Picking apart movies and commericals etc.

Report · Sep 02, 2018

Sometimes people in the industry can't help but try and figure out what's going on "outside the frame".

Lighting, Camera moves, post editing, etc.

I like a Culligan water TV commercial and couldn't understand the lyrics so hunted it down. Which 30 seconds do you think they used ?

The last shot is maybe aerial or maybe Luoma crane under cranked a bit... what do YOU think it was ??

TV commercial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkUVaFrF4f8

music - what 30 seconds ?

https://genius.com/Mai-lan-pumper-lyrics

last shot - aerial or Luoma crane?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q_Dam9nD0E

Report · Sep 02, 2018

I think (and this is just my opinion) they used a drone with a 4K camera and I'll explain why. First and my main reasoning is economics, I doubt the Culligan company would pay the fees that a full rigging of that Luoma crane and full crew would cost. I don't know what actors get paid for these type of commercials but I don't think that's cheap either. Also, the song, just to get the rights to use it was quite a bit of change. So I'm thinking a drone and a couple of operators and a bunch of takes.

These commercials have limited runtime and that cost a hell of a lot. So much that if the company is tracking sales to it they the will extend the budget for a shortened version of it. This premise I'm guessing at but I see it all the time on television and that's what I surmise.

But then I'm an idiot and all this could be total BS so just take it as my best guess and not fact by any means.

Oh, BTW; Interesting thread.

Addendum:

I haven't been keeping up with drone technology for some time so when I YouTubbed "best 4k drones" I got this count down to the ten best ones. According to what I can see you don't even have to be a pilot nowadays to operate one all by yourself using your cellphone for some of them and they are small. So I revise my views and say that one person and one of these 4k drones could have shot the whole commercial in maybe two to three hours time.

Reviewing the video critically several times, I now believe that's exactly what they did.

Here's the link to the 4k drone countdown. That Inspire 2 drone is incredible. Top 10 Best 4K Camera Drones For 4K Video & Aerial Photography - YouTube

Report · Sep 03, 2018

Interesting thread indeed

I feel like this was made with a drone. The movement is too jerky for a crane, imo.

(Another interesting aspect is that the last shot has been doubled in speed.)

Report · Sep 03, 2018

I'm thinking I don't know if it was crane or drone yet... I'm thinking about asking the DP that shot it. But that would require favors to get his email address etc.

The beginning ( If I remember right ) is sorta going into the window and a quick cut to girl and dog and then interior stuff ( dog jumps off bed, goes down stairs, etc.)..so the beginning might have been the same setup for the ending ( in terms of camera movement etc.)

shooting washing machine and other stuff was tricky ( camera can't be inside washing machine, so that was prop insert, looking 'down' into pasta pot is tricky cause camera can't be in pasta pot ), every frame is well done and tight and I have to admit I like the spot just for the usual appreciation of seeing something well done.

I'm guessing it was at least a million dollars budget just for the shooting production part ( the principal photography). Some was sound stage, some was location.

It would be interesting ( for me personally ) to know all the details. It's sorta in my blood to try and keep up with what is going on.

Report · Sep 03, 2018

I don't think this commercial came anywhere near a million dollar budget. You can shot using a crane (which I don't think they used here at all) you can shot using a small Drone, you can shot using a tripod or handheld Canon or Sony or Nikon etc, 4k or HD video camera and you can shot using a little point and shoot camera like a sony W series set to video as long as it can handle HD at 30fps. Heck you can even use a GOPro. And you can shot using all these different cameras in the same production at different stages as this was aimed at television and maybe also the web . But this is not in my humble opinion Panavision quality videography.

This commercial was probably budgeted in at around 50 grand and may have gone over budget by 10 grand. Half of that was spent just brainstorming it and whiteboarding the thing. You know those executive, they've gotta have those power lunches and martini's. Another 12 percent for the actors and the remaining 13 percent for equipment and location and editing (who knows maybe they even used Adobe Premiere pro or Adobe After Effects they were wise if they did) with the other ten grand going into somebody's pockets.

Please, I welcome all to shot holes in my theory. Like I said, I'm just guessing here; an idiot out in left field somewhere with the stadium lights in his eyes awestruck just to be in the ballpark. Keep in mind the OP asked for opinions and this is mine.

Report · Sep 03, 2018

well worth hearing and fun to wonder about it.

Report · Sep 03, 2018

Hey pal, I'm just spouting off here. I'm no expert at this. I'm interested to know why you think it's a million dollar budget. Convince me with something anything because I welcome it. Like I said I'm an idiot and I'm looking at it through tainted lens. I see companies as cheapskates, when they can cut corners they will. If they even get a whiff costs are increasing or getting out of control they'll yank them reins quick.

I counted mabe ten scenes, There's maybe 12 actors and a dog. The house could well belong to a company executive and who knows the kids and one of the woman might even be his family. All the others could be actors from a local college or university. The grandpa probably got the lion's share of pay since he appeared the longest on film. Each scene lasted for anywhere from 3 seconds to maybe 8 seconds with quick chops done in post. Now each scene in reality may have taken from 3 to 4 takes and lasted 30 seconds each but I doubt anymore than that and was previewed on site. Yea I think they wrapped this thing up in three to four hours max. With actors making no more than from eight hundred bucks to a couple of grand depending on their role. Note that there is no dialogue so that cut out a whole set of other crew that would have had to been available. Once it was done and finished and shown to the board or committee or whatever there wasn't any alternate shot or second version that was it according to what was agreed to period.

Basically, before shooting even started everything was agreed to and checked off a list by management according to the story line and white board. The money went to dreaming up and working through the story and editing. And that's about it? Now show me where my flaw is, what did I miss and where?

Report · Sep 04, 2018

hehe. I admire your reasoning and ability to see the 'parts' so well. Good going. I can't dispute your assumptions. It's also hard for me to figure out how to find out specifics. I don't know any of the people involved. Don't know agency ( Fallon ) or Producer / Director of that spot, nor DP. I guess I could call Fallon and see if they could give me a ballpark number for the producer / director of the spot, which is what we are talking about. What they charged the "client" would be their own different thing and part of the 'campaign' in general.

Someone at Fallon ( doubtful, but maybe slightly possible ) might have the info of spot cost if they have an AICP bid form on computer and readily available.

Anyway, I'll give it more thought, about how to get info. I'd like to know what was used for that last shot too (aerial or crane).

I think I read somewhere (Ad Week or something ? ) that the new Culligan water campaign is about 50 million.

Report · Sep 05, 2018

The Producer and Director of the company that shot the spot probably has done business with the Culligan Company many times before and that's why the got this gig. As for the actors well I didn't see any household names in it so that's why I think they were rounded up from family, friends and colleges/universities.

Also, it's really a tame commercial. What I mean by that is there's no expensive vehicles or business or even secondary external product names involved and no locations shots,. So they cut a lot of extraneous cost there on this one spot at least. You wouldn't believe what Coca Cola or Starbucks charges if you use their products in a movie or a commercial.

Like you said, maybe this is a campagne bundle and this company bid out ten or fifteen commercials to be shot at intervals. Yeah, I can see a fifty million budget there.

Report · Sep 05, 2018

Odd that you just posted this… as I decided to follow up a bit.

Unfortunately, the Ad agency ( Fallon) does not have a decent way to get in touch with their headquarters via website. I sent email to the rep in NY but he hasn't responded.

The phone number on the website leads me into an automated system that is basically not working for me.

Also, trying to contact Culligan directly via phone was a miss. Apparently there are 'franchises' and although the so-called 'international headquarters' is in some place like Illinois, I was unable to call them on phone.

