… for Random Weirdness

Tip #372: 5 Prep Tips for Directing Commercials

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

The Better Your Prep, the Better the Shoot

This article, written by Tanner Shinnick, first appeared in PremiumBeat. This is an excerpt.

Acquaint Yourself with the Client’s Business

One of the first and most important things you can do as a director is to understand how your client makes money. As important as how they make money is also who they make money from — their target demographic.

Visit Their Social Media Accounts

These resource gives you a quick overview of what their previous advertising efforts were and the general tone they’re trying to achieve for their brand.

Make a Music Playlist

For any spot I do, I make a playlist that reflects the mood and tone we’re trying to achieve for that spot. Then, I listen to that playlist while I’m doing any sort of prep for that shoot.

Reference Commercials

I love to pull from and watch as many reference commercials as possible. The best part is that these reference commercials can really help illustrate to your client the tone you’re trying to achieve.

Find Inspiration in Photography

Photography has only one frame, while we (as filmmakers) have twenty-four frames per second. Photography typically motivates my mood, wardrobe, and locations for any spot I do.