Discover a production center that has everything you’d expect. (While making your accountants downright giddy.)
Maximize your budget with our new 30% tax credit. Georgia is where you’ll find everything you need for a world-class production. With multiple incentives, a sales tax exemption, and up to a 30% tax credit, you’ll be able to put more money where it belongs—on the screen. Our deep crew base and diverse locations, ranging from rural to urban and mountains to ocean, are part of a dynamic production center that has the facilities and expertise to handle everything your project demands. All you have to bring is your suitcase. To learn more, call the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office at 404-962-4052 or visit www.georgia.org/entertainment.
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OZ contributors & contents SPECIAL SECTION THIS ISSUE ILLUSTRATOR GALLERY page 17
ILLUSTRATORS SECTION SHOWING IN NOVEMBER 2008
Dennis Dawson Jr. is a san Diego, california native, with an interest in literature, film, and entrepreneurship. He recently graduated from Morehouse college with a degree in english and a concentration in Mass Media Arts. now in the “real world”, Dennis is establishing a solid career in film production. His current position at oz entails writing articles and directory advertisement sales. Page 30, dennis@ozonline.tv
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PC&E celebrates 25 years of top notch equipment, service and friendship By Kime Harless
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LOVED yOUR y wORk, CAN I pUt It ON LAw LAwA wAy? Ay?
James Flynn has been conducting informal research on the link between Georgia food and successful music production for over 26 years by exhaustively eating at as many restaurants as possible. While results are still inconclusive, he has learned that eating at Gladys and Ron’s Chicken and Waffles destroys one’s desire to eat fried chicken anywhere else. Mr. Flynn is also in the process of reviving the terms “skillet licker,” “neat,” “hooray” and “un-hooray.” Page 36, jedwardflynn@gmail.com Jon Lee Andersen is an Atlanta area attorney who focuses his practice providing advice and assistance for advertising copy, sweepstakes, contests, promotions, labeling, endorsements, testimonial, copyright, trademark and licensing issues. His clients include advertising agencies, marketing firms, e-commerce businesses and freelance professionals. Page 35, www.advertisinglawfirm.com. Darnell Towns is a new Atlanta area graphic designer and current intern at Oz Magazine. He is presently attending Bauder College for an Associates Arts degree in Graphic Design. Darnell’s favorite color is red, he loves gaming, sketching and movies. He will be graduating in January of 2009, so look for his work and contact him if you need this young graphic designer. He is always willing to help, for a modest fee of course. darnelltowns@yahoo.com
ON OUR COVER: “the Harvest,” by local artist, GONI. www.goniart.com or 678.860.6934
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By Jon Lee Andersen
sEtIqUEttE Kime Harless is a metro Atlanta native. she recently graduated from Kennesaw state university with a bachelor’s degree in communication with a focus in Media sstudies. Her interests include music, reading, writing and spending time with friends. Page 27, kimeharless@gmail.com
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Embark on a journey using the path that led some Georgia filmmakers to discover their craft. By Dennis Dawson
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Getting on set and staying there: When did common sense become so uncommon? By James Flynn
pEOpLE stORE 25th ANNIVERsARy
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o Z M A G A Z i n e s tA F F Publishers: tia Powell, Group Publisher Gary Wayne Powell, Publisher Kime Harless, Assistant Publisher editorial: James Flynn, ozcetera editor sales: chris Dixon, sales consultant Design: Phaedra steele , Production Manager Darnell towns, t intern
tted Fabella, Logo Design
ozz Magazine is published bimonthly by ozz Publishing inc, 2566 shallowford road, #302, suite uite 104, Atlanta GA 30345, (404) 633-1779. copyright opyright 2008 by oz Publishing incorporated, ncorporated, all rights reserved. reproductions eproductions in whole or in part without express written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. this his magazine is printed on recyclable paper. Visit us on the web at www.ozonline.tv.
OZ ceTeRA PRSA’S DeniSe GRAnt CelebRAteS 25 YeARS PRSA-GA’s COO Denise Grant celebrated 25 years of great service in August.
APR recipient Karlie Stanton of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Denise Grant, chief operating officer of the Georgia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, celebrated 25 years with the Chapter in August. Grant has managed the Chapter’s business since August 2, 1983, beginning as a part-time coordinator and advancing to fulltime administrator, managing the day-to-day business of the Society’s second largest Chapter of nearly a thousand members.
Karlie Stanton, project communications manager at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, was awarded her APR (Accredited in Public Relations) certification at the Chapter’s monthly luncheon. Prior to her current position at the AJC, Stanton worked in public and media relations for AutoTrader.com, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and Business Wire Atlanta. Stanton has been an active member for more than seven years and has served on many committees for PRSA|GA, including chair of the Young Professionals group and member of the College Relations and Award committees. She currently serves on the Membership Committee and is the first to welcome new members to the chapter. Dave Watson, group director of Weber Shandwick Worldwide’s Atlanta office, has been awarded the Georgia Chapter’s Chapter Champion award in recognition of his longstanding volunteer work. Watson was presented with his certificate and an inscribed pen at the Chapter’s monthly meeting on August 7. Watson currently serves as co-chair of the Seminar Committee and is a member of the Monthly Meeting Program Committee. He has coordinated the annual media panel luncheon for the past several years as well as numerous seminars and tele-seminars and has also presented at the Real World Collegiate Conference.
Weber Shandwick’s Dave Watson received PRSA-GA’s Chapter Champion Award.
An AlPine HOllADA Two magazines hit newsstands this month that have done things a bit differently using Jonathan Hollada’s photographs. For the first time in the magazine’s history, “Atlanta Magazine’s HOME” has used a portrait for their cover art. Normally the realm of interior or architecture images, the cover of the Fall 2008 issue sports Hollada’s portrait of chef Richard Blais with an accompanying full-page portrait on the opening pages. Of course a bit of celebrity didn’t hurt either; Blais was this season’s runner-up on Bravo Network’s Top Chef reality show. In a more adventurous pursuit, “Alpinist Magazine” featured the South on their pages for the first time in their history with a photo-essay by Jonathan Hollada. “Alpinist” is the premier magazine covering the international mountaineering and climbing community. Their pages are normally filled with exotic adventures from the Himalayas or Alps, but this issue features a secret, 1200-foot granite cliff in North Carolina. Hollada, an avid climber and mountaineer, shot the piece with long-time climbing partner Scott Perkins. Hollada then created a unique look for the images with some creative post-processing and also wrote the text.
Jonathan Hollada’s photography for the covers and interior spreads for two magazines.
Hi-Rez OPenS DOORS tO GlObAl AGenDA Hi-Rez Studios opened its doors to local communities with the “Tour & Play” Program, offered in partnership with the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Office. The program is aimed at Georgia-based high schools, universities, technical colleges, and clubs, exposing budding video game creators and enthusiasts to the development process to help cultivate Georgia’s gaming industry. The program includes group tours of the studio, insight into the gaming industry, and a sneak peak at Hi-Rez’s fast-paced massive multiplayer online shooter game, “Global Agenda™.” Among the special perks of the program is the opportunity for local organizations and individuals to participate in the early, invitation-only testing phase of “Global Agenda,” allowing gamers close access to the studio staff and a unique opportunity to see the game development process through its full life cycle. Hi-Rez Studios also announced a new program aimed at expanding the video gaming industry in Georgia. The “Get in the Game, Georgia” Program offers the opportunity for local organizations and individuals to participate in the early, invitation-only alpha testing phase of “Global Agenda,” allowing game enthusiasts a close look at a game in development as players explore content, troubleshoot bugs, and provide valuable feedback. A community of registered alpha testers from the local schools and clubs participate in weekly play tests from home and become involved with the development of the game through newsletters and interaction.
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Guillotine Pays Off for Piper The Weather Channel writer/producer Pat Piper chose Guillotine Post to help promote the new HD Studio at The Weather Channel. Piper worked with staff editors Michael Koepenick, Christo Harris and Andrew Swinney cutting promos for “Your Weather Today,” “Evening Edition” and “Abrams and Bettis.” In addition, they created two marketing videos highlighting the collaboration between The Weather Channel and Cisco Systems, featuring the technology behind the new state of the art HD studio in Atlanta. Cartoon Network’s writer/producer Karen Hutchison returned to Guillotine Post to create two Adult Swim image promos designed for network ad sales. The promo features “Squidbillies,” “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” “The Venture Brothers,” “Robot Chicken,” as well as newer shows “Assy McGee” and “Super Jail.” Not for children or the squeamish. Screen shots from Guillotine’s work for The Weather Channel and Adult Swim.
The Weather Channel
Adult Swim
GOTCHA Keeps Georgia Beautiful GOTCHA Design is finalizing a new identity and branding initiative for Keep Georgia Beautiful to celebrate 30 years of protecting and improving Georgia’s environment. Keep Georgia Beautiful, housed in the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, is a public-private partnership, allowing it to benefit from the resources of citizens in government, corporations, and community organizations. These connections aid their mission to build and sustain community environmental activities and behaviors resulting in a more beautiful Georgia.
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With its recent Pinnacle Award from the Gwinnett Chamber and being named #865 on the Inc. 5,000 list of fastest-growing companies in the country, local advertising agency redpepper can add another award to its trophy case: a Catalyst Magazine Top 25 Entrepreneur. With annual revenues ranging from $100,000 to $100 million, the 2008 Top 25 Entrepreneurs & Ones to Watch award winners represent fast-growth companies in a wide range of industries, including professional services, technology, manufacturing, distribution, environmental services and telecommunications.
