Most of them were flat-out horrible (just trust me on this) but out of the 30 or so that were contenders, there was one commercial that really stood out to me: Christian Simmons’ “Birds of a Feather”

Birds of a Feather, just don’t call him boring.

The rest of the competition seemed like stereotypical, in-your-face Superbowl fare. But “Birds of a Feather” felt different, it had a strange style to it that seemed slightly “off”…in a good way.

My friend did some googling and found the rest of his work online, and I was surprised to find that “Birds of a Feather” was actually Christian at his tamest! His other work can be found at his production company, Dandy Dwarves, or on his own personal site.

Christian’s commercials are fun and very well done, but what really blew me away were his shorts. When not restricted to 30 second clips, his twisted and surreal visions fully come to life and I guarantee you’ve never seen anything like them before.

Pencil Face, will be shown in the upcoming Sundance Film Festival in January.

With a dark, atmospheric style,  Christian is more of an experimental artist than your traditional “Spielberg-aspiring” storyteller.  His work is strongly visual, usually involving seamless special effects and spot on audio work that bring these unreal worlds to life.

Sunshine Bob, he can’t take control of his life.

The end result are films that tiptoe the beautiful/grotesque and leave you with a slight chill down your spine. Some of those images will stay with you long after they end (don’t make the mistake I did and watch this stuff before bed!)  Everytime I watch one of his pieces, I never know what they’ll stir in me, but they always take me to another place and leave a heavy feeling in my gut.

Plasticville, now this is how you open up a fashion show.

I think Christian himself summed up his work best on his site’s bio:

I find myself being constantly propelled in my work by the notion of ‘The Beautiful Monster’, a concept embodying
ideas of the interconnectivity between beauty and ugliness.  Just beneath the surface of something we’ve long held as beautiful, or even repulsive, may lie just the opposite.

Check out his other work, it’s all amazing.  From experimental shorts to sharp commercials to well-done documentary pieces.  I’m wishing him the best of luck with his Doritos commercials, but honestly, I don’t think he even needs it.  This guy’s gonna be huge and I have no doubt you’ll be seeing a lot more of his work in the future.

A few weeks ago I discussed the whole Bike Hero controversy that left a lot of the Youtube crowd with a bad taste in their mouths. A lot of people felt that they were being manipulated by the ad agency, not respected. So I got to thinking, on the flip side, what brand’s have been able to speak to the online community and successfully gain their respect?

The first example that came to my mind was EA Sports with their video game Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08.

Here’s the story: Last year, a few gamers found a glitch in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08 that allowed you to actually walk on water, ala Jesus.  They posted the video online and the online game community started passing around and laughing at this “Jesus Shot”

So glitch was found and exposed online.  What did EA Sports decide to do?  They could’ve A) ignored it, or B) admitted they made a minor mistake. Most companies would’ve just gone with A. But instead, EA Sports decided to turn this small embarassment into a big opportunity.

They went with option C) Play along.

EA Sports ended up releasing this response video a few months ago (hmm, just in time for the release of PGA Tour 09…) and the online gaming community has been eating it up:

“It’s not a glitch.  He’s just that good.”  Tell me you watched that and didn’t smile.  Not even the tiniest bit?  I don’t believe you.

The video’s racked up 2.5 million hits so far and with comments like, “Best fan response ever!” and “Thumbs up for their advertising agency and for the fella in the marketing department who had the balls to approve it.”

It’s not hard to see why the response has been so positive.  EA Sports, this huge video game corporation, actually listened to their fans and responded with a clever video starring the real Tiger Woods himself? Wow, you’ve just won some points in my book.

What EA Sports did different is that they actually interacted with their audience, instead of just talking at them.  So many companies just treat the online community as a passive audience at which they can yell their message to.  To them, the online audience only exists as a “view count” and as long as they get more views, that’s all that matters.

EA Sports instead took the time to understand their fans and talk to them in their own language.  They weren’t broadcasting a message, they were having a two-way dialogue. By speaking their consumers’ language and not just using them to get a higher view count, EA Sports bonded with their fans.  They gained their respect.  They built a relationship.