Soooo, I am being a detective now. I got this info online.... about that specific AD

======begin paste===

Culligan Water: Drinks Drinks Drinks

Client: Culligan

Geo: United States

Released: January 2018

Advertising Agency: Fallon, New York

Chief Creative Officer: Jeff Kling

Creative Director: Jason Bottenus

Creative Director: Rick Utzinger

Copy Writer: Megan Winterhalter

Art Director: Steph Hayden

Director of Production: Andrew Koningen

Managing Director: Rocky Novak

Business Lead: Jordan Hoffarber

Account Manager: Profit Idowu

Group Planning Director: Erin Tait

Media Director: Niki Dobratz

Group Media Director: Michael Schwandt

Director of Social & PR: Greg Swan

Associate Director, Social Media: Alexandra Heide

Production Company: Somesuch

Director: Abteen Bagheri

Founding Partner/EP: Tim Nash

Executive Producer: Nicky Barnes

Managing Director: Eric Stern

Head of Production: Kerry Haynie

Producer: Mark Berger

Director of Photography: Isaac Bauman

Editorial: Arcade Edit

Managing Partner: Damian Stevens

EP: Crissy DeSimone

HOP: Kirsten Thon-Webb

Editor: Paul Martinez

Editor: Will Hasell

Assistant Editor: Andy Trecki

Producer: Alexa Atkin

Creative Directors/Partners: Jonah Hall & Kevin Lau

Executive Producer: Sabrina Elizondo

Head of Production: Melody Alexander

Producer: Emily Avoujageli

Lead Flame Artist: Chris DeCristo

Flame Artist: Chris Homel

Flame Assist: Brack Hightchew & Brandon Harden

Art Director: Jon Lorenz

Animation: Daniel Zhang

Animation: Yosh Bolivar

Assistant Sound Design: Kai Paquin

Mix: Loren Silber

Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan

Sound Design: Michael Anastasi

Music: Pumper by Mai Lan

=============end paste=======

I called IATSE local 600 and asked if the DP ( Bauman ) is a member and has contact info they can give me ( given my past history as a retired IATSE member they might share that with me ). The DP will ( if he responds ) can say how that last shot was made ( and very short beginning into window). So, if he responds we can find out if it was drone or crane.

Regarding the overall shooting budget from the 'producer / director" company side ( just the ballpark figure on the budget to shoot the thing ) he might have heard some scuttlebutt about that figure.

Let's see what happens.

Report · Sep 05, 2018

I know some people hate commercials and everyone as a person is into different things re: being part of audience vs. being part of creative 'groups' etc. but I personally really LIKE this particular commercial and think it was well done. The new ones will feature a star actor who was the lead in "The Princess Bride" which was a fantasy movie that I also liked a long time ago. It was fun.

" As You Wish " is the basic premise.

I'm glad you are also interested in these things and like to find out stuff. Curiosity and solving mysteries of how things are made fuels the future sometimes.

Report · Sep 06, 2018

Got info: DP

========begin paste=====

We used a 50’ technocrane for both shots, which were both done at magic hour on different days. The budget was around $250k per day and a million total for the three days of shooting plus post production.

=========end paste=======

Techno crane like Louma I showed earlier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuycIbHKh9A

Report · Sep 06, 2018

The reference to 'both shots' refers to

1) very beginning going into window

2) end shot going to wide , high ending

Report · Sep 06, 2018

I guess I could watch the commercial again, and write stuff down as I play and pause it throughout the shots (cuts) to sorta pick it apart to describe how the shots were more than likely done, but it would require some time.

Basically the only exterior shots are the 2 already mentioned. That's the only time the house location was used.

The rest of the stuff is all sound stage sets.

Some nice props. Washing machine so camera could look through it to dog, and pasta pot so camera could look through it to man. Pot was probably on a steep angle so man didn't have to look straight down ( ceiling piece on angle to look like normal aspect ).

bedroom one set. Dog jumps off bed. stairs, another set. dog runs down stairs. Washing room, another set, dog drinks water. Washer prop, dog looks into washing machine and licks chops. Woman taking shower, another set, looks out of shower door and smiles. Kids at doorway playing mischievous, turn out light is another set. So on and so forth. Much very nice lighting done throughout. Nice spot.

Report · Sep 07, 2018

Well, my apologies, like I said throughout I'm an idiot at this stuff.

Report · Sep 07, 2018

That makes 2 of us. I'm still trying to figure out how the shower thing to the 2 kids turning off light was done. I totally doubt it was one shot from shower to kids (there's a fast pan / tilt down I had forgotten about ). Trying to figure out how that could be done is kinda meeting a dead end in my brain.

hehe...