"CHEW U"
"WHO'S YOUR DADDY?"
"MY TOES" "I WIN"
Jim Field Smith
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INTRODUCTION These boards are a perfect opportunity to build upon what we crafted previously but still create something that feels totally fresh and new. If executed properly we will be sure to push the brand forward in a slick, contemporary and highly considered manner.
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APPROACH Through my experiences of our last campaign and others, I know the challenges and issues that arise when working with young children. I always make it my upmost priority to create the right atmosphere on set: it has to be quiet and totally calm - creating this kind of ambience will allow us to deal with any of the unpredictable curve balls that may be thrown our way. These scripts follow on nicely from our previous work, which I feel delivered well on all fronts. My approach will be of course very similar but more refined and precise. As we discovered, timing and execution is what is really makes this kind of work brilliant so organisation here is key. In this treatment, I will outline some of my general thoughts, which apply to all of the scripts (unless specified otherwise), and then walk through the individual spots in more detail and explain my approach.
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COLOUR THEMES As with our previous films, I’d take the colors assigned to each product range (ie. Orange for Third Foods and Green for Toddlers) and use them as a tool to stylistically knit each commercial together. Each color would be threaded through the art direction, wardrobe, styling, production design and the end boards, in order to marry each spot together, giving a sense of continuity across the whole campaign. This will by no means be bold and obvious, it’s more of a subliminal detail that drapes across our main ideas. By working with a key base color like this we design our palette from the bottom up, ensuring each product really stands out, looks vibrant and retains that signature Gerber look.
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CHEW U
WARDROBE
CHEW U
For Chew U, I feel wardrobe is an area where we can have some fun. Although I wouldn’t like to go super cutesy I’d use styling to really push our university idea and give each baby a charming splash of character. Some would be dressed in Chew U branded varsity jackets and caps whilst others would be in knitwear vests and look more preppy. We could even have some “nerds” in white shirts buttoned to the top and a rock and roll baby in a Chew U band tee. (Just ideas). I’d also mix in some babies dressed in their own clothes, not only for style purposes but for ease of performance too. In my experience the feel and smell of their own clothes is more comfortable for them and it allows us freedom on set to swap in and out if we need to. I think having kids in uniform will look too privileged/private school and give the whole spot a more regimented and forced feel. The outfits should give off the same vibe as a classic college class, easy going and fun but never going too over the top as to appear too theatrical.
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WARDROBE In our Toddler food spots I think our kids should be in their own clothes where possible, with the assistance of a stylist to accessorize and add touches if necessary. The adults should be casual and not wearing anything that might distract us from the comedy. I think the best way forward is to work with our stylist to form a selection of very contemporary and aspirational outfits that still feel understated/ natural as if they could have been chosen by our characters.
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LOCATION/SET DESIGN
CHEW U
The main hurdle we have with Chew U is to capture the same brilliant The key reasons for shooting our babies in this environment are as humour we created in our previous spot yet still craft something that follows: feels new. 1. As a visual it’s totally unique and is sure to get an instant laugh. 2. It provides that vital visual cue and instantly says “this is University To do this I’d find an actual lecture theatre with a classic tiered seating Gerber”. plan. Each baby is in a Gerber high chair sat in the risers instead of 3. It elevates the university idea beyond the constraints of a studio desks. world and adds a touch of authenticity. This in turn adds an extra layer to our humour. 7
CHEW U I’d dress the room in the same slick and modern way our test kitchen was designed. We can include the same appliances, food racks, and chrome surfaces, keeping it firmly rooted within our Gerber world. On top of this I’d include customized Chew U pennants, flags and sport-themed deco to add that classic American college feel. If executed properly the end result will feel like a Gerber campus that all the babies from the test kitchen have graduated to.
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"I WIN"
LOCATION
"MY TOES" "DON'T TOUCH"
I like to find locations that feel simple with a contemporary design and plenty of natural light. To maximize the time with the kids I’d shoot all these three scripts in one large kitchen/dining area, changing the positioning of the table and framing for each to give the illusion of using separate spaces.
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LOCATION
"WHO'S YOUR DADDY?"
I love the idea of shooting in a park, however shooting outside in this type of weather could be an issue. Finding an interior location such as a shopping mall with plenty of space and plants/greenery in the background would be ideal.
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CINEMATOGRAPHY Camera work should remain simple yet highly considered and expertly executed. With the exception of Chew U I’d shoot handheld to give our spots a nice human quality and sense of fluidity/movement. It should feel slightly documentary, as if we are peering into the lives of our characters, observing them in a natural situation. That said, what we see within each frame should look slick, photographic and beautifully composed. I’d shoot Arri Alexa or similar using film prime lenses. Each shot should maintain a narrow depth of field to elevate our campaign beyond your standard baby/mothering commercials pushing the look into more filmic realms.
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PRODUCT SHOTS
CASTING
As with our previous campaign we will create a green screen area at one of our locations where we can shoot each product for the end boards.
We should look for a diverse range of confident babies who have the right look and are super responsive. I always keep an eye out for tiny hints of character and funny reactions during the casting process. It’s these little unique/eccentric touches of personality that often provide the most memorable moments on screen.
Lighting should be super clean and extremely flat so as to give us as much separation as possible when it comes to post. What I feel worked well last time was the use of wide angle lenses to give the product an epic and slightly “heroic” feel. This set against the orange and green will mean we get maximum impact from our closing frames. Shooting a number of selects from our cast of babies will allow us room to choose in the edit which one looks best on camera. I’d like to do this on set however so we maximize our time shooting.
Our toddlers should be naturally confident, super expressive and appear interested at all times. Despite the nature of their roles, adults should have an experience of comedy or improv. Working with these types of actors always ensures an element of naturalism and avoids anything from feeling forced, awkward or stale.
Shooting the fruit and vegetables will require expert precision and the use of a food stylist. It’s important to make sure lighting is absolutely perfect so the fruit looks as ripe, graphic and as succulent as possible. Tweaks of color can be done in post if required.
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PERFORMANCE As well as capturing each scene, the script dictates I would roll camera during rehearsals and purposefully overshoot on the day. This often captures the more authentic moments you otherwise might struggle to obtain: the little interactions between toddler and actor, the tiny often bizarre things babies do. It also gives us a wide range of material to choose from when it comes to the edit creating a “library� of performances. As with our previous spot we should aim for multiple repeats of set ups with different kids, using two cameras in different angles/shot sizes. This neutralizes the pressure we put on one single kid or one particular shot sequence on the day.
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CHEW U: WALKTHROUGH
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We open on Annie stood on a podium in a brightly lit, airy hall. It’s the Gerber Campus Food Lecture Theatre and she’s ready for action, dressed in her professional best. ANNIE: Welcome to the next level, taste testers.
ANNIE: ...and this. THE BABIES REEL BACK IN HORROR. Food falls out of one mouth onto the table in front, another grabs his own head in shock.
We cut to a reverse shot and reveal our taste testers all sitting in their Gerber high chairs in a classic lecture hall formation. They’re dressed in a whole array of Chew U tagged outfits: varsity sweaters, college sweatshirts, sports kits, shirts.
ANNIE FLIPS TO A SLIDE THE PRODUCT ON A SPOON.
ANNIE: Welcome... to Chew University.
SHE FLIPS TO A SLIDE OF THE PACKAGE SHOT.
THE BABIES ARE CHEWING AWAY HAPPILY
ANNIE: ...in new Gerber 3rd Foods Lil’ Bits recipes,
ANNIE: Here, we’ll take your raw chewing talent...
ANNIE: ...you’ll all graduate to big-kid food. THE BABIES CHEER. We notice there’s one asleep at the back.
ANNIE: But with dedication and the soft bits of fruits or veggies...
We hold the frame as click, whirr, a projector beams onto screen next to her. ONE OF THE BABIES ZERBITS HIS FOOD ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE MOVE THROUGH THE SLIDES. ANNIE: (deadpan) Never takes long to find the class clown. THE ANNIE: ...and prepare you for tests like this, BABIES ALL GIGGLE. ANNIE FLIPS TO A SLIDE OF A SANDWICH.
CUT TO THE PRODUCT SHOT AND LOGO. VO: New Lil’ Bits recipes. From Gerber.
ANNIE: ...and this, ANNIE FLIPS TO A SLIDE OF A LOBSTER.
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EXECUTION We will shoot in a custom built Gerber lecture hall/studio with raised platform seating arranged in tiers built and using rostrum. The space will feel designed in a similar way to our test kitchen did, stainless steel surfaces, shelves, nice natural light but decorated with lots of college/Chew U influenced art direction. The Gerber logo will be built in to the podium, on the walls and the front of each tier.
We will achieve the gasp wide shot using the same simple comping technique we did for “Show of Hands”. Due to the nature of the tiered room, each baby’s face will be visible which means we may not need to do a full comp. I feel we need to capture around 6 - 8 babies to get the impact across once we have added SFX.
To capture the gasp a locked-off camera will film the same wide shot throughout the sequence, then we can swap out different A large green screen will hang from the ceiling next to Annie babies in different areas until we have enough gasp performances which she gestures at during her lecture, the projections will be to splice together into one apparently cohesive shot. developed afterwards. Touches of camera movement can be added in post and the In our previous commercial we used 16 babies in the reverse wide highchairs can be secured to the platforms to ensure continuity. shot, which felt like a good amount. Therefore I’d cast 16 babies plus additions for swapping out (depending on performances). To ensure the babies look like they are learning to chew, we would bring in back up food that we know they like and dress the product during post.