And it really makes sense, doesn’t it?  I mean, a successful brand is one where there’s mutual trust and respect, not unlike a succesful relationship.  Who would you rather be friends with - the guy shouting at you from a distant podium, or the guy having an actual conversation with you in your living room?  I know my answer, but hey, whatever floats your boat.

from Scion: BOXHEAD, directed by Adam Witten

1. Don’t write your own spots.

Even if you think you are the best copywriter in the world, at best you get a good spot but at worse you write a bad spot and no one is there to tell you as much, not to mention you lost an opportunity to meet and work with real agency folk.

Copywriters have whole drawers of dead scripts that the client killed. Many are great and just not want the client wanted that very moment. The creatives want to see this stuff made as much as you and if you are offering to pay for it most of the time they are happy as a pig in shit.

Jr. copywriters and art directors are young/inexperienced, so if you are nice they will take your call. Most importantly you get to work with other people who are doing real work, if you do good on their spec scripts they will remember you, When you get signed your EP and reps are going to ask who you know so they can call them for work for you.  These people are at the top of that list.

If you can’t find anyone for scripts try: http://www.specbank.com/ it is run by a buddy of mine, David Weinstock. Also you can think about applying to http://thespotlab.com/. I did it in 2007 and it was great but it is not for everyone. It is really hard and really expensive, but I did get signed after I did it.

2. Know what kind of reel you are looking to make.

My reel is not so great for cohesion, in general it is better to have 3 fantastic spots in the same style then 9 fantastic spots in different styles. Me, I am a visual storytelling director with some quirky story telling on the side. Find you niche and stick to it.

3. Shoot on 35mm.

I know this sounds ridiculous given all the great digital formats out there (including the Red which is now my preferred format) but the hard fact is that your work will be judged against other real spots that have really been shot in 35mm. It is wicked expensive but it is your best bet. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes there is a script that really works in 16mm or digital and then that is fine, but don’t try and bullshit a Budweiser spot on anything less then 35mm. Plus everyone is more likely to take you seriously and do you favors if you are shooting 35mm.

4. Break all of the above rules.

I have broken every one of these at least once but not before I had figured out how and when. I know it is a pain to have someone say here are the rules now go break them, but at the end of the day your path is your own and you need to follow your own instincts.

5. Don’t get discouraged…

…when people tell you that the market is changing and there is no work for young directors, there just is no longer a market for bad young directors.

6.  Do think about how you present yourself to the world.

You are always marketing yourself to production companies and agencies.

7.  Most of all, make stuff, all the time, no matter what.

To paraphrase Robert Rodriguez: We all have 10-20 really bad pieces in us that we need to get out before we start making consistently good work.  Almost all of the personal projects that I have done have ended up in the service of a paying job, even if it was just learning about how to use one particular shot really well.  The secret is to just keep working even when it seems like you are not making progress professionally. Perseverance in the face of apparently overwhelming indifference is the hardest part of being a working creative person.

Check out more from Adam Witten at his site, RE:Birth Films, or follow him on his Twitter.

Ah, the good ol’ “Spec Commercial”  If you’re a filmmaker looking to break into commercial directing, you’re gonna need a few of these on your reel.  A spec commercial is simply a “fake” commercial that a filmmaker makes to show ad agencies and companies that he’s worthy of hiring.

Needless to say, if you want to be taken seriously as a director, your spec commercials better look as close to the real thing as possible!

After years of watching many many (mostly horrible) spec commercials and having just recently finished 3 (hopefully not so horrible) specs of my own, I’ve noticed an interesting trend: Most filmmakers have no idea how to make a commercial.

Now there’s a ton of great filmmakers out there, but without any advertising experience, their spec commercials usually end up feeling like specs and not like the real thing.

Here are 6 common mistakes I’ve seen over and over again - avoid these and you’ll be a few steps ahead of the competition:

1. Don’t use a generic product benefit

Here’s an idea…how about two people fighting over the last bag of Doritos?  Oh or how about a really hot girl drools over an average Joe just cause he’s holding a Bud Light?  Sound familiar?  Yeah, these concepts are played-out commercial stereotypes by now, but they’re still being done to death in spec commercials!

