. Bully Pictures‘ Jeffrey DeChausse directed three spots themed “Forever First” for new Michigan agency Factory and the 115-year-old bank, which is making its first major advertising push in more than a decade.nnEach spot weaves an emotional tale focusing on how First Citizens Bank helps its customers. First Love follows a boy as he grows to adulthood while saving money to achieve his dream. In A Dog’s Life, a woman is inspired to build her own business. Together shows how an innovative new family debit card helps a single father stay connected with his teenage daughter.nn”The commercials are about financial services and we are making those services relevant by connecting them to familiar human stories,” says DeChausse. “The agency’s scripts provided a beautiful opportunity to do something great.”nnnnDeChausse aimed for naturalism and directed the spots with an eye for realism. “We want viewers to get lost in the human element,” he explains. “I wanted to be sure that the actors really understood the stories, their themes and meanings, so that they weren’t just performing roles.”nnMark Lantz, founder and executive creative director of Factory, says that the passion and energy DeChausse brought to the project was infectious. “He has great empathy for the characters he portrays and good storytelling chops,” Lantz observes. “We wanted this campaign to strike a resonant human chord, and Jeffrey nailed it.”n nAn Emmy® for 100 ClubnDeChausse struck a different emotional chord with a public service ad for Chicago agency Downtown Partners and the 100 Club of Chicago, a charity benefitting surviving family members of police officers, firefighters and paramedics who lose their lives in the line of duty. The ad features Joe Mantegna, Dennis Franz and other well-known actors talking about the difference between playing a cop on television and working as a real life law enforcement officer. “They don’t always go home,” says Franz. The actors stand on a sound stage and talk directly to the camera. The spot recently won a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement for Community/Public Service.nn”The idea is so simple,” says DeChausse, “but sometimes the simplest ideas are also the biggest—and this was one of them.”n nAnniversarionDeChausse’s other recent work includes a campaign for ADT out of Doner, Detroit, and a short film entitled Anniversario. The latter is a comedy about a woman who visits her favorite hairdressers in preparation for her 45th wedding anniversary celebration. The film recently won for Best Director at Flickers: Rhode Island International Film Festival and is also an official selection of the Austin Film Festival, New Filmmakers Los Angeles, and the La Costa Film Festival.n nFirst Citizens Bank CreditsnTitles: A Dog’s Life, Together, First LovenAgency: Factory. Mark Lantz, Founder, Executive Creative Director; Greg Sieck, Founder, Agency Operations; Tom Parr, Creative Director; Craig Mungons, Producer; William Wayland, Director of Client Services; Victoria Merritt, Assistant Account Executive; Kathi Strace, Talent & Business Manager; Cheryl Addington, Art DirectornnProduction: Bully Pictures, Los Angeles. Jeffrey DeChausse, director; Jason Forest, executive producer. nnAbout Bully PicturesnBully Pictures is a f
Jason Forest Executive Producer Bully Pictures 310 395 6500 Contact Jason via email
Contact:Media: Linda Rosner ArtisansPR 310.837.6008 Contact Linda via email
Who Needs Los Angeles? We Do.
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 LA 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 incredible resource of L.A. production as we know it, then marketers, agencies and the industry loses in the long run. Over the past several days, some agencies have issued directives to production companies that are unilaterally pushing upcoming production options out of L.A. The fact is L.A. is a large area, and many sections of the city and county are not directly impacted... Read More