Kilgannon was named to the annual Inc. 5,000 list of the fastest growing privately held companies in the United States. The Inc. 5,000, an extension of the longstanding Inc. 500 list, identifies and profiles the elite of the growing entrepreneurial economy in the United States. Kilgannon was honored as a member of the Inc. 5,000 list at the Inc. 500/Inc. 5,000 Awards Ceremony in September at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center in Washington, D.C.
For the second year in a row, Viscom International Inc. was named to the Inc. 5,000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. Based in Atlanta, Viscom develops prepaid products and marketing services for the U.S. Hispanic market. Viscom was ranked 1,786 on the Inc. list in 2008, jumping from its previous ranking of 3,607 in 2007. Additionally, Viscom ranked 89th on the Inc. 5,000 list of top consumer products companies.
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BET’s first scripted original sitcom, “Somebodies,” premiered in September. Crawford Post Production was chosen as a crucial member of the crew even before production began on location in Athens, Georgia. Their high definition experts and creative editors lent their expertise to develop a post production workflow for HD finishing, color correction, in-show graphics, audio cleanup and final mix. The opening sequence was also designed and completed by the Crawford team.
The Art Institute of Atlanta-Decatur added a bachelor of fine arts degree in game art and design this semester. The program focuses on developing students as game artists, prepared to enter either the game or entertainment industries. Students begin the program by developing their manual and computer-based artistic skills, study fundamentals of painting and sculpture, and then move on to the structure and narrative potential of games, including design, scriptwriting, storyboarding, and character design. Jobs in this field include game designer, digital artist, modeler, storyboard artist, 3D illustrator, and FX artist.
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SARAH DuCKett JOinS eDDie HORSt A brief rundown of composer Eddie Horst’s recent work includes writing the string arrangement for the Pearl Jam performance of “Love Reign O’er Me” on the July VH1 Special Tribute to The Who. Back at work for “The Boss,” Horst was chosen to write string and horn arrangements for Bruce Springsteen’s next album – name/release date TBA. This would be the third Springsteen CD in a row where Horst has been solicited to add color. Sarah Duckett joins Eddie Horst to help On the jazz front, Horst added spice to with business development and client guitarist Earl Klugh’s latest CD on KOCH services. Records, “The Spice of Life” with orchestral quintet arrangements featured on several tracks. Jermaine Dupri’s discovery Dondria’s first Island/So So Def CD, “Dondria vs. Phatfffat,” includes two full string arrangements from Horst. Q. Parker, of the R&B group 112 is working on his first solo project for Launch Pad Records (CD name TBA). Horst wrote the string arrangement for the track “Fly.” Several pieces of Horst’s music will be used in the upcoming feature “Good Intentions,” from Shadowlight Pictures. Horst penned “Insecta,” a string quartet for the Jimmy Carter Center and other venues. The piece debuted in July. Passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will soon be able to watch “The History of Atlanta” showing on kiosks throughout the terminals. It’s currently in production by Gary Moss with original music composed by Horst. Finally, Eddie Horst Music added Sarah Duckett to the staff as business development director and to provide client support on all musical projects. Duckett comes from Freeman Melancon Bryant Advertising in Knoxville, TN, where she gained extensive experience in client service and account management. A graduate of North Carolina State University, Duckett has worked on marketing projects for companies as diverse as General Motors and The American Advertising Federation.
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wA CH viCKY wAt CKY JOneS Vicky Jones of The Jones Group was named to “Catalyst” Magazine’s 2008 “Ones to Watch” list this week and was honored at a special awards dinner in early October. The Jones Group was also recognized as one of the city’s “Best Places to Work” by the “Atlanta Business Chronicle.” The newspaper, in partnership with Quantum Market Research, Inc., surveyed the metro area’s businesses and organizations to determine which large, medium and small businesses deserve the distinction. The Jones Group was listed in the Top Vicky Jones and The Jones 20 Best Small Companies category, which includes Group are picking up accolades. organizations with 10 to 100 employees.
GRAPHiCS ClientS Get wiSH Wish Creative, Inc. recently added five new clients. AGCO Corporation, an international farm equipment manufacturer in Duluth, Georgia tapped Wish to create large display posters for their corporate office atrium. The posters highlight the company’s four major brands of tractors and combines. Touchpoint Management, Inc., a brand communications firm in Atlanta, brought in Wish Creative to help with multi-faceted projects for the firm’s clients. Wish Creative developed concepts and designs for print advertisements, product brochures and sales sheets. Headquartered in Hampton, Georgia, Southern States LLC, a high voltage switching and protection equipment company, contracted Wish Creative to update their corporate and product brochure and create a new image for their company. Nsoro, LLC, based in Atlanta, needed a corporate capabilities brochure that organized and quickly explained their vast offerings and expertise. Wish Creative designed, printed and delivered the piece in time for a major trade show.
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Dukes of Hazzard in the Mix The 30th anniversary of the television show The Dukes of Hazzard was celebrated this past summer at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mix International Media supplied eight camera units and other crew members to capture the event on video in order to produce a television special and DVD project honoring the success of the show. Randy Ser directed the production with production by Sam Hensley, Shay Griffin and Stephen Ostrander. Post production was covered by Soteria Productions. The one-hour program featured interviews with cast members, and festival highlights included car rides in more than one hundred General Lees and an impressive stunt show.
Mix International Media catches the General Lee in flight.
We Know Where You Are Sparks Grove, a customer experience marketing agency, mobile-enabled the entire agency staff with Apple’s new iPhone 3G. Minsoo Pak, chief creative officer, said “Making an investment in such an exciting and new platform across the entire agency expands our team’s experience with the latest technology but more importantly fosters innovation.”
Cinema Concepts Adds Blu-Ray Cinema Concepts is expanding its list of services to include Blu-Ray disc encoding and authoring via Sonic Solutions ‘Scenarist.’ The studio’s digital screening theatre is also receiving upgrades with 3D stereoscopic playback capabilities through the latest Dolby Digital 3D-Cinema Solutions.
Talent Found in Encyclomedia Encyclomedia brought on three new staffers to help manage the company’s rapid growth. Michael Lucker, who comes to the studio with 20 years of experience in creating film, television and broadband entertainment in Los Angeles, New York and Atlanta, serves as writer/director/producer overseeing much of the new digital content. With years of experience at Turner Entertainment and Georgia Power as a veteran art director and multimedia designer comes Jason Koch who now handles the company’s motion graphics and visual design. Thirdly, Tim Richardson is the company’s new senior editor who, for the last two years, edited the hit comedy series “FarkTV” for Turner Entertainment’s comedy network Super Deluxe. Encyclomedia recently wrapped promotional pieces for The Atlanta Airport and The Photography Channel, corporate fare for Fletcher Martin and BioGuard, commercials for Corporate Sports and Bravos Tortillas and is gearing up for projects with the CDC and the AJC.
Good Intentions Move Shadowlight Shadowlight Pictures recently partnered with Andrew Herwitz, president of the Film Sales Company, New York. Herwitz will be representing Shadowlight’s first feature film “Good Intentions” as worldwide sales agent for movie distribution. Herwitz, a former attorney and Miramax executive, has represented such notable and successful independent films as “Waitress,” “Fahrenheit 9-11,” and “Born into Brothels.”
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Climbing the Corporate Ladder
GET Interactive, Buy the Gear
The Atlanta office of Avenue A | Razorfish™ promoted Chip Gross from account director to senior account director, Luke Hamilton from senior Flash designer to art director, and Eric Shoemaker from designer to senior designer. Lisa Frazier was named account director, and Ron Loines became a project manager in the Atlanta office. As senior account director, Gross assists brands in planning and implementing new interactive marketing initiatives. He has more than 12 years experience in management consulting, interactive strategy, and marketing. Gross holds an MBA from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and a BA in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. As art director, Hamilton is responsible for creative ideation, execution, and leading a team of designers. He has more than 14 years experience in the media and entertainment industry. Hamilton attended the University of Texas at Austin. As senior designer, Shoemaker is responsible for conception, designing, motion work, and art direction. He also teaches Introduction to Interactive at The Creative Circus. Shoemaker holds an AA in Arts from The Art Institute of Atlanta. As account director, Frazier is responsible for the re-design of a global e-commerce site for a major marketing corporation. Prior to joining Avenue A | Razorfish, she served as an account director with Moxie Interactive. Frazier holds a BA in English and Art from the University of Richmond and an MBA from Georgia State University. As project manager, Loines is responsible for the development of a digital marketing strategy for a major marketing corporation. Prior to joining Avenue A | Razorfish, Loines served as senior product and program manager at McKesson Provider Technologies. Loines holds a BS in Microbiology from the University of Memphis, an MS in Technical Communication from Southern Polytechnic State University, and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management.
GET Interactive teamed with Versus to give viewers the ability to immediately learn more about the brands and buy the gear featured in their favorite hunting and fishing shows from the network’s new web site. The partnership between GET Interactive and Versus marks the first time ever that consumers can shop a television program from the content owner’s website using GET Interactive’s patented technology. GET Interactive works with Versus and advertisers to identify brands that appear in Versus programming and then consumers simply log on to the network’s website and point and click on selected items marked with a GET spot. This launches a product panel including a link to a point-of-purchase or other brand engagement. Consumers can click through to a new browser window where they are delivered to a brand’s desired destination, all without disrupting their online viewing experience.