The problem is that these lame ideas are coming from lame product benefits.  If the product benefit you’ve chosen is, “Doritos are so good” then where do you go from there?  “They’re so good…people will fight over them?  Guys will attract hot girls with them?  You can’t stop eating them?”  A generic product benefit leads to a lot of generic ideas.

In the beginning, spend some time choosing a product benefit that’s more specific, that says something unique about the product.  Instead of “Doritos are tasty” try “Doritos are bolder than a snack should be.”  Or instead of “Stride Gum is delicious”, use “Stride Gum is ridiculously long lasting.”

Already you can start seeing some ideas, ones that haven’t been done a million times already.  Choosing a strong, unique product benefit will automatically push you down a more creative, less-traveled path.

2. Stop going over the 30 second mark

Almost every single commercial on TV is exactly 30 seconds long.  It’s an industry standard.  And yet, most spec commercials top out at random lengths, :47, :53, 1:15.  This madness needs to end.

By not restricting your commercial to exactly 30 seconds, you’re showing that you lack one of the most crucial skills to commercial directing: precise timing.  In the world of commercials, you’ve got to adhere to very exact time restrictions.  So treat your spec like the real thing and show them that you can make every single second count.

Now you might be thinking, “Why not make a :60 spot like the ones I’ve seen on TV?  The more time, the better right?” Not necessarily.  I’ve seen hundreds of :60 spec commercials but every single one would’ve improved if they’d been cut down to :30.

Time limits aren’t all bad.  They force you to keep only what you need and cut out everything else.  Impose a 30 second limit on yourself, and I guarantee you’ll have a tighter, better paced, and more focused spot.

3. Sexual innuen-don’t

In creative advertising, more often than not, sexual innuendo is the easiest, laziest, and most unoriginal solution.  Don’t believe me?  In 10 seconds I bet you can come up with at least 3 lame sexual references, just think looong and hard (see?).

Commercials based on sexual innuendo are often just a cheap laugh on a joke that’s already way overplayed.  Unless you can twist it in a clever and original way, just don’t do it.

4. “Yeah, it’s that good”

No no no, it’s not.  The most overused tagline in spec commercial history.  Use it, and you automatically throw yourself into the “hopelessly unoriginal” pile.  Please, it’s not worth it!

5. Keep the tone consistent with the brand’s core values

If you’re creating a Coca-Cola ad, it better feel heartwarming, family friendly, and uplifting…or it just won’t feel like a Coke ad.

These brands have spent years cultivating and shaping their brand values and if your commercial isn’t aligned with them, your spot will seem “off” and out of touch. Save that edgy concept with the sexy dance number for another brand (or throw in the latest pop celebrity and make it a Pepsi ad, hey!).

6. Throw in the tail-end only when necessary

You know what I’m talking about.  It seems like the commercial is over, the motion graphics have just played, the logo is fading, the music is dying down…but wait!  In the last few seconds, the commercial suddenly cuts back to show one last “look” or “hilarious moment”. 

These tail-ends show up on TV commercials all the time, so you should throw them in your spec right?

Nope.  Stop thinking of these tail-ends as necessary for that “real commercial feel”.  As with everything else in film, use it only if it adds value.

Most likely, your ad has already hit it’s high note by then, and a tail-end would only water things down.  If you throw in a tail-end shot, that will be the last impression you leave on the viewer so make sure it’s a damn good one!

So if you’ve been following along, congratulations, you’ll avoid the mistakes that so many unfortunate souls couldn’t escape.  Now good luck with the hard part, go out there and make a kickass commercial!

Their official music video is flat out horrible.

It’s a bland, utterly uninspired “performance piece” which just showcases the band playing in a studio and Timbaland hittin’ some switches (oh and lest I forget the utterly nonsensical New Years subplot).  If you just read this last sentence, you don’t even need to click play cause you’ve already seen it.  There’s absolutely nothing to it.

