Hey hey party people we are back at the breakdowns this week on the podcast.  

Please forgive my inability to speak this episode and any typos below as I am putting this up after back to back 18 hour shoot days.  

This one was fun to shoot and hopefully this breakdown that has a little bit less lighting talk and puts more emphasis on other production elements is a nice change up.  

Enjoy!

Patreon Podcast: Deliver Big & Level Up

We are continuing our look at some recent commercial work over on the Patreon podcast this week.  We examine an ad recommended by a supporter shot by Jared Fadel.  I am a big fan of Jared's so it was fun to take a look at some of the techniques used in this one.

If you want to check it and and give it a listen head over to the Wandering DP Patreon Group below: 

The Wandering DP Patreon Group

If you are a fan of the podcast and want more video content the patreon group is the place to be.  Each and every week I release an exclusive podcast, video, or live stream just for the Patreon members.

The podcast couldn't exist without the Patreon support and I do my best to take care of the supporters.

Zeiss Supremes & the Mini LF - The Spot

This was a series of comedy spots that used slow motion and celebration to subvert the expectations of the viewer.  The series was all short 15" spots that followed the same concept.

Start tight on a person celebrating in slow motion only to cut wider in real time to see it probably isn't the most conventional place for such behaviour.

Camera Gear:

Check out the gear I use on all of my commercial shoots by clicking the link below:

Wandering DP Commercial Cinematography Gear

We used the Alexa Mini LF paired with Zeiss Supreme Primes.

The Prep - Locations & Scouting

The early location scouts set the tone for the entire storyboard process which, in the commercial environment, usually lock in the aesthetics of the final piece.

I have included stills from the initial location scouts below to help visualize how the spot evolved in to the final product on the day.

Shot 1 - The Office Wide

The Location Scout:

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

The wide revealing the man is celebrating in an office lunch room.

The Lighting

We used Astera Titan tubes in all of the practical overhead lights and then pumped an Arri M18 through a 12x12 loosely hung on a T bar to get the directional push from frame left for the key light.

The Result

Full Frame:

BTS:

Shot 2 - The Tight

The Location Scout:

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

The opening shot of the ad in 90fps.

The Lighting

We kept everyting as it was in the wide but we repositioned the talent to have the overhead lights become a backlight then added a 4x4 frame of diffusion inside the room to help soften the M18 coming from frame left.  

On frame right we added a 4x4 floppy to help create some additional contrast.

The Result

Shot 3 - The Reverse

The Location Scout:

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

The reverse of the action.

The Lighting

We circled the M18 around and the 12x12 frame plus we lowered the lamp to push more level deeper in to the space.  We used the Astera Tubes again for room tone from above in the practicals then added an Arri S-60 Skypanel out the back door frame left to create additional depth.

The Result

The Full Frame:

BTS:

Shot 4 - The Living Room

The Location Scout:

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

Our wide as the woman faints back in to the sofa.

The Lighting

We shot this at the worst time of day as sun direction didn't matter based on the layout of the house.

We used an Arri M40 through a 4x4 then through a 6x6 of 1/4 grid to create our key from outside frame right.

Inside next to camera on the same side we added an Arri S-60 in a chimera to extend the wrap across our talent's face.  Then there is a T bar of Neg frame left and in the background there is an Arri M18 plus a Joker 800 creating additional areas of interest.

The Result

The Full Frame:

The Alternative Location:

Shot 5 - The Fall

The Board:

The Final Frame:

The Shot

The first shot of this sequence.  90fps as the woman celebrates her luck.

The Lighting

Same as the wide but we brought all of the diffusion closer to the talent and eliminated the need for the Skypanel from frame right.

The Result

Shot 6 - The Couch Landing

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

A low shot as the talent's head hits the pillow.

The Lighting

Same as above.

The Result

Shot 7 - Day for Night

The Location Scout:

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

The wide of our hero couple celebrating while trying not to wake the baby.

The Lighting

This was day for night.  Outside is a tented patio with an Arri S-60 on it to add the moon light.

Inside is a combination of a Litemat 2L just out of frame center then astera Titan tubes on other side of the frame cross keying the talent.

We tried to play practicals on in the BG either side but the flicker due to the high speed work made what we had at our disposal unacceptable. 

The Result

Shot 8 - Her Single

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

Slow motion of the woman celebrating silently.

The Lighting

We had the Litemat 2L lowered and pushed through a 4x4 frame of diffusion frame right.

We added a 4x4 floppy frame left for contrast then used a single Titan Tube frame right to help edge out her shadow side. A practical highlight in the BG would have been lovely here.

The Result

The Full Frame:

Shot 9 - His Single

The Location Scout:

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

The reverse of the previous shot.

The Lighting

Same as above but flipped for his position.

The Result

The Full Frame:

Shot 10 - The Bathroom

The Location Scout:

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

The wide as our talent exits the stall and greets the stranger at the sink.

The Lighting

We used Astera Titan Tubes in the existing practicals above then supplemented the BG light with an Arri S-60 in a chimera from frame right.

We also had a single tube frame right to add some "necessary" fill.

The Result

The Exit:

The Full Frame:

Shot 11 - The Turn

The Shot

The slow motion celebration of the talent exiting the stall.

The Lighting

Same as above.

The Result

Shot 12 - The Reaction

The Shot

The opening shot of the ad as our stranger hears voices in the neighboring stalls.

The Lighting

Same as above with the addition of a Poly frame right to help ease the crunch of the overhead practicals.

The Result

Shot 13 - The Grand Finale

The Board:

The Final Shot:

The Shot

We are inside the stall as our hero talent celebrates his big win.

The Lighting

We used a Titan tube above coupled with a titan tube from frame right to help carry the toplight into his eyes.

We also had a 4x4 diffusion frame overhead to eliminate some harsh shadows from the ambient light.

The Result

BTS: