We've all been there: fresh out of college, off the train, back from war, and ready to start a new career. For most people it means landing an internship or entry level position based on studies or experience. For creatives, the path can be a bit different. We have to, quite literally, show our work. Our terrible, misguided work. Here's to showing the beginning to see how far we've come. I guess the alternative could have been portfolio school. Maybe next time...
Client: Coca-Cola
Concept: Well if you're going to start somewhere you might as well start big, right? I had this idea for a Coke commercial that blended some of their old, nostalgic ads, with a modern, relaxed beach vibe.
Things I learned along the way: First, it's WAY harder to shoot and direct a small commercial with zero experience. Who knew? Everything about this is pretty cringe, but we did have fun shooting it while on vacation in the Outer Banks.
What I would do different now: Well the entire concept is flawed. It's too long for one, the old commercials don't really fit, and nothing about this (besides some product placement) screams Coca-Cola. I was trying to shoe-horn an ad around a song, in this case 'Sound & Color' by Alabama Shakes, which isn't really feasible (or smart). I haven't given up on filmmaking, however, and enjoy small shoots within my skill range. I have a much better eye now.
Client: Bush's Best Baked Beans
Concept: A humorous take on the baked bean, an end-of-the-world, eat straight from the can, type of food (they're also very good heated up as well). Our main character is trekking his way through what looks like a dense forest: trees all around, cutting his way through underbrush; was that a bear behind him? Our character gets to a spot he likes, sets his pack down and retrieves a can of Bush's Best and a large hunting knife which he attempts to use to open the can. He's really working on that can when the camera pans over to where a nice RV sits just off camera. A woman, standing in the doorway, calls out, "Honey, won't you just use the can opener this time?" We cut back to our character who looks up with a sheepish grin. Voiceover: "It just isn't camping without Bush's Best, wherever you are."
Things I learned along the way: I can't draw. Like at all. So thank you to the kind Reddit user for the sketch I commissioned below. Best five bucks I've ever spent.
What I would do different now: I still like this concept, but the line could use some work, and does anybody actually take a can of baked beans with them when they camp?
Another version could show several days with the character struggling to open the can, as his beard grows longer and longer. We could still pan to the wife in the RV, but this time advertise their new pop-top can design. Alternatively, maybe it's on the beach a-la Tom Hanks and castaway, and instead of an RV it's an ocean-front vacation home. In fact, I think they may have missed a great sponsorship opportunity in 2000.
Client: Kraftmaid Cabinetry
Concept: Showcase the kitchen as the family gathering place, because kitchens are for more than just cooking.
Things I learned along the way: It's hard to make a kitchen sexy in a print ad, especially as a writer without any knowledge of how to use Photoshop (I've gotten considerably better on that front).
What I would do different now: The copy is simple and obvious and the entire concept is overdone and a bit cliche. I like the idea of the kitchen as the central gathering place for families, and the line that they're for more than just cooking. This would be better to show those scenes: learning how to bake ziti with grandma, or winning your favorite game with your siblings. For print they could be personal stories with accompanying images, looking back on memories made in that space.
Client: Chrysler
Concept: Theres a new bedroom car poster in town.
Things I learned along the way: What was with my overuse of centering the text? This whole thing is just an eye-sore and I only hope this is not the first page that you clicked on.
What I would do different now: Scrap the entire concept, artwork, text, all of it, and start again. Yeah, that's what I would do. This idea wasn't even a quarter baked, and what you see is the result. That being said there is something about dreaming of your first car as a kid. Getting that set of keys for the first time, even if they were to your moms minivan, and all the freedom that it entailed. Maybe it's a reverie from a middle aged shopper thinking back to their own driving firsts and getting excited all over again?