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CHEWING
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PUDDING
WHO’S YOUR DADDY?:WALKTHROUGH
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We open on Ethan as he happily eats a pudding grabber on a – DING! Dad 1- Ethan 1 bench at the mall, his dad is kneeling down tying his shoe lace. THE TWO LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND SMILE. CUT IN TIGHT TO ETHAN, AS WE HEAR HIS INNER THOUGHTS. ETHAN/DAD (VO): Who’s your daddy? ETHAN (VO): Heh heh heh. I got Dad to give me a treat. A baby thumbs up Mnemonic appears in the top right side of the CUT TO PRODUCT. “NO ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS” BLOOMS ON THE PACKAGE. frame – DING! 1-0 CUT TO DAD’S FACE AS HE FINISHES TYING THE LACES - VO: Pudding Grabbers, made with real fruit and milk. WE HEAR HIS INNER THOUGHTS. CUT TO A MNEMONIC OF TWO THUMBS UP (ONE IS DAD’S, DAD (VO): Heh heh heh. I got Ethan to eat something that’s ac- ONE IS BABY’S). tually nutritious. A thumbs up Mnemonic appears in the top left side of the frame VO: From Gerber.
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EXECUTION Unlike “Chew U” I’d shoot this so it feels more observational as opposed to it feeling at all staged - less “to the camera” and more handheld, like a snap shot into our characters lives. A huge benefit to shooting in this way is the freedom it presents to us in terms of performance. We can put the real parent in front of the kid, dress them in the same clothes as our actor, and shoot past them. This is sure to add a nice naturalistic feel to the set up. I’d shoot one or two dads and multiple kids which gives us more range on the day.
nothing too bold, just a tiny actions so as to say “I’ve won this time”. The mall should feel spacious with plants in the background to cement the fact that it is not a domestic location. While color palette should feel a little more “real” than “Chew U” relying mainly upon natural light sources.
The Mnemonic will be used as an integrated device rather than simply on the end boards. It’s almost as though it is a sports In order for the joke to work both dad and son need to have a bit match, “I got dad to give me a treat”, DING 1 – 0 to Ethan, of cheek and charm about them during the internal monologue (Thumbs up appears). Using the graphic in this way with some delivery. Subtly is key here, a little grin from the son, a raised fun sound design will tonally marry “Who’s Your Daddy” with the eyebrow from the dad, a glance to the top corner of the frame – college sports aspect of “Chew U” and link the spots together.
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MY TOES, I WIN: WALKTHROUGH
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MY TOES OPEN ON SARA AS SHE FEEDS HERSELF MY1ST PUFFS. WITH HER PUDGY, UNCOORDINATED FINGERS. IT’S A VERY CUT TO PRODUCT. “NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS OR FLAVORS” CUTE SCENE, ONE MOM IS RECORDING EVERY SECOND OF BLOOMS ON THE PACKAGE. ON HER PHONE. WE HEAR BOTH SARA’S AND MOM’S INNER VO: Whole-grain Puffs, with no artificial colors or flavors. THOUGHTS SPOKEN ALOUD. MOM (VO): Sara eating her first snack is so cute. I wonder what’s going on in her head...
CUT TO A MNEMONIC OF TWO THUMBS UP (ONE IS MOM’S, ONE IS BABY’S).
CUT TO SARA.
VO: From Gerber.
SARA (VO): Nom. Nom. Nom. Nom. To think of all that time I wasted chewing on my toes. THE BABY LAUGHS AS MOM TAKES A PICTURE. CLICK!
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I WIN OPEN ON A TODDLER, MASON, AS HE HAPPILY EATS GER- THEY GIVE EACH OTHER A SMILE... BER LIL’ PASTAS WHILE HIS MOM (VO): I win! MASON (VO): I win! MOM WATCHES. CUT TO PRODUCT. “NO PRESERVATIVES” BLOOMS ON THE PACKAGE. CUT TO MOM, AS WE HEAR HER INNER THOUGHTS. MOM (VO): Mason has no idea I’ve turned him into a veggie- VO: Lil’ Pastas with Hidden Veggies. eating machine. CUT TO A MNEMONIC OF TWO THUMBS UP (ONE IS MOM’S, ONE IS BABY’S). CUT TO MASON, AS WE HEAR HIS INNER THOUGHTS. MASON (VO): I’ve got mom figured out. I bat these eyelashes VO: From Gerber. and BAM! Food I love.
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EXECUTION These spots need to be executed in a very similar way to our “Who’s your daddy?”. They should all feel as if we are peering into these characters’ worlds and experiencing their realities. We will shoot in the same fluid hand-held way, keeping it very simple and unobtrusive. We will use one domestic location that is large and varied enough to service all three spots with plenty of natural light and a modern unfussy interior. The thumbs up graphic should be used in a similar manner to “Who’s your daddy?”, in order to tie each spot together in a fun and visually interesting way.
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THANK YOU
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