The Foundry Gets Luckie The Foundry Agency was selected to design, develop and direct the creative strategy and management of the overall promotional program for the Luckie Marietta District. The Luckie Marietta District is a new downtown destination composed of hotels, attractions and restaurants stretching from the aquarium to the Georgia World Congress Center. The Foundry Agency will be responsible for spearheading the consumer-awareness campaign for this high-profile project, which includes creating and building a consumer-oriented Web site, e-mail campaign and all promotional materials. This consumer campaign is scheduled to be completed and unveiled to Atlanta residents and visitors this fall. With the assignment, TFA will be developing a comprehensive, new website for the Luckie Marietta District that will feature a calendar of events, promotions and overviews of all restaurants and businesses in the area. Tied to this will be an e-Newsletter campaign to keep customers abreast of specials and offers with the goal of turning “visitors” into “regulars.” Print collateral will include fold-out maps that are available at the District businesses and informational collateral for event planners and others planning activities around the area.
Wilkinson Joins Van Winkle & Associates
Chip Gross
Eric Shoemaker
Ron Loines
At Avenue A | Razorfish, Chip Gross and Eric Shoemaker move up, and Ron Loines joins the team.
Van Winkle & Associates hired Randall “Randy” Wilkinson as a production artist. Wilkinson brings experience in production design, photography, film duplication, custom color and digital work, and account management for advertising companies and color labs. He has worked on accounts for “Business to Business” and “Hooked on the Outdoors” magazines, Kellogg’s and Shimano U.S.A. Wilkinson moved to Atlanta in 1992 and graduated on the Dean’s List from The American College for the Applied Arts (now American Intercontinental University) in 1996 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a concentration in photography and commercial art. He stayed in Atlanta and has worked for such companies as Outback Bikes, “Business to Business” magazine, APA Color Labs, Color Genesis, Wolf Group, ADventure Advertising, LLC and Summit Marketing.
Discover Atlanta’s premier source for creative and marketing talent.
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Here Come da’ Judge
CPP Gets Game Face On
see see eye was selected to judge the Mercomm Annual Report Competition. This is the fourth year see see eye has been asked to judge the distinguished competition.
After a crowd-pleasing run through the Southeastern Conference during the 2007-2008 college football season, “Sports Illustrated”, Nissan and Creative Presence Partners (CPP) teamed up again to provide fans with the ultimate game-day experience. The corporate and creative partners, along with advertising agencies OMD and TBWA/Chiat/Day, are teaming up in the production of the “SI Evolution of the Game Tour Presented by Nissan,” a multi-platform tour and campaign paying tribute to the ever-evolving game of college football. Sponsored by Nissan and co-branded by “Sports Illustrated”, the interactive college football tour will be managed by CPP. Launched in September, the national tour will be making stops at 10 of the most anticipated college football games during the 2008-2009 season. En route to the “SI Evolution of the Game Tour Presented by Nissan’s” season finale at the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta on December 6, fans will be treated to a colorful and fun-filled history lesson in one of America’s favorite pastimes. Strategically and conveniently located outside stadiums or other popular campus locations, the highly visible 35’ dome beckons the game-day crowd. Visitors can win prizes by playing interactive games, interact with former football greats who will be making appearances at each tour stop, get a handson look at the 2009 Nissan Maxima and take a trip into college football history inside the SI Vault Museum.
Soapbox Heads West Atlanta’s Soapbox Studios launched its newest facility, Soapbox Studios West, in the historic North Beach district of San Francisco. Soapbox’s senior video editor Baco Bryles will helm the new office. Bryles transfers to the San Francisco office with 15 years of production and post production experience. The expansion to the west coast aims to bridge the gap between east and west by giving clients, via today’s latest networking capabilities, the ability to work seamlessly on either coast. The new studio will incorporate all of the same technologies and benefits that Soapbox’s east coast office employs, including SD and HD finishing, creative consulting and of course some of the country’s top talent.
Well known Atlantan Baco Bryles moves to San Francisco to helm Soapbox Studios West.
360 Media Has Escape Plan 360 Media, Inc. recently added mountain vacation company Escape to Blue Ridge to its client roster. Escape to Blue Ridge is located in Blue Ridge, Georgia, just 90 minutes from downtown Atlanta.
SKS Stands for Three New Projects SKS Creative, Inc. was awarded the Shaw carpeting account by three squared agency. SKS principal/chief creative officer Susan Solomon served as creative director and Faye Goolrick as senior scriptwriter. They will develop eight webbased video modules, targeted at marketing and sales and eight additional video modules targeted janitors and supervisors. SKS Creative, Inc. is also working on an educational video for Peach State Health Plan. Senior writer Faye Goolrick is developing the content for a 5-7 min video that educates families about when to go to the emergency room and when to seek other health care services provided by Peach State. Susan Solomon is serving as creative director. Jeff Nelson at NMedia, Inc. will produce the show. SKS Creative, Inc. recently completed a communications campaign for BioSpace med, producers of diagnostics called the EOS imager. This breakthrough piece of imaging equipment allows doctors to diagnose spine related disorders from a weight-bearing position. Susan Solomon worked with senior brand strategist Julie Bennett and senior copywriter Faye Goolrick on the campaign including; two radios spot, backgrounder, video and brochure.
Lorenc+Yoo Celebrates 30 Years Lorenc+Yoo Design, an environmental design firm, is celebrating its 30 year anniversary. Lorenc+Yoo Design continues to complete high-profile projects for brands across the world, including Sony-Ericsson, Samsung, the Mayo Clinic, and international luxury resorts.
Omega Aids Mob Headquarters The North American headquarters for Merial in Duluth, Georgia brought on Omega Media Group to create an untraditional approach to internal communications. Omega Media Group partnered with Merial to produce a parody video used to engage Merial associates at an annual corporate meeting. Several top executives portrayed characters from the popular television series “The Sopranos” and appropriately titled the piece “The Merianos.” The video gave employees the opportunity to see management in a fun, light-hearted setting while still communicating the unique relationship Merial has with veterinarians. “The Merianos” is being recognized for excellence by the 29th annual Telly Awards. 12
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Matlock Seeks Independence Publix has extended its “Independence Day” print ad campaign created by Matlock Advertising & Public Relations. The campaign targets West Indians from the Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti, Jamaica, and The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago with vibrant and compelling ads using food-as-art to create a national icon of each island. The print ads will run in select newspapers in south Florida, supported by a radio campaign. The intense creative process included a brainstorm with the creative team on what icons to use, and then viewing items from Publix to determine what food would look best like the many parts of the icon. Once this was determined photos were taken, and then each icon was composed. Matlock worked closely with a top-notch creative team consisting of a photographer, digital artists, studio director and award-winning food stylist. Each new print ad continues to carry a historical fact, the island’s independence date, and its food flag from the first campaign. First launched in mid-August, the campaign will run through 2009.
Recent work from Matlock supporting Publix’ “Independence Day” campaign.
Good Works at Fooksie Fooksie recently created a skateboard deck for the Make-A-Wish charity auction held in September. Designer Jerry Fuchs used Flash to design the deck, and then exported it to a third party, Zazzle, for printing. All proceeds from the event and art auction went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Jerry Fuchs donated his time and talent on this skateboard deck for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Object 9 Bubbles Up Object 9 redesigned the packaging for Bubble Up®, Monarch Beverage’s flagship lemon lime brand. Bubble Up’s updated packaging is competing with other brands in the countries where it is sold including Pakistan, Mali and parts of Africa. Because the beverage’s existing packaging is recognized as a household name overseas, Object 9’s package redesign focuses on maintaining the beverage’s brand equity while creating a stronger shelf presence. Object 9 also carried Bubble Up’s new look through the entire line extension, Object 9’s recent packaging work for Monarch Beverages. which includes the traditional lemon lime flavor as well as the recently introduced diet lemon lime, bitter lemon and orange varieties. The 38th annual Creativity Awards, one of the longest running international advertising and graphic design competitions in the world, recently named Object 9 the winner of seven awards. The agency obtained a gold award for Flying Dog Brewery’s Wild Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter label and two silver awards for Marques de Paiva’s premium coffee packaging and Fire & Flavor’s gourmet grilling packaging. Object 9 also received four awards for Wild Goose Beer seasonal packaging, Carroll Shelby’s Chili Kit packaging, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber 2007 Annual Report and Fire & Flavor’s web site.
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c21 Adds Clients communications 21 (c21) added several new clients in recent months, including the Atlanta Botanical Garden, Emory Healthcare, LANFORCE, MolliCoolz, NCAA Football and HandsOn Network. c21 will promote many new and existing exhibits for The Atlanta Botanical Garden in 2009 on a pro bono basis. Included are the unveiling of a 15-acre green expansion, 40-foot high canopy walk, new eco-friendly visitor center and the much-anticipated Henry Moore exhibition featuring giant bronze sculptures to rival the Chihuly exhibit. The Emory Facial Center is a full service facial practice led by Seth Yellin, M.D., Chief of Facial Plastic Surgery at the Emory Clinic. c21 will provide executive exposure for Dr. Yellin, media relations support, online advertising services and e-mail marketing. LANFORCE Consulting Group, an Atlanta-based network consulting company selected c21 to provide e-mail marketing and collateral design to support the launch of the company’s new referral program. MolliCoolz, producer of premier cryogenically frozen ice cream and sorbet novelties, hired c21 to provide marketing support to increase placement of the company’s MolliCoolz Rocks! product in schools nationwide. NCAA Football retained c21 to support its Youth Initiative program, which includes NCAA Football Youth Day clinics, a grant program and events surrounding the BCS National Championship game in Miami. Marketing public relations for the initiative will include media relations, e-mail marketing and social media. HandsOn Network, the nation’s largest volunteer and civic action network, hired c21 to provide media relations and social media strategies including the launch of a YouTube channel for its public service initiatives: Delegate Service Day, ServiceNation Day of Action and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.