Which is why it’s all the more shocking when you check out the original music video, before the record deal and before Timbaland:

Now this is a music video.  Filled with depth and such stark images that not only emote, but resonate. When you watch this you’re not thinking, “Oh are boy bands making a comeback?”  Instead, you’re busy getting lost in the beautiful shots revolving in front of you.

These ornate and delicate objects tell a story of a relationship that was once pure.  Then ink (or is it blood?) begins to slowly taint the figures, right before the final chorus swells up and violently destroys everything that was once pristine.

Original, moving, and so wonderfully executed. This was everything that the “official” video wasn’t.

So why did they ditch the original for the uninspired “official” mess?

Well it might’ve been because the original was never actually a real OneRepublic video in the first place.  Yup, it was created by cinematographer Aaron Platt for a OneRepublic contest (and even then, it only won runner-up).

But still, how in the hell did they not choose Platt’s video over the “official” one? I believe there’s one simple explanation:

The label wanted a standard “performance piece” that had zero creativity but featured the band members (and big Timb himself) in every single shot because they needed to introduce these “smoldering dreamboats” into the eyes (and wallets) of millions of pre-teen girls. That’s it.  Strike a blow to creative artistry.

But artists, fear not, for there is a happy ending to this story. Since OneRepublic hit it big, Aaron Platt’s video has racked up over 100 million hits worldwide, trouncing the “official” video which is lagging behind at a (relatively) meager 18 million.  So I don’t care what the record label says, the internet has clearly spoken: Aaron Platt’s inspired creation is OneRepublic’s official “unofficial” music video, whether they like it or not.

“Bike Hero” was a hit for many reasons, but especially with the fans of Guitar Hero and Rock Band, who were the perfect demographic. The concept was just off the wall and fun. I mean, they brought this beloved video game out into the real world, and on a bike nonetheless - what Guitar Hero fan wouldn’t want to see that?

What really made it work for me was the meticulous attention to detail. Every single element in the game was faithfully re-produced, including the high score pop-ups and the blue tinted “star power” mode. These details were definitely not lost on the fans.

But what resonated the most with the Guitar Hero heads was the sheer homebrew outrageousness of it all. To think, these random guys who are just like me, put in all those hours and went all out for no greater reward than pure, creative fulfillment…er, wait a second.

Turns out that Bike Hero was not created by ‘Madflux’, a McDonald’s fryer, but instead was helmed by Aussie ad agency Droga5 (you may remember them from their last viral hit, Mark Ecko tagging Air Force One).

Since the public outing, the backlash has grown intense with many debating the ethics of an agency posing as a regular ol’ Youtuber.

Derek Powazek writes:

It’s not that it’s a commercial, it’s that it’s a hidden commercial. It’s not the art, it’s the ruse. …One thing pretending to be another is always a betrayal of trust.

Courtney says:

It has value as entertainment, but making people think their peers made something wonderful instead of that something being produced out of a vast amount of money invested in market research to turn a profit off kids like me just makes me feel used and sad.

I didn’t have such a strong reaction, but it’s easy to see why so many others did.  People hate being manipulated. No one likes being tricked, especially in this Youtube day and age where authenticity is so highly valued.  These days, slick production quality takes a backseat to genuine and authentic content - which is what Bike Hero was trying to pass for.

So ethics aside, is the video still as enjoyable without the do-it-yourself authenticity? Does it detract from its value when you find out it’s not made by a rag-tag group of Guitar Hero fans?

Ze Frank says:

in the description on youtube - the poster said “you have no idea how many times it took to do this” - for me, imagining this sequence of events is as much part of the piece as is the final video, and there is a jarring effect when i have to include a catering truck, a gaffer into that imagined story

As for me personally, I watched the video for the first time knowing this was an advert but I still dug it.  Whether it was made by a company or a kid, the original idea is still creative as hell and don’t try to tell me that this didn’t take a lot of effort. People definitely lost sleep trying to pull this off.

