Spots and web videos feature Houston Texans star as fans talk about his famous exploits on and off the field.
Did he wrangle a marlin onto his boat with his bare hands? Is he sculpted like a super hero? Did Sasquatch really say that he saw him once, trumping through the brush? These are all questions asked by a range of people in a series of new comedy TV spot for Ford’s F-series trucks from Team Detroit directed by Synthetic Pictures’ Justin Corsbie, and the person they’re asking about is J. J. Watt, the popular, high-voltage defensive end for the NFL’s Houston Texans.
The spots, which come in a range of broadcast and web-only versions, shows various groups of Watt fans engaged in spirited banter about his famous exploits, including two young boys, followed by a couple of construction workers, a man and his barber chatting during a haircut, a couple out on a date, two ranch hands and a group of young women doing yoga in a city park. To view the work see below or click here: http://reels.syntheticpictures.com/v/2572.
In each instance we cut to scenes of Watt doing something akin to what he’s been rumored to do, with his Ford pick up playing a key supporting role. For example, when they say they’ve heard he tames wild beasts, we see him tossing a bag of dog food in the payload with his trusty pooch by his side. “It’s the stuff legends are made of,” Watt says to the camera at the end of the spot.
Corsbie brought his skills working with improv actors and his intimate knowledge of the social-media fueled, sports fan mindset to the project, tapping into the reputation of Watt around the league as a larger-than-life player. “Based on the neo-legends of J.J., you’d think he’s a genetically engineered android built from the DNA of Vince Lombardi, Lawrence Taylor, Dick Butkus, Derek Thomas, and Ronnie Lott,” the director says. “This exaggerated public image provides the perfect springboard for comedy, establishing an almost inside joke with the viewer.”
The script presented Corsbie and his production team with a range of shooting situations and challenges, including working with a large cast over varied locations, directing kids and a dog and of course making sure the vehicles looked great. Shot over two days in Houston before the start of the football season, the ads are just the latest evidence of the surging popularity of Watt, who’s appearing in campaigns for a number of brands. The Texans are the focus of this season’s “Hard Knocks” series on HBO, which follows a pro club all through training camp. Not surprisingly, the shoot locations were mobbed by fans who splashed their pictures and selfies across the internet.
The work is airing regionally, including on spot buys on Houston Texans broadcasts, and is also featured nationally online.
About Synthetic Pictures
Founded in 2002, Synthetic Pictures (www.syntheticpictures.com) has offices in Los Angeles, Austin, and New York. The company boasts a diverse roster of live action directors and an accomplished visual effects division, SP/FX. They’ve worked with agencies such as BBDO, Leo Burnett, Team Detroit, GSD&M, Doner, Pitch, Publicis, JWT, Integer, 22squared, Wunderman, TM, Mithun, 360i, Phenomenon, Proof, Wilson, Luckie & Co, Agency RX, CDMi, Ramey, Tombras, LGA, Loomis, BVK, Rapp and R&R Partners on projects for clients such as Starbucks, Chrysler, Dodge, Dell, Intel, BMW, Ford, Vegas Tourism, Jennie-O, Shell, MasterCard, P&G, Special K, Dairy Queen, Burger King, Reebok, Walmart, DreamWorks, Nationwide, Canon, SunTrust Bank, Invisalign, Citgo, Honda, and the American Red Cross.
Video Credits
Client: Ford
Agency: Team Detroit
Executive Creative Director: Todd Chumley, Creative Director: Jerod Bunjer, Assoc. Creative Director: Steven Presmyk, Sr. Art Director: Julie Veinberg, Digital Art Director: Lauren Sanders, Jr. Copywriter: Devin Jones, Jr. Art Director: Evan Weiland, Executive Producer: Ryan Cook
Production Company: Synthetic Pictures
Director: Justin Corsbie, Executive Producer: Allison Smith, Director of Photography: Dean Mitchell, 2nd Unit DP: JP Lipa, Line Producer: Melissa Murphy, Production Designer: Michael Grasley
Editorial and Conform Studio: Cosmo Street
Editor: Kevin Anderson, Asst. Editor: Zack Winick, Producer: Arielle Davis, Flame Artist: Shinya Sato
Color Grading: Apache Digital
Colorist: Steve Rodriguez, Producer: Caitlin Forrest, Executive Producer: LaRue Anderson
Audio Mix: Lime
Mixer: Sam Casas, Asst. Mixer: Stephen Fredericks, Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan
Contact:Allison Smith
Synthetic Pictures
Contact Allison via email
323-462-1292
Media:
Anthony Vagnoni
avagnoni communications
973-493-8736
Contact Anthony via email
Lost on Dawn Patrol: Filmmaker Win Brooks’ Satirical ‘Surfing Sucks’ Spot
With his inventive, satirical new spot - a :45 featuring the ...Lost surfboard brand - multimedia director, writer, and editor Win Brooks lays out the many...
Rocio Crudo Takes Us “Donde We All Play” For Taco Bell
The Latin American community’s passion for soccer may be at its height during the FIFA World Cup, but even on an average Saturday night outside the local Taco Bell, a sense of good-natured competition can fill the air....
Cardi B and Offset Share an Intimate Moment with Directing Team LOBOS for McDonald’s
It is apt that "The Cardi B & Offset Meal," created for McDonald's via agency Golin, produced by Easy Mondays, and directed by
Easy Mondays’ Kris Mercado Hits Slamdance with ‘Mela’
Filmmaker Kristian Mercado is familiar with festival season; his film NUEVO RICO won the Jury Award for Best Animated Short at the 2021 SXSW film festival. His short film MARIPOSA toured the 2020 film festivals with...
Light Sail VR Scales Creative Business with OpenDrives Data Management Infrastructure
OpenDrives, Inc., a leading provider of software-defined media storage workflow solutions, today announced that Light Sail VR, a pioneer specializing in immersive media storytelling has selected the Atlas storage platform to modernize and scale its creative production business. Atlas boasts superior performance, enabling customers like Light Sail VR to increase data storage and processing on the fly, accelerating creative workflows by as much as threefold. The transition to Atlas has greatly improved the team's productivity, streamlined their workflows, and optimized their data management capabilities. With features like mount management and containerization, Light Sail VR was able to effectively scale their existing storage and add resources, thus enabling them to onboard more commercial projects effectively and swiftly using various third-party tools available through OpenDrives’ containers marketplace. Light Sail VR Co-Founder and Creative Director Matthew Celia, a recognized leader in virtual reality, comments on the transformation OpenDrives has brought to its operation, "OpenDrives was our most important investment at the very outset, as the new infrastructure would set the stage for greater efficiency. The... Read More