Send all your business news to Ozcetera editor, JAMES FLYNN at ozcetera@ozonline.tv. NO FAXES OR HARDCOPIES, PLEASE. All news should be submitted via email.
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Monika Ruiz
Oil on Canvas
678.904.0545 www.graphicsworldwide.org Master Designer - Kyle Crew OUTrageous Border Design
Justice at Pogo
I’m Thinking Fletcher Martin
From Athens, Georgia to Romania, Pogo Pictures directors have been making their rounds. Ogilvy Bucharest recruited director/DP Steve Colby to shoot a :45 spot for Austrian beer, Gosser. Shot on location in the Romanian mountains, the spot features a large cast of real orchestra members performing in harmony with the sounds of nature. Colby also teamed with Atlanta agency 22squared on a series of TV and web spots for Florida’s Natural orange juice. Shot on location in the orange groves of Central Florida, the ads direct viewers to their interactive web campaign. Colby partnered with Atlanta ad agency Frederick Swanston for a second round of spots for Bassett Furniture. Shot on location in Atlanta and Lake Rabun in North Georgia, the series of Sarah Justice will lead sales and spots showcase Bassett’s latest furniture marketing for Pogo Pictures. collections. Director Angel Traverso again teamed with JWT Atlanta for a :30 Ford spot featuring the University of Georgia’s football coach Mark Richt. The spot highlights coach Richt’s beliefs on and off the field, including his confidence in Ford trucks. In other news, Susan Justice joined Pogo as director of sales and marketing. Justice has a diverse background as a consultant for clients and agencies, with over a decade of marketing communication experience. She will be focusing her efforts on Atlanta and the Southeast.
Fletcher Martin and Arby’s recently hijacked billboards around Atlanta during an evening’s rush hour to remind drivers they should be “Thinking Arby’s.” Large white helium balloons with the Arby’s logo were placed near billboards that prominently featured people’s faces. From afar, the balloons look Fletcher Martin thought balloons had Atlanta thinking Arby’s. like the “thought balloons” seen in the “I’m Thinking Arby’s” campaign.
Left/Right Premiers in Atlanta “Left/Right,” one of 2008’s most talked-about films on the indie movie circuit, finally premiered in Atlanta to a very receptive audience: A group of Atlanta-area actors that appear throughout the film. The movie filmed in several Atlanta-area locales during the summer of 2006, featuring numerous artists with local ties. The movie’s star, writer, producer and co-director, Matthew Wolfe, lived in Atlanta for nearly a decade and based much of what’s found in the film on his experiences in Atlanta. Other Georgia-based actors in prominent roles include former WBTS DJ Sean Mack, Sabra Berger (who grew up in Smyrna), Steven David Calhoun and newcomer Charlie Yoder. “Left/Right” made its Georgia debut at the Dixie Film Festival in Athens on October 3rd. The film has played in nine film festivals across the country since its completion in May. It has racked up numerous awards along the way, including Best Actor at the Charleston International Film Festival for Wolfe, the Juror Award at the West Hollywood Film Festival, Best Drama at the Planet Ant Film Festival in Detroit, and the Audience Choice Award at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival.
Steady Drone Doppler Studios worked on ADR for Paramount Pictures’ upcoming film, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. John St. Denis headed the engineering, and Ira Folston assisted. Jennifer Nettles, from the band Sugarland, visited Doppler to record an interview for Audio Productions. Fay Salvaras engineered the session. The Atlanta Falcons’ new starting quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Brian Finneran recorded radio spots for their new endorsement deals with AirTran Airways. John St. Denis engineered and Blue Sky Agency supports the advertising endeavors for AirTran Airways. Black Box Productions, Inc. was busy working on “The Single: MONICA,” a reality show based on the Atlanta hip-hop artist and her search for a new single. BryanMichael Cox produced both Monica’s music sessions and the show, with Exit engineering and Lloyd Cooper assisting. Engineer Steve Schwartzberg continues to work on TV and radio campaigns for the Georgia Lottery, REI, and AT&T Wireless for ad company BBDO Atlanta. Sky Agency still calls upon Doppler to record the Atlanta Braves’ and Atlanta Motor Speedway’s TV and radio advertising, both primarily engineered by Jonathon Jory. Shawn Coleman continues to record, edit, and mix to picture the now-third season of “Squidbillies” for Adult Swim, with help from Granger Beem and his mixing expertise. Show writers/producers are Jim Fortier and Dave Willis. Jonathon Jory engineered several television advertisements for AdultSwim.com, while John St. Denis recorded, edited, and mixed voices for the fifth season of “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.” Doppler Engineer Michael Hastie has spent some time lately working on-site and in the studio on up-to-date podcasts for the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
Randstad Creative Talent
something missing in the creative department? The agents at Randstad Creative are from the business. That means we know the difference between spot varnish and spot remover, we speak your language, we’ve faced the same deadlines and last minute changes. We’ve been there. And, using our knowledge and experience, we’ve recruited an outstanding portfolio of professional talent available on a freelance, temp-to-hire, or permanent basis. We get to know you — we understand your needs, and we make the right match. It’s what sets us apart and keeps clients coming back. Call us and let’s talk. We’ll help you fill in the blanks.
285 Peachtree Center Marquis Tower II Atlanta, GA 30303 404.524.2776 creativeatl@us.randstad.com
good to know you
Graphic Designers • Production Artists • Web Designers • Traffic Managers • Copywriters • Multimedia Specialists • Proofreaders/Editors • Presentation Specialists • Creative Directors •
TM
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ILLUSTRATORS GALLERY
2008
NOW SHOWING
Other Illustrators within this issue: John Nelson Creative Caricatures Deborah Santini Tony Pouncey
BILL MAYER
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MARK ANDRESEN
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JAY MONTGOMERY
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SCOTT BANKS
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JAMES PALMER
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GONI
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16 TOADS
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HEATHER ELDER
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LY BOLIA
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DARNELL TOWNS
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All Images appearing in the Oz Creative Real Estate, Illustrator Gallery are property of the individual photographers and may not be reproduced in any way without prior permission from the respective artist. creative real estate www.ozonline.tv 1 7
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Jay’s award winning work is known for easily pleasing Art Directors with his evocative, realistic detailed style. Clients rely upon Jay to quickly understand their communication goals and to offer exciting solutions with extra visual appeal and added stopping power that only illustration can bring. Most of his illustrations are created & delivered digitally for maximum speed, accuracy & easy revisions to get exactly what you want. Jay’s 16+ years art experience has allowed him to give back to the community by teaching illustration at Portfolio Center, Atlanta College of Art and currently Savannah College of Art and Design in Atlanta.
Jay Montgomery Phone: 770.309.6004 Fax: 678.278.0931 290 Vistawood Dr. Marietta, GA 30066 email: jay@jaymontgomery.com Website: www.jaymontgomery.com
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JAMES PALMER
James has been working in a variety of graphics and art-related fields since graduating from Clemson University in 1993. After moving to Atlanta in 1999, James decided to focus primarily on illustration. His work has been featured in many area publications including Creative Loafing, Business to Business, Catalyst Magazine, and Atlanta Magazine just to name a few. In 2004, his illustrations were featured prominently in the SCETV documentary production of Chasing the Swamp Fox—a documentary about South Carolina’s Revolutionary War history. As an illustrator, James believes it is his responsibility to visually engage his audience—to transport them into a completely new world. His work has a breadth of style that is as diverse as are his interests.
James Palmer 1177 Edie Ave. Atlanta, GA 30312 404.627.3408 cell: 404.661.8517 email: jpalmer@mindspring.com
JAMES PALMER
ILLUSTRATION creative real estate www.ozonline.tv 2 1
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* Side effects may include very slight incitement of the Cerebral Convoluted Cortex, Tendrilous Polydactyly and dry mouth. In case of emergency, seek immediate aid of your local Aldea Witch Doctor. GONIART 125-3 Northern Ave. Decatur, GA 30030 goni@goniart.com 678 . 860 . 6934 www.goniart.com
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“D’Artoadgnan.” odd name. outstanding illustration. www.16toads.com 678.842.9237
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HEATHER ELDER
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Member of the Society of Children’s Books Writer’s and Illustrators. Illustrated for print and electronic media. Started illustrating while attending New York University. While working in New York gained experience in water colors, markers, oils and electronic mediums. Client list : Arthritis Foundation, BBDO, Coca Cola, TBS, American Cancer Society, Comedy Central, MTV, Dimatap, the Home and Garden Network, Do It Yourself Network, and Tomorrow Pictures.
