BULLSIMPLE https://www.bullsimple.com Visual Treatments Sat, 19 Jun 2021 23:15:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Michelob Ultra – Happy Super Bowl Commercial https://www.bullsimple.com/michelob-ultra-happy-super-bowl-commercial/ Fri, 19 Feb 2021 23:55:00 +0000 https://www.bullsimple.com/?p=793 Bullsimple created the visual treatment for Spike Lee’s HAPPY— Super Bowl Michelob Ultra Commercial for PonyShow Entertainment.

For Pony Show Entertainment
]]> Wes Anderson Color Palette https://www.bullsimple.com/wes-anderson-color/ Fri, 23 Aug 2019 15:45:54 +0000 https://www.bullsimple.com/?p=770 Read More

]]> Making a successful visual treatment or director’s pitch often means including details, such as color and tone. Swatches of color can be a helpful guide, like this one based on Wes Anderson’s use of color.

]]> When Social Media is Down? https://www.bullsimple.com/when-social-media-is-down/ Wed, 03 Jul 2019 19:53:12 +0000 https://www.bullsimple.com/?p=748 Polaroid – The Fishbowl https://www.bullsimple.com/polaroid-the-fishbowl/ Mon, 16 Apr 2018 18:55:20 +0000 http://www.bullsimple.com/?p=734 Read More

]]> Bullsimple helped Stink Films create the visual treatment for Nacho Gayán’s  campaign for Polaroid, The Fishbowl, which is a visual history of the famed glasses company and its brilliant creator. Check it out.

]]> Respect Campaign – Hyundai-Genesis https://www.bullsimple.com/respect-campaign-hyundