Here’s an example of a real director’s Treatment for Colgate by Beast Agency London
Beast Video Production & Creative Video Agency
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Title: The Game
Communication Objective: Show the consumer that choosing Colgate is, “THE OBVIOUS CHOICE”.
Creative Solution: Illustrate this concept in the form of a Game Show where the contestant has to succeed and make the right Choice.
Introducing
“The Obvious Game Show”
Directors Interpretation
This is one of those really simple yet really clever ideas that you always wonder we it hasn’t been done before! I think that the idea of piggy backing a game show format in this way is something that will really appeal to a huge part of the population and of course is an idea which is brilliantly adaptable across markets too.
What will make the difference in the quality of the execution will be two things.
- Attention to detail within the tone and approach of the Game Show format. The way that lighting and music change to enhance the drama and mood at each moment in the story will be key in conveying the message but also key in making it look and feel like a real gameshow…and that’s really what we want.
Casting…Casting is always key, but in this situation the casting is what will lift the concept and the execution to its highest possible level. In each film we have to analyze and understand the tone of the film and then cast and get a performance which suits that approach.
Game Show Format
Here are a few key ingredients which we will adopt in this approach in order to make the spot look like a gameshow.
Set Design& Lighting
- First off we will design a 3D model of our set which integrates all the usual set elements like, overhead lights on rigs that change colour and also offer light patterns. Staggered seating for the audience, here we will design the seating in order to maximise the feeling of a full studio but with an audience of around 120 people.
- Integrated light boxes which can change colour and light intensity. Reflective floor which can also change colour and intensity.
Camera and movement
Using a wide-angle lens and with the camera on a crane arm we would have at least one big sweeping move synonymous with TV game shows. But in other moments we might have tighter longer shot we w notice the intensity of the performance before giving the answer. Of course, on a shot like this we have the light lower in the background and intensify in the foreground, and support this with the dramatic music.
Casting
Turkish &South African
The approach here and indeed script has a more comedy feel as such it would be great if the main contestant was just a little bit goofy. In this film, the viewer looks at the advert, like most gameshows and when the contestant gets stuck, the viewer is hooked – Why is that??
Because the viewer knows the answer of course. So here we have a chance to play a little and have fun with the drama of the situation, but really what we are doing is reeling in the attention of our audience, to it’sinevitable conclusion. That being more people choosing to buy Colgate after they see these commercials.
Russian
The approach for the Russian commercial is slightly different. Here the viewer will see himself in the hero. The here will be a confident good looking young man. What’s interesting about the approach in this spot is that we have the contestant “breaking the fourth wall” and talking to camera, direct to the audience. This can work really well, and having directed over 30 commercials in Russian for that market I can really see how this spot will work there too. From a creative point of view, I would make a point of the moment where he talks to camera. Essentially the way to do that is to start a shot with him facing the host, but this shot would be from the side so that he has to turn 90 degrees to face camera, at which point he “breaks the fourth wall” and then turns back to the host.
I feel that if we do it this way we will further enhance the confidence and knowledgeableessence o the hero and the audience at home who are also up to speed and on his page.
Demo
Shooting the real demo
Lab Coat person
As understood, when he phone’s a friend, that person can be in a home office/study environment. I he cannot be a dentist then we can definitely cast him to look like he might be a dentist and dress him so he looks like he might just have taken off his lab coat.
Plenty of books on the shelves behind him, maybe some framed certificates, and a work desk that is organised but also busy. Having the 3D model on the desk is actually a great prop, not just because of the demo but to see in the notion that he ‘could be a dentist’. Maybe theres a microscope on the shelf too. As for the camera angle, this has to be a Zoom call, so the point of view would be from his laptop or desktop computer. The Desktop computer would give us a more favourable angle in terms of revealing more of his situation and also seeing him from a nicer eyeline. Again, his character is the “mentor”, incase we were in any doubt, then he is the character that “definitely knows what he is talking about”, so creative a nice composition of this character (whilst making it feel real and within the live TV gameshow context) is really important.
Jingle and Music Score
Not a moron
Teeth
This commercials is for toothpaste – what this means is that:
Everyone that has a close up needs to have perfect teeth. (SHAPE AND COLOUR)
This is essential and we should not be making any casting tapes of people that do not fit into this requirement. They simply will not be an option. So this is a key point to be made clear to all casting studios – ONLY FILM PEOPLE WITH PEREFCT TEETH. This of course makes the task much harder. But from experience this I know is an essential rule – and if this rule is made clear it will save time and money. And the end results will be the desired results. With 3 films to make and three sets of cast, this message needs to come across loud and clear.