So at this point, I’m starting to wonder how much of a difference authenticity would’ve made for me.  And that’s when I came across Youtube star Freddie Wong’s response video:

Wait, did that crazy kid just attach a TV to the back of a truck and play Guitar Hero while riding a bike hands-free? How many times did he fall? How many people in the street watched him fly by and had no idea what they just saw?  This is why I love the internet!

And that’s when I realized how authenticity still plays a huge role for me. I still think Bike Hero is a fun piece, but knowing that it was produced by an agency with a budget…let’s just say I wouldn’t forward Bike Hero, but I’d send out Freddie Wong’s video with a “can you believe what this guy did?”

Our Youtube generation find something special in these homemade videos that you could imagine yourself (or your more talented and insane friend) doing, from dancing on treadmills to taking a self-photo every day for 6 years.  In the land of Youtube, you don’t need multimillion dollar budgets and CGI teams to create standout video content. Here, creativity is only limited by how far you’re willing to take it.

And controversy always erupts over pseudo authentic works like Bike Hero because it challenges the Youtube-like belief that anyone, not just the paid professionals, can find an audience. For the Youtube generation, which I’m a proud part of, we hate to see anything chip away at our belief of a level creative playing field. That, combined with our generations’ hyper-sensitivity to being manipulated (especially at the hand of the corporate world) explains exactly why more than a few people are so irked about being “had”.

So from a marketing standpoint, was it worth it? The backlash from those who found out they’ve been tricked has come back doubly strong.  And there’s possible damage to the Guitar Hero brand being painted as not just try-hard and out of touch, but also as disrespectful to the fans. Judging by the video comments and the discussions in the blogosphere, some people seemed genuinely pissed off, and pissing off your customer base is not usually a good idea.

On the flip side, they did get over 1.5 million hits in a week specifically targeting the Guitar Hero and Rock Band fans, letting them all know there’s a new Guitar Hero game out, while getting their song stuck in our heads. And how many of those viewers actually cared enough to be offended, or even found out it was “fake” in the first place?  The controversy might’ve also stirred the pot in a good way, getting bloggers (like me) and Youtubers like Freddie to link even more people back to the original.

So did Droga5 and Activision score a win? Or should they just stick to Heidi Klum jamming in her skivvies? My thoughts: the staggering number of hits probably made Bike Hero worth the gamble, but from now on they should tread lightly, respect the fans, and just hire Freddie Wong to make their next viral.

And the best ones are the ones that actually make you stop and think, even long after the commercial is over.  The ones that make you take a second look at the career path you’re in and where you should be going.  The ones that are creative and original enough to make you notice the first time and want to watch it a second time.

Here are three of my favorites and not only are they all great creative works, but they’re all truly effective ads.  Each one hammers home an insight that not only gets you thinking, but feeling.

Monster.com “When I Grow Up”
director: Bryan Buckley, agency: Mullen

When you watched this, you first laughed at how ridiculous it was to hear these kids saying things like “I wanna have a brown nose.”  But a few moments later, you start thinking and maybe even a little part of you gets nostalgic.  At least that’s what I did.

It’s in all in that simple phrase “When I grow up…” Who hears that and doesn’t think back to their childhood, when all your hopes and dreams lay ahead of you and you really believed you could be anything you wanted to be?  I mean, in the fourth grade, I actually thought I could be a fireman who made video games when he wasn’t heroically battling flames.

It’s such a powerful phrase, and when you hear it again coupled with the harsh realities of what “growing up” actually entails, it really brings that hopeful and idealistic 7 year old out again.  And for a brief moment, you think about your career through those eyes again: “Is this what I really want to be doing?  Am I heading down a path that my young self would’ve been proud of?  Who says I can’t be a fireman and a video game developer anyways?”

And I think for more than a few of us, their 7 year old selves made them fire up Monster.com to see if any of their dreams were still available.

Careerbuilder.com “Self Help Yourself”
director: Mike Mills, agency: Wieden+Kennedy

This spot makes me laugh every single time.  The whole tone of the ad is just pitch perfect.  The depressing and retro vibe, the guy’s dry delivery in multiple get-ups and personalities, and even his look.  It’s just comic gold.  Great casting.