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Darnell Towns is a new Atlanta area graphic designer and current intern at Oz. Magazine. He is presently attending Bauder College for an Associates Arts degree in Graphic Design. His illustration work is influenced by the Japanese culture and focused on his favorite color red. His style can be best descried as streamlined concentrating on the detail of each character/figure while trying to keep a modern more aloof look, which can be best shown in his logo. Look forward to more work from this young artist and be prepared for the new era of Graphic Designers. 2 6 creative real estate www.ozonline.tv
Darnell Towns Phone: 404-363-6625 Alt Phone: 404-592-7927 3627 Forest Park Road Apt.#2 Email: darnelltowns@yahoo.com Alt Email: sparton2yahoo.com Cell: 404.824.9848
Good Times:
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PC&E DeFoor Hills It’s Official Now Eventually, Smith and Nappier moved the operation to a larger building off Pierce Drive. This building is where Smith claims PC&E really began. According to Nappier, “We had gotten a couple more trucks and some more lighting equipment, and we started growing from there. We stayed there for several years and got bigger, and then decided we wanted to try to get into the camera business.” In 1987 PC&E acquired property on Briarwood Drive, along with some cameras, from Atlanta Film Equipment Rental, or AFER. Smith purchased the business after the owner passed away. “At that point I had my camera department in one place and my lighting and grip in another place.” Smith wanted to have his business under one roof, and he also saw a need for some top-notch sound stages. “Just being out there in the field,” he recalls, “I realized that there was no place for anybody in Atlanta, Georgia to shoot a larger TV commercial. Therefore, those TV commercials weren’t coming. So that’s primarily why I decided to build a facility.” He admits that building the sound stages was a huge risk — “going from 10,000 square feet that you rent to borrowing the money for a $2-million-plus building . . . but I felt the drive to take the chance.” The Briarwood building was also turned into a sound stage and is still part of PC&E today. In 1993, Smith spent nine months building the DeFoor Hills location, where the company is currently located, into the equipment rental house and sound stages it is today. Recalls Nappier,“This building used to be a beer cool-
Doug Smith, 1996 Olympics ing plant. We noticed it because a feature film came to town, and they shot here. They used the big warehouse area and built sets in there.” Starting out with minimal office space and empty warehouses, Smith eventually turned the building into two stateof-the-art sound stages with an equipment rental house between them. Nappier says, “The trick to sound stages is you really can’t make any money by just renting a room. You have to have the gear around it, so we thought we’d be the perfect company to have stages because we could support it, and therefore make it viable and make it stick.” Smith thinks purchasing the current location and building the sounds stages is his best business accomplishment.
The More Things Change . . . Being able to adapt to the needs of the industry is one of the defining features of PC&E. The last camera car, which helped build PC&E, was recently sold. “To see those be sold and no longer be used by this company is kind of a big thing,” said Daniel Parrott, the warehouse manager. Most of the staff agrees that the biggest change is the switch in camera systems from film to high definition. “More companies are selecting HD as their number-one production choice. They’ve been talking about HD since I started in this business, or close to it. But just in the last year, I’m able to see that the transition is truly being made,” says Smith. Billy Tuttle, a technician in the camera department, says PC&E has added quite a few HD
This goes back to the “Dukes of Hazzard.” We were driving all of the cars that they wrecked everyday from Conyers to a warehouse in Norcross. We had painters working over there and I was doing some of the mechanical work. Early in the morning, we’d drive the cars back to the set. We were driving one of the police cars at 4 o’clock in the morning, and we were almost arrested in the city of Monroe for driving a police car. They pulled us over and pulled their guns out on us and slammed us up against the car. The funny thing about it was the police officer’s question: “Why is the paint still wet on the car?” What we had to do was show them a bill to Warner Brothers for painting their cars. We finally convinced them to let us go after they made a call to the Conyers police department to check us out. Nobody had ever heard of “Dukes of Hazzard” at that time and we had a fake “Dukes of Hazzard” license plate on a freshly painted police car, so it was pretty suspicious.
-Doug Smith, owner and video cameras to its inventory in the past several years.
. . . The More They Stay the Same Not only does PC&E strive to provide the most up-to-date technology to the industry, but they also take the time to educate people on new gear as well. Camera technician Rob Bock says that PC&E especially strives to help their camera rental clients. “When we get a new piece of gear in, we’ll invite people in to put their hands on it and learn and train on it.” Mark Wofford, the business and marketing manager, says PC&E also gives classes on the generators they rent out, “not only for the guys in the warehouse but for other electricians who want to be checked out on our generators.” A major, distinguishing characteristic of PC&E is the people that work there. Many of them have been with the company for 15plus years. PC&E exudes a friendly, inviting environment because of the people that work there. “Everybody here really wants to go out of his or her way to help the customer,” said Fred Houghton, who works in the repair shop.
Good Times:
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Paul O’Daniel
Tina O’Daniel is my wife, and she is our receptionist. We had Elton John here doing a music video. I went to Tina and I said, “Let’s sneak over to the stage and see if we can see Elton John.” We walked into PC&E’s stage and there about 20 feet from us was Elton John sitting at a grand piano. We stood there for a good five minutes watching him playing Benny and the Jets, just sitting there singing with the crew working around him. We stood there and got a private one song concert from Elton John. That’s probably my fondest memory at PC&E. -Paul O’Daniel, camera department manager
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CASTING BY SHAY BENTLEY-GRIFFIN “One of my greatest ambitions is to make a movie that allows me to travel back to Egypt. If I were to cast this film, I would look for an actor who is interested in the different cultures of the world, the cultures of history. I feel like when the actor shares a passion with the character and brings real experience to the story, you have the chance to come up with something brilliant.” Shay Bentley-Griffin transitioned from talent agent to three-time Emmy-nominated casting director in the late 80s. “A lot of films were being made here in Georgia, but often the principle roles were already cast elsewhere.” She educated producers in larger markets about this regional jewel. “It became my mission to let people know about the talent pool that we have available here in Atlanta”.
COSTUME DESIGNER JEANETTE GUILLERMO “I can see them draped in vibrant colors, fabrics blowing in the wind; veils and turbans; white, pink, and turquoise jewels; and 18K gold rings from their wrists to elbows. Even the camel’s harness would be adorned with bling.” Jeannette Guillermo is a costume designer with a background in fashion. “I started in New York working high-end retail.” She moved to Atlanta during the Olympics and began a career in production. “From the first day I stepped onto a set I just fell in love with the magic. There are so many different elements and everyone is so passionate about working towards one common goal.”
MUSIC BY EDDIE HORST “If I composed the music for the oasis scene, I would use a bed of strings and Egyptian percussion. For my melodic instrument, I would use a Middle Eastern reed for a romantic, mystic feeling.”Eddie Horst began playing piano at an early age. While earning a horticulture degree at Penn State, his true passion blossomed. “I was a member of a traveling band, an amazing experience.” Still, Horst didn’t tune into his true calling until a few years later. He pursued a master’s degree in genetics at NC State. Then, with the support of his wife, Betty, Horst studied at the Berkley School of Music. “After that I got a job playing piano in a piano bar and never worked for anybody else.”
EDITED BY DAVID BALLARD “I would use a CGI visual effect to follow the embers from the fire as they pull us up miles above the earth then shoot down into the temple with a flash effect. Now we’re inside. That’s about a $15,000 effect.”David Ballard, president and creative director of Lab 601, worked first for a television network as a production assistant. “I gained a very broad exposure to everything from preproduction to producing, writing, directing and editing.” After graduating from Auburn University, Ballard found a job in Atlanta as a video editor. “Eventually I progressed to non-linear editing and never looked back.”
DIRECTED BY KRISTEN McGARY “When I was ten years old a friend of the family saw pictures of a garden I had taken and said I had a ‘good eye’. After I figured out what that meant, I devoted my life to it.”
PRODUCTION DESIGNER GUY TUTTLE Guy Tuttle used his engineering degree from Brown University to build his production design business. “I was working as an engineer in Atlanta. One day I got a call to help build a set for a movie.” Tuttle continued to construct sets for everything from commercials to features through his company, Special Projects Inc. “Twenty-eight years later I’m still doing it.”
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY ROSS SEBEK “Shooting on the Nile, I would get a steady boat with a platform, like a barge, and put a crane on top. I would put a soft key on the faces and put some hard light on the water to get it to sparkle.” Ross Sebek traces his cinematic roots back to junior high school, pushing out video content for public access stations and the local school boards. He graduated from the University of Iowa with a film degree. “I moved to New York, picked up a production guide and started reaching out to people who worked in the industry. I ran into a few cold shoulders, but just kept moving. One day I saw a movie shooting on the street.” Sebek stepped in and lugged equipment back and forth from the truck. He made a good first impression and landed a contract. “I’ve been working in the industry ever since.”
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PRODUCED BY WILL PACKER “If we were shooting the last scene on the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro and Tanzanian officials were trying to shut it down, I would ask them to allow me to shoot a documentary about them so millions of people will honor their greatness and legacy. I would finish my film and use the extra footage to flip a documentary that would also benefit those people.”Will Packer partnered with Rob Hardy during their freshman year at Florida A&M University. He (Rob) said, “Will, I want to make this film. Will you help me?” I helped him with the casting, funding, and ultimately distribution. “Chocolate City” brought big returns. “I was looking for a business to run and here was that opportunity right in front of me.”
WRITTEN BY RIC REITZ Ric Reitz is a multitalented actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. He got his first screenwriting break when a friend, who was directing a Hollywood feature, asked him to rewrite the script. “It evolved from a polish or a rewrite to totally redoing the entire script. So I joined the Writers Guild of America and sold my first screenplay.”
Q and A Shay Bentley-Griffin What is the best part about being a casting director? When someone has found something they didn’t know they had, and I helped to bring that out. That’s when it’s just like, “Wow, this is special”. What is it? And how do you know when someone’s got it? I don’t think you’ll ever be able to put an exact definition on it. I can just tell if there’s something going on with a person just as soon as I can tell there isn’t. I think that I can see more than what is in front of me. What was the most difficult role that you had to cast? The one I remember the most was one of my early casting jobs. I had to cast a movie that had identical twins boys who were heavy-set and played trombone and an Asian boy who could play the bagpipes. We searched the world for these boys. Oddly enough, I was leaving a grocery store and sitting on the bench in front of me were my two heavy-set identical twin boys who ended up doing the film.
