TV Commercials Purpose, preparation and making

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Lecturer: Ivan Bartoš, koordinace Kateřina Klaricová

Date and time: Fri, March 16, 10 ? 1 pm, 2 ? 4 pm, room 1,in English

Assignement: Zá/2/ - 2 credits

TV commercials: Purpose, preparation and making.

As TV commercials are inescapable part of a TV content of commercial TV stations, it seems only too important that students studying more artistic forms of film making would gain further knowledge about the purpose of TV commercials, their funding, their making, production and commercial TV stations.

There are of course completely different reasons for their initialisation compared with other TV products. From the primary impulse, impetus of an advertising agency and dialog between them and the client.

We'll look at corporate and product types of TV commercials. A wider concept of the client?s account with the add agency, an account director, agency producer and the creative team. Commercial time buyers and consequences of their decisions. Agency presentation to the client. Their storyboard and a treatment. Examples. We?ll discuss the role of a production company, presentation of director's showreels and dialog between agency producer and a production company producer. Preliminary dialog between a director and a production company producer. Agency decision as who to address. Conference call. Director?s treatment and presentation to the agency. Examples. Various art styles.

Getting the green light. First stages of an add preparation. Different ways of approaching the subject. Where the money goes. Organisation of the production. Timetable and importance of the continuous dialog between the agency and the prod. company. Making changes and their approvals. Director?s briefing of various departments. Architect, studio, locations finding, casting, set design, music, V.O. props and prop making, finding a cameraman, cameramen?s showreels, filming techniques, SFX, lighting etc.

Preparation for the PPM (Pre Production Meeting). Pre PPM and final PPM. PPM brochure examples. Some possible problems emerging from the original agency presentation to the client and various differences agreed upon with the agency during the preparation time of the add. Do people understand written ideas? Differences between the agency and the shooting board. Explaining the shooting board to the client. Casting, wardrobe, locations and timetable approval. Various national differences.

Shooting the add. Dealing with various people on the set. The producer?s, director?s, cameraman?s and other professions roles on the set. Agency and client. Various demands and how to deal with them. Watching the monitors and understanding what is going on. What if things go really wrong. Isn?t contingency coming to a rescue?

Off-line edit and presentation to the agency. Incorporating different views. Various commercial lengths, director?s cut, agency cut, loosing the narratives due to shortenings, reminders and strategy in showing them.

Going on-line. Aesthetics of images and SFX. Dilemma of grading, secondary grading and case of irreversible decisions. Agony of final approval. Sound, music and V.O. Final mix and delivery of TV copies.

There will be examples of commercials demonstrating various approaches, good, bad and downright ugly. Does art sell?

CURRICULUM VITAE

IVAN BARTOS

Commercials director and Director of Photography.

I was born 2nd May 1951 in Czech Republic.

Studied Academy of Musical Arts in Prague, Faculty of Film - FAMU. Finished in 1977.

Later working in Film Studio Zlin and Film Studio Barrandov, as a focus puller and camera operator on various feature films.

In 1980 I began working in the special effects department in Shepperton Film Studios. (Rostrum cameraman).

I shot 26 part TV series for children.

In 1982 I became a freelance D.O.P.

In 1984 I started a production company called „ARCADIAN PRODUCTION“ where we produced number of TV shorts as well as another 13 part film series for children. I also illustrated four children?s fairy tale books. (Methuen Children?s Books Ltd. 1986).

In 1985 I started working on commercials and music clips as a D.O.P.

In 1988 I co-wrote and shot TV film drama for Channel Four called „FREUD“. I also shot a feature film called „SPIRIT“. (as D.O.P.)

Among other things I shot (as D.O.P.) four short feature dramas. Film „LIFECLASE“ won a prize for the best short film (distributed by British Arts Council) at „Krakow“ film festival. Film ?ROAD TRIP? won a prize at ?Huston Film Festival?.

In 1992 I shot a feature film „The Muppet Christmas Carol“ as a special effects cameraman.

In 1993 I shot a feature film comedy called ?Seaview Knights?. (as D.O.P.)

In 1993 I was nominated for an MTV award in USA for the best cinematography. (Sting ?If I Ever Loose My Faith in You").

In 1994 I won a ?BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARD? London - IVCA.

In 1994 a music clip I shot won the ?BEST ROCK VIDEO? award at MTV in New York and CLIO award. (Soundgarden: ?BLACK HOLE SUN?) (as D.O.P.)

In 1996 I started directing commercials often working as a director/cameraman.

In 1996 I won Gold, New York Film Festival for my camera work on Siemens Nixdorf commercial film.

In 1996 commercial for Pirelli ?SNOWRUNNER? which I shot and directed.

Shortlisted: Cannes Festival

Gold, The New York Festivals

Shortlisted: Clio Award

Shortlisted: Epica

Shortlisted: London Int. Adv. Award

Bronze, Berliner Klappe

I am living in the UK and Prague.

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The subject is a part of the following study plans:

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• Dokumentární tvorba - magistr (faculty subject, optional subject)
• Dokumentární tvorba - bakalář (optional subject)
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• Fotografie CZ: Restaurování fotografie (optional subject)