Props to the wardrobe and set design as well.  The whole style of the ad is unique and manages to really “pop” in a monotone way…I didn’t even know that was possible.  I want you to watch the spot one more time and pay close attention to colors.  The use of solid, pastel colors throughout the whole piece is amazing and gives it such a distinctive feel.

And last but not least, the messaging of the commercial is right on.  Everyone who wants out of their job can relate to this guy’s predicament - picturing yourself in infinitely more rewarding careers, telling yourself you should “just do what makes you happy.”   This ad is reaching out to all those that hear that inner voice, that gut instinct that’s unhappy and complaining inside.  And for those guys, Careerbuilder.com is saying, “maybe you should listen to yourself.”

Monster.com “Stork”
director: Daniel Kleinman, agency: BBDO (New York)

“Stork” is one of my favorite ads of the past year, hands down.  Beautiful, even moving.   I never thought I’d say that about a Monster.com ad, but they really pulled it off with this one.  This Cannes Lions 2008 winner tells quite a story in sixty seconds with no dialogue, perfect choice in music, and a CGI stork who expresses subtle emotions

Watching it, you can’t help but think about the journey your own life took to get you to where you are. The hardships, the struggles, the blood, sweat, and tears others had to put forth (hint: your parents).  All that to get you here.

The commercial then asks you, was it worth it?  Are you reaching your full potential, or just wasting it?  And as you take a second to ponder, so does the guy in the office, and the commercial leaves you on the perfect last note.

Things have been crazy for the past 4 weeks with this special, non-freelance project I’ve been working on. But after tonight (our last day of shooting), I’ll be in the home stretch - the editing phase.  Which means for the next few days, I’ll get little sleep and even less sunlight.  Woohoo.

But honestly, as tiring and draining as editing can be, it’s still worth it for the rush you get when you start to see the pieces all coming together.

So as I’m about to say goodbye to my social life and enter the editing room once again, I thought I’d share an editing tip that has always been absolutely crucial to every project I’ve ever done…

Get a fresh pair of eyes to give you honest, critical feedback.

This might sound like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many filmmakers just gloss over this step.  Any artist, from musicians to writers, spends hours and hours working on their piece and thinking about it from every possible angle.  Before you know it, it’s hour 68 and your head’s so far into your project that you can’t see it for what it is anymore.  You’re seeing your initial concepts, the angle that you really liked, that one line and oh how that delivery was just so perfect…but none of that may add up what’s actually sitting in front of you. So you need to show some fresh eyes.

Show someone who has no experience in film.

Think about this first: who’s your target audience? Most likely, it’s just gonna be your average joe schmoe who enjoys watching TV or movies for fun.  So show your rough cut to your non-film major, non-advertising friends.  Instead of analyzing your every camera move and how you’re personifying the brand, your normal buddies will watch the cut the way it’s intended to be watched.

Show someone who knows nothing about your project.

You gotta get feedback from someone who hasn’t already read your script or heard the idea.  Otherwise they’ll have the same problem you do, not being able to see the piece for what it is.  Get a fresh, untainted perspective.

Encourage not only honesty, but also negative feedback.

This is the one chance you’ll get to fix any problems, so squeeze every single criticism and complaint out of them.  I always tell them, “This is a rough cut that’ll change completely anyways” so they don’t feel bad about telling me what’s not working.  You’ve got to get over your fear of creative rejection.  Trust me, you’ll want to hear the negative feedback now, not later when you’ve already shipped the DVDs to your client.

Show someone who has experience in film.

Now that you’ve heard from the general audience, it’s time to talk to someone about the specific details.

Show more than one person.

Don’t just show your girlfriend and your roommate, branch out and try to get some different opinions from different people.  And try to show people individually and not in big groups.  Group think is a killer.

Remember that these are just opinions.  In the end of the day, you’re still the one making the cuts.  Even if you don’t use any of their feedback, just rest easy knowing that you’ve weighed the options and seen other perspectives, and are now ready to make your final decisions.

I’ll definitely be relying on a lot of fresh eyes over the next few days.  But right now, it’s time for me to put on my directing shoes and go finish this shoot.  Probably the last time I’ll see the outside world for a little while.  Wish me luck guys.

I love how director Charles Stone III took his original Budwesier ad (which you can check out here if your memory’s fuzzy) and amped up the humor with a dark and twisted vibe. He really toed the line perfectly, playing it dark enough to make you cringe, but still light and overexaggerated enough to make you laugh.

Wassup 2008 uses the same structure as the last commercial, but instead of the Budweiser-average-dudes-chillin vibe, the guys are now depressed, losing their homes, and even fighting a war. Seeing one of these carefree Budweiser dudes stationed in full Iraq gear really sends a sobering message: a lot has happened in the last 8 years and nobody, not even iconic commercial characters, remain unaffected.

When all the madness and laughter dies down and it’s back to the original two having a quiet conversation, the silence suddenly feels serious and real. And when the main character (who’s actually the director himself) slowly smiles for the first time, and you see why, the piece ends on an uplifting note that I never saw coming when I first clicked play. Wassup 2008 is a solid short that took an iconic concept and actually added layers and depth to it…and even some hope.

Read about how they pulled it off and what the original ending was supposed to be.

I did some googling around and found that not only did Stone direct both Wassup 2008 and the original Budweiser ad, but that this all started from a short that he made with his childhood friends. The short, titled “True”, made a buzz at film festivals all across the country until it caught the attention of a creative director for ad agency DDB Chicago. They signed Stone and his friends to recreate the short as a Budweiser commercial, and the rest is history. How awesome is that? Check out the original that gave birth to the most memorable catchphrase of the past decade:

After that, Charles Stone III directed Drumline and Paid In Full before coming back to his roots to create Wassup 2008. He rounded up the original cast, 50 volunteers, $6500 out of his own pocket, and finished the spot in 9 days. Since Budweiser only leased the rights, and not owned them, Stone was able to bring his original idea back to life.

Back then, Budweiser only paid him $37,000 for a 5 year lease and Stone took a lot of flack about the low price, but now he says it’s all paid off. As a hardcore Obama supporter, Stone says, “That I’m able to use an idea distributed by a huge company, who made a lot of money off it, so that now when I put out what I want to say, it’s recognizable, and it sparks - that’s worth $1 million to me.”

With over 3.8 million views so far, all I have to say is, “True, true.”

[Now regardless of what you thought of the film, what you think about this blog, whether you lean left or right, just please go out and vote tomorrow. Every vote counts, every voice matters. See you at the polls!]

So a few weeks ago, I wrapped up a company reel for Green Dot which I’m really proud of.  It’s a fast paced 6 minutes with people telling their own Green Dot stories and an added touch of motion graphics.  I’ll have it up on here soon, just you wait.

Right after that finished, I immediately took up another project with Green Dot and I’m pumped.  I really love working with this non-profit.  Seriously, they’re doing amazing things for the students in LA (trust me, I’ve spent a lot of time with them) and as a journalist said to me, they really are “the single most revolutionary change happening in education today.”  I mean for chrissakes, they just took over the worst high school in Los Angeles…and are actually transforming it!

That same week I also got hired for a project by the Los Angeles Parents Union (LAPU), and wow, I’m definitely excited for this.  They’re planning something really big, and I think I can really help out with both my film and advertising skills.

And my latest project is the one I want to tell you the most about, but I gotta keep it hush for a little longer.  Let’s just say that this is more of a personal project and it’ll really be a step up for me, filmmaking-wise and spending-wise.  Oh, and there’s a chance that this could pay off for us in a really big way.  Really.

When this is finally done and no longer consuming my life, I’m thinking about posting a multi-part series detailing the whole process from idea to final product, what we did, what mistakes we made, what we learned, maybe advice from other filmmakers.  Eh?  What do you think?  Anyways, I’ll get back to you on that.  We’ve got auditions this weekend and we’re shooting the next, so looks like it’s time for me to put down the blogging pen and get back to work.