Have you experienced any first hand results from the latest tax incentive bill? I have received more work than I could have anticipated! We were not very competitive compared to other markets. If we didn’t get these incentives we could have been the only film generation that worked in Georgia. Is there a particular film that you feel exemplifies great casting? There are so many great films that I feel have great casting. But one of my favorite films is, “It’s A Wonderful Life”. If I was ever involved in a film this special I would feel like all of my goals have been met. I think we were able to ensemble a beautiful cast for the movie, “Warm Springs”. What advice would you give an aspiring casting director? It’s a tough job. A project becomes your life. Roles just don’t go away just because you can’t fill them. You must know where the talent is in your market, know the depth of the talent, and know who will be able to do certain roles. You also need to be empathetic. I try to never forget that how I make a person feel in that room can affect their whole day, even their whole life.
Jeanette Guillermo What are some essential qualities for a costume designer? One of the most important is vision. Know what the character would look like, everything about them that will delineate the character’s uniqueness. Their culture, class, etc. Where do you find inspiration for your costume designs? From walking down the street to just going to the airport. If I’m excited about the script, that’s really the main thing.
What type of programs do you use? We use Costumes Plot Pro. We can break the script down to see which characters and scenes are shooting on a particular day. What do you consider your greatest moment in film? One thing is you calling me and asking for this interview. It feels great just to be honored and recognized as a costume designer.
If you weren’t making films, what would you be doing? I’m a painter, so I would be traveling the world selling my art.
David Ballard What kind of obstacles did you have to overcome to create Lab 601? The big challenge was finding funding. We started with private investors and then bought them out. Now it’s a family run business. My bother, Pete, handles the business side, and I take care of the creative.
What is your greatest moment in the industry thus far? We have made over 25 feature films and shorts. We were honored with an award at the IMAGE Awards Gala for our contributions to the independent film market in Atlanta.
Describe the editor’s power to manipulate the final product? It’s much easier for an editor to look at things objectively with the ability to assemble the film in new ways. Timing and pace is the key to making things work.
What advice would you give an aspiring editor? Find a mentor and cultivate your craft with qualified people. People just want to sit down and start editing a movie. Find a mentor, someone who’s going to give you their fifteen or twenty years of experience.
Where do you find inspiration? Getting out into the middle of nowhere, any place where you can hear yourself think and take the time to watch the world. Understanding the way people act and react is to essential editing. Combining life with an artful technique is really what editing is. 32
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Q and A Ross Sebek How did you step up to director of photography? I started working in just about every department available: grip, electric and camera. A little hair and make-up too. I asked questions and tried to learn as much as I could without being a pain. When you’re bugging people, you have to do it with finesse. I wanted to DP, so I concentrated on the camera department. Being a camera assistant for a few years wasn’t really teaching me what I needed to know to be a DP. So I started harassing the guys in the grip department. Without light, you don’t have an image. Comparing film school to experience, is film school inadequate or indispensable? If you want to be a technician, you’re better off just coming to a set. If you want to be a director, there is a lot of room to experiment in film school. Either way, you need to build relationships with people. If you go to film school, go the best one you possibly can, one that specializes in the kind of productions you want to make. Do you have a definitive shot or camera movement? I like a moving camera; it’s more dynamic, even if it’s a slow creep. But it’s not just about one shot. It’s more about where the lens is in respect to the subject or object, how things blend and stay in harmony, those moments when everything is in sync.
Who’s your favorite Cinematographer? I like a lot of the European cinematographers. The smaller budgets and sets give more of a natural foundation and propagate great cinematographers. Sometimes you have to take more of an organic approach, no matter how big the budget. If you weren’t making films, what would you be doing? Probably a lead guitarist in a rock band. Music has always been a part of my life. Even if I’m not making music I still can feel the rhythm and flow. Do you think there were any steps you could have skipped? I don’t think so. We’re actually re-creating life. You’ve got to know about the different dimensions and perspectives. No matter how much people teach you, it’s never as much as what you can learn for yourself. What’s it like to have a spouse who also works in the industry? It feels great, I’m very happy. I found a wonderful, beautiful, and kind woman. We met on the set of “Stomp the Yard”. A lot of people in the industry marry people that don’t understand how it works. She understands. I’m ready to take on bigger and better things now.
Guy Tuttle What’s the most important quality for a production designer? Keep the entire production in mind. As a production designer, every job is an opportunity to create worlds, not just re-create them.
What is the most elaborate set that you’ve designed? Things like the courtroom in “White Squall”. We’ve also done a large inverted, hanging garden with a 40 X 60 pond for a TLC video. It was a great set.
What types of films have superb production design? Period pieces, in general, are richer in production design. The Coen brothers do things (with production design) just so they can tell a story much better than it would have been without those details.
Where do you find inspiration? I spend a ton of time in trade, landscaping and carpentry magazines. There’s not one of them that I don’t look at, thinking maybe I can make this into a space ship or something.
What kind of equipment and programs do you work with? I use illustration programs like, “Sketch Up”. The tools you work with depend on whom you’re working with.
What do you feel is your greatest moment in film? Working with independent filmmakers gives me the most satisfaction. I’ve worked with three generations of filmmakers in Atlanta. I get the most satisfaction working with up and coming directors and helping lead them down the path of filmmaking.
EDDIE HORST When did you first realize you wanted to compose? I always wrote songs. I was talking to my wife one night, before we got married, and she asked me, “What would you do if you didn’t have anything to worry about?” I said I would do music. And she said, “Well, if you got a little bit more education you could do that.” I went to Berkley and studied scores while listening to great music. I started to figure out how music was constructed. What was your first gig as a composer? It was around 1981. A guy hires me for a commercial for a company called Audio Works. I came up with some cliché jingle that went, “Audio Works, Audio Works, its music to your ears...”I think I made like 500 bucks, but it ran for two years! What intrigues you most about harmonizing moving images with music? You start out with an image that looks great but needs to be enhanced. It’s really fun to look at a scene and decide what’s going to work. I almost always go with my first instinct. I’ve done it for so long that I have confidence that I will come up with the right thing. Which instruments do you play? The first thing I played was the piano, and then I picked up the trombone. Dropped that. I love acoustic pianos. I’ve owned many keyboard and synthesizers. Who is the artist or composer that you admire most? I listen to all genres and types of music. I’m a huge Billy Joel fan. The Beatles changed my life. I still listen to their songs and I’m just blown away. What programs do you work with? I have always liked the Mac stuff. I use a program called Digital Performer. It’s a sequence program; you play a note and it saves it in the program as an event. So if you play “Mary Had a Little Lamb” in the key of E and you want it in F-sharp, you just hit a key and it rearranges it. I have a PC with a database of 20,000 different sounds. If I want bagpipes, I just search the database and load it.
What’s one of the funniest things that has happened while you were making music? When I played in the piano bar in North Carolina regulars would come around. A woman who would come in every night, drink a whole bottle of Asti Spumante by herself and start crying about her life. A guy would come in with a different woman every two days. A big-shot corporate guy working for IBM would always get drunk and put his arm around me and say things like, “Kid, you’re gonna be a star... Liberace, you’re better than him, Sinatra, you blow him away…” He says, “The only thing wrong with you, kid, is you’ve got a dumb name. Eddie Horst!? Who the hell cares about a name like that?” He says, “I’ve decided that tomorrow at 2 o’clock my whole team is going to take off early to spend the rest of the day coming up with a name for you.” I said, please don’t do that. He says, “Yea, I’m gonna do it.” So the next night, I come into work and there’s this huge banner on the wall covered by a sheet. He had thirty people working on it. He grabs the mike; he’s already drunk; and says, “Ladies and gentlemen… Introducing the next superstar of this century. Drum roll, please!” Everyone starts pounding and he says, “Pull the cord!” And on this big banner was the name Stefan DeVeaux. I thought, this is so surreal and bizarre I’m just gonna go with it. What do you feel has been your greatest achievement as a music composer? CNN called me a month after 9/11. They were doing a special and wanted me to write the music. I felt like I was in the presence of God when I came up with the theme. It had to have come from something other than myself. And I really enjoyed working with Bruce Springsteen. What advice would you give an aspiring composer? I think success is figuring out how to work real hard at the right thing. My advice is very simple: write.
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Q and A Ric Reitz How do you come up with the ideas for your screen plays? Real writers write. They find time to do it, if not every day, almost every day. If something strikes me, like a headline or conversation, I’ll write it down in an idea book. I find that the harder you look; the harder they come. I think the great ideas find you.
Is life imitating art, or is art imitating life? Art does best when it tries to mimic life because it’s more believable. Sometimes art will stretch life to the point where we’re trying to presuppose a number of paradigms. If that paradigm doesn’t exist in the current world, you can project to a time and create circumstances that allow that story to come through.
What is the best quality for a writer to have? One word: Persistence. You can have the talent but lack the initiative. The best advice given to me: “Get out of the business, but if you’re stubborn enough to ignore my advice, then you’ve got a chance.” Nobody begins as a great writer. You develop with experience, time, and education.
What are the resources available for improving your craft? Screen writing courses can be taken at a post-graduate level. There are no clubs like the old days where you sit around and critique each other. It’s going to have to be done through course of study in industry institutions or seminars. Otherwise, go read a book.
What do you think about the recent writers’ strike? The strike was meaningful. It didn’t accomplish all the goals, but it did accomplish some. I think it’s a shame that it took so long. It’s difficult to be a member of so many guilds and unions because it can be potentially harder to earn a living.
What is your biggest accomplishment? I wrote two children’s shows with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. They had deep, subliminal meanings. I was trying to help children examine life and deal with life’s challenges, and it became a great success.
Kristen McGary What qualities are most important for a director? A clear vision and the courage to pursue that vision. A director also needs to be able to tell a story visually, have acute listening and communication skills, and be able to think quickly. Which directors do you admire most? I really like Krzysztof Kieslowski, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Baz Lurhmann, Jane Campion, Sam Mendes, Lina Wertmuller, Fredrico Fellini, Francois Truffaut, and James Ivory. How would you describe your directing style? Eclectic, and fresh. I avoid trends. I steered clear of the whole shaky-cam era. The most important thing for me is the story. I’m keenly aware of the visual image.
What kind of equipment and programs do you work with? I’m an old-school film gal who grew up shooting with the surplus Vietnam War cameras. Hand me a 35mm Panavision camera and I am happy. I went kicking and screaming into the digital world and now own a JVC HD Pro. What I like about it is that I can tell a story quickly. I shot an interview with Fredrico Fellini’s editor on “Amarcord” on this camera. Still not film, and I’m still not convinced digital will ever get there. Kids want the newest toy and are trying to force it to look like film. Just shoot film and you’ll get what you want without all the posturing. What advice would you give aspiring directors? Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Say “thank you” for advice and then do what you want. Immerse yourself in film. Also, think about what legacy you want to leave and then work consistently and consciously toward that goal.
What is your method to transform words on a page onto the screen? I storyboard and shot-list extensively, really to the point of overkill. I’ve worked out everything beforehand. You need to be flexible or you might miss something spectacular. If a shot is not working on the set, then I adapt.
Will Packer What is the most important quality for a producer? A wide variety of skills. You have to be confident enough to talk to people into doing things that they may not be predisposed to do. You have to be able to navigate personalities. You also need a creative mind, making sure the film is being shot with an eye towards post production. What’s the funniest thing that has ever happened on set? Something that was funny after the fact happened while shooting a sex scene. It was very sensitive and we were working with a closed set. To get prepared for the scene, the actors went out for some drinks. A sex scene in a movie is about as un-sexy as you can ever imagine. Well, they get back to the set, he’s (male actor) a little past tipsy. He walks on the set completely naked, not a stitch of clothing. The two actresses see this naked guy and totally freak. It was a really big deal. At the time I was concerned, but looking back on it, it’s hilarious. Has an education at a historically black university impacted your filmmaking? It has clearly enhanced it. It’s a really good preparation for the real world. Despite what some people think, it’s a very diverse environment. It’s a rich diaspora and cultural background.
How did you feel the first time you saw one of your films in a movie theatre? It’s an incredible feeling, exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. I feel very fortunate because it is so unique. Was there ever any doubt that you would make it? What propels you to keep going? I never doubted myself. There were definitely times when I questioned if I was making the right decision. Not that I would fail, but is it worth it? You have to create your own definition of success. It’s up to you to decide when the dream becomes deferred, and for me that just wasn’t going to happen. How often do people ask you for a job? In some way or another, very frequently. It’s always, “I’m an actor”, or “I’m a writer”, “here’s my headshot and my resume.” But I never pass judgment because you never know; they could have the project that I’m looking for. What are your goals for yourself and for Rainforest Films? I want to continue to become a well-rounded person. I want to be the best father I can be. On a professional level I am looking forward to producing commercially viable films that get bigger and better. I want to continue to push my company and myself.
•Director to actress as she holds the sacred talisman: What do you think she feels at this point? •Actress: A sense of pride and joy - ecstatic, and happy that she’s remained true to herself on the journey. But perhaps there’s also fear. •Director: Fear? Why? She’s reached her goal successfully. •Actress: The task is completed. The purpose of her journey is over and there’s nothing more. Is life over when the purpose is over? •Director: Yes. •Actress: It’s over? So what are we to do? •Director: Keep recreating your purpose! •Actress: Ahhh. The sequel. 34
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Loved Your Work. Can I Put it on Layaway? By Jon Lee
Most film production begins with either a completed script or a book that a producer believes Andersen would make a good movie. In the latter case he hires a scriptwriter to produce a film script from the underlying work. But first, before expending money on scripts and acquiring rights to works, the producer needs to know if the production can be financed. While this may not be an issue for large studios, for the independent producer it is extremely important. So, how does an independent producer “tie-up” a book while running around trying to line up financing for a movie to be made from the work? Although a producer could just take a copy of the book with him in his pursuit of financing, it would be a mighty careless investor who failed to ensure that the producer had the rights to turn the book into a movie. Since a movie would be classified as a “derivative” of the book, and the right to create a derivative of a work is the exclusive right of the copyright holder, the producer must make arrangements with the author. The most common manner of reserving these rights is through the use of an option. The producer obtains an option from the author/copyright owner for the rights to create a movie based upon the book.
Here Are Some Of The Key Ingredients Of Such An Option: First, of course: Get it in writing! And properly identify the parties. The producer will probably want the right to assign the option to another entity, since it is likely that a new company will be created with investors for purposes of producing the movie. Then, decide how long the option will last. The producer wants to have as much time as necessary to line up financing, a cast, a director, distribution arrangements, and so forth. An option period of 12 to 18 months is not unusual, and frequently the producer will have at least one renewal period. The author, on the other hand, is reluctant to have the work “out of the market” for a long period of time. Usually the solution to these conflicting forces is a factor of the reputation of the author, whether any of her previous works have been made into films, and the demand, if any, for the author’s works — all balanced against the amount of the option fee paid by the producer. In cases where the author and the book are relatively unknown the option might be free. Where the author or the work
is well known, the option fee will be significantly higher and might be based upon a percentage of what the estimated licensing fee for the movie rights would be, ten percent being a good number. Once the option fee is set, the bigger number needs to be addressed: The price to be paid for the film rights. There is really no such thing as a standard price for film rights. To some extent, the same factors that influence the option fee also influence the rights price. From a negotiating standpoint, the producer is better off negotiating the rights price before he has obtained financing, as once financing is in place, there is a sense of urgency to get started — and the author, recognizing this pressure, is in a better position to ask for more money. Oftentimes the price is set as a percentage of the production budget rather than as a hard number. The percentage can be banded by a minimum floor amount and a maximum cap amount. For example, the rights price could be three percent of the production budget, with a minimum of $100,000 and a maximum of $500,000. In some cases additional remuneration is paid to the author in the form of profit participation in the movie, or “points” as they’re called in the trade. Again, the manner in which the points are calculated (e.g., on gross revenue, net profit, or producer’s profit) vary from deal to deal. This part of the negotiations also usually involves some agreement for the author’s name in the film publicity and film credits. Discussion points include where the author’s name will appear, in what size, and in which mediums. The producer will rightly insist upon certain warranties and representations from the author in both the option and the rights agreement. These warranties will include matters such as the originality of the work. If all the work is not original, the author will warrant that the non-original work is from the public domain or was used with the permission of the original author. The crux of the warranties and representations is that the author is the exclusive owner of the work and has the ability to grant the rights license. Typically, the author will indemnify the producer against any loss suffered should one or more of the warranties be untrue. The final key pieces of the option deal usually involve the description of exactly what rights the author is granting and the producer is obtaining. Again, the producer wants as broad a grant as possible. He will want the right to produce a film, prequels, sequels, trailers, promo clips, and the right to display these anywhere, anytime and in any medium now known or hereafter discovered or invented. This avoids the problem that some studios encountered when they discovered that their license to the underlying works for some of their films only gave them the rights to show the film in theaters. When they wanted to show them on TV, or produce DVDs or CDs, they had to go back to the authors and negotiate new licenses.
In A Nutshell: The producer loved the book and its tears. But raising film money took several years. Still, her option as tight. And protected her right. Now she’s basking in audience cheers OZ MAGAZINE www.ozonline.tv
© October, 2008 Jon Lee Andersen All Rights Reserved
etiquette
By James Flynn
Getting On Set and Staying There: When Did Common Sense Become So Uncommon? Georgia has long boasted a strong base of crew for film and video production. While seasoned crew members understand the professionalism needed on set, some inexperienced and untrained crew members occasionally overlook some common sense rules. For those aspiring souls who would like to be involved in this industry, but who may lack the common sense to survive it, here are a few tips to help you get on set, and more importantly, to stay on set. Step 1: Figure Out What Step 1 Is Whether you have limited experience or none at all, you have to get your foot in the door. Check the local message boards and call your local film office hotline to find out when productions are hiring. If you have some experience in a relevant area, like construction, try finding crew members that have experience. For instance, you can look in a professional directory for a construction coordinator and apply with him or her directly. Or, if you are applying for a more experienced position, contact the production manager to arrange an interview. If you have no experience, production vet Carl Clifford offers this advice: “To break into the business, volunteer as a non-paid intern and prove you are a hardworking crew member.” Go to the production office and offer to do any and everything that is asked of you. (Note: do some research before you go to the production office with resume in hand, or else risk being asked to do any and everything for, shall we say, a blue production.) If you are really committed to the idea of working in the film industry, your eagerness should shine through. Everyone loves a hardworking and over-qualified unpaid intern. Have your resume ready and up to date, and avoid exaggeration. While you might get away with calling your three weeks as a concession stand clerk at the local pool “Chief of Sales at Major Country Club” in a normal resume, that sort of embellishment does not work so well in the film world. “A deep, honest, and easy to read resume goes a very long way in getting put in the ‘check them out pile,’” says production manager Tim Bourne. A veteran production manager can sniff out that you did not cast Orson Wells in “Citizen Kane,” were not the lighting technician for “Pulp Fiction,” and more than likely did not direct “Titanic.” If you are new to the industry, you are not going to jump to director in a day, so stay humble and be ready to work hard. “I would rather have someone who knows nothing and has a great attitude than a genius with a big head full of self-promotion,” says Bourne. Show up for your interview dressed comfortably, but not sloppily. A suit and tie is overkill, while arriving in sweat pants and a stained shirt make you look like you don’t care. Take into account the position you are applying for, and think practical. If you have worked in the industry before,“make sure to have a checklist of questions…that outline the points you need in your deal,” says longtime pro36
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duction manager Day Permuy. Having your needs clearly outlined up front will help assure a smoother hiring process, which could turn into another hire in the future. If for any reason you cannot take the job, do not recommend someone else unless you have the utmost confidence in his or her abilities. As Permuy says, “if you refer someone that is not competent, then that reference is a direct reflection on you.” One last piece of advice, show up on time. Be early to the interview and, if you are lucky enough to get a job, be early to the set. Maybe you’ve heard the phrase “better late than never.” Imediately wipe that sentiment from your memory banks. Late is never. And now, on to the show.
Can I Have Your Attention Please First and foremost, you must be ready to learn, and this means being ready to listen. Productions are paying people money for every second that ticks by, and the last thing you want to be is the cog that slows the wheel. Listen to the more experienced crew members, don’t improvise, and be ready to move at a moment’s notice. Attentive, hard workers rise in any business.
No Petting the Artists When people go to the zoo, they don’t go to see the animal handlers, dieticians or staff. They go to see the animals strutting, prowling and maybe gnawing on a bone. Similarly, when people go to the movies or turn on their TV, they don’t watch to see grips, carpenters or greensmen, they watch to see the actors and directors create a false reality. While a shoot or zoo would collapse without a properly trained professional staff running it, the greatest accomplishment the staff can make is to transparently keep the project afloat. Permuy says the creatives on set “are dealing with a greater responsibility than any hired crew are. The crew is there for them.” In other words, you are a zookeeper and the talent is a rare white snow leopard. That means occasionally combing the fur and stroking the egos. It may be hard to accept that humbling fact, but the talent is always the most important. While many actors, actresses and directors are genial and friendly, you should hope for the best
but prepare for the worst. Do not assume that an artist will be nice to you today just because he was nice to you yesterday. Do not assume he wants your opinion on any of the following; His performance, the weather, local eateries, politics, Mad Libs or fashion. Do NOT assume that he wants to hear about your day, your kids, your problems in the bedroom or your thoughts on Spielberg. Do not assume he will remember your name, and don’t go banging on his trailer door. Stick with your crew in your department unless otherwise notified. Says Clifford, “unless there is a question that requires an immediate answer affecting that day’s production, they (crew) should allow the creators to create without interruption.” This isn’t to say that you can never interact with actors and directors. You have to find out which ones you can interact with, and which ones you can’t. In the interest of not getting on an actor’s bad side, Bourne recommends you “stay out of the actors’ sight lines” when shooting. Doing so ensures that you are not the reason a performer lost concentration in the middle of a scene. Finally, remember that actors are people too (despite the snow leopard comment), and like anyone else, they may be stressed from work. “As glamorous as their profession may seem, it is indeed work. Even though they may be waited on hand and foot, they actually have a job to do,” says Bourne. “It may seem a lot easier to some, but it really isn’t. It’s just as difficult a job as anything else for true professionals.”
Evolving Expectations Working on set is different most other jobs. For one thing, you are probably not at a desk staring at the wall, or clocking in and out on a factory floor. For another, normal conceptions of “time” do not apply on set. 5 o’clock is still 5 o’clock, but it may as well be 9 AM as far as you are concerned. You go home when a director says so. Remember, you are not just working on set, you are auditioning for the next job. “Do your best with a good attitude, from the moment you arrive till you drive away at day’s end,” Clifford advises. “The cream rises. There are plenty younger and hungrier than you who would love to have your job,” If you know you will be on set, avoid making plans in the morning, evening, afternoon or night. If this does not sit well with your close circle of friends, tell them that you have run away from home and
not to bother looking for you. Not to say you can’t go out at night, just that you should not expect to be there at any specific time. If the director wants one more take, then he or she will get one more take and you will miss that reservation. Bitching and moaning won’t make it go faster, so suck it up and be ready to work some extra hours. Dedicate yourself to completing a project. Scampering out the door any time another opportunity arises is not an option. In this industry, loyalty is rewarded and disloyalty remembered. “Anybody that jumps ship on me doesn’t get asked back on another show,” scowls Bourne. If you feel you have a truly unique and important opportunity that would greatly benefit your career, make sure you go about it the right way. Bourne advises “If I were say a ‘hammer’ on a construction crew, I would go up to the construction coordinator. I wouldn’t go to the production manager or the producer, because more than likely that guy is not going to know each and every [crew member]. I would go to my immediate senior person and say, ‘I have an opportunity I’d really like to take. I don’t want to leave you in a jam and I don’t want to be unprofessional, but this is a better situation for me to grow within the industry.’” Since so many department heads themselves have risen through the system, they may be willing to work with you, assuming it doesn’t leave them high and dry. Should they tell you they need you to stick it out, then stick it out. You may miss out on an opportunity, but abandoning a team in the middle of a production could cost you even more opportunities in the future. You have gotten into the industry, and to stick around you have to be dedicated.
Aye Aye, Captain! A set is a highly regimented gathering of professionals. This is especially true on the feature film level, where hundreds of people must work in perfect coordination to get the job done. “It’s a lot like the military in that regards,” says Bourne. “There is a chain of command, and as a professional, you abide by that chain of command.” You will be answering to a department head, and each department has a head that answers to a higher authority (either producer, director, production manager, etc.). You are well advised to respect your department head, even in a situation where you disagree with his or her decision. Questioning your department head is essentially questioning the producer. The chain of command applies to more than just taking orders. “Talk to the department head if you have a conflict with a crew member,” offers Permuy. Do not skip the chain of command. Do not go to the higher authority unless you have a legitimate and crucial complaint about the department head. Remember, to the producer (Five Star General), you are just a private and the department head is a Captain. Who do you think the General is going to listen to? Setiquette says that you follow orders as if your job depended on it, because it does.
Hang
Up Your Hangover
Many people in the industry love to drink. And sure, it’s good times to hit up the clubs at night, maybe partake in a social adventure with Blondie from the Clermont Lounge. However, if you have work the next day and wish to have work the days following that, you might want to reconsider your nightlife. Simply put, people with hangovers do not make good co-workers. Being on set is already a fairly intense environment, close knit and communal. If you ratchet up that intensity with a foul morningafter attitude and even fouler post-bender odor, you won’t win many admirers on set. The setiquette rule here is to respect your coworkers and your employers. On set you are part of a team, and Permuy reminds us “No one likes a teammate that can’t get along.” You are all there to do a job, and coming in with a hangover hinders your ability to perform and may annoy coworkers. Working in production does not mean living the Hollywood lifestyle on set. While hangovers are bad, on set use is even worse. As Bourne says, “any abuse of substances or alcohol…is simply not tolerated.”
Can you hold on a second? I have to take this. Have you ever noticed how annoying it is when someone’s cell phone goes off in the movie theater? Have you noticed how much more annoying it is when someone actually answers a cell phone in a movie theater? Take that annoyance, add in a dose of fatigue from weeks of 12-16 hour work days, throw in a dash of director’s fury over not being able to get a shot, multiply by 10 and you have a reasonable idea of what it feels like when someone answers their cell phone while the film (or video, or hard drive) is rolling. Using a cell phone during shooting falls under the “quiet on the set” branch of setiquette. A pro doesn’t need to be told to be quiet on set. “They understand the importance of maintaining a quiet, respectful environment allowing the creative process to flourish efficiently,” says Clifford. Some newer crew members may not have this quite as ingrained though, especially young crew members with texting calluses. Some people just can’t understand that there are times and places to use your personal phone. If yours goes off on set while shooting, jokes and some light-hearted ribbing from fellow crew members will likely ensue, but you can be sure that it will be no laughing matter to the people in charge. “That’s the one thing you don’t want to get caught at, blowing a take,” says Bourne. Let it happen once, and it will probably be dismissed as an honest mistake. Should it happen more than once, it shows you either don’t care or can’t learn, and you can probably forget working with that crew again.
The common sense setiquette rule is to be proactive and either mute your cell phone or leave it in the car, at home, or in a meeting room. On set, you do not need to exchange texts with your buddy about whether the Braves or the Dodgers are the better organization. Do you really need instant access to your entire body of friends, family and people you meet at the bar? Concentrate on the job at hand, and if your cell phone is going to impede that need, then it becomes enemy number one. Pardon the grumpy old man routine, but for on set crew it’s better to be seen than heard. Cell phones are better forgotten altogether.
Respect the Equipment This is a fairly simple, yet often overlooked rule of setiquette. Just because you may not own the equipment you are working with does not mean you can rag it out like a rental car. Take care with the equipment and return it to its proper place when you are done with it. Respecting the equipment also means using it for its intended purpose. The production office computers, for instance, are not there for you to check your Facebook account. Also, working with a particular piece of equipment for six-weeks does not mean you get to take it home with you after the shoot. Not if you hope to be rehired by that company anyway. Respect the equipment, and the production manager just might respect you.
It’s So Obvious Most of this advice truly is common sense, or at least it should be. One of the few drawbacks to increased independent production may be the watering down of the experienced crew base. For the most part, Georgia has avoided the effects of this due to its strong crew tradition. If you want to continue that tradition and have a career in the industry, follow these simple rules of setiquette. If you don’t, please enjoy your time off. You are going to have a lot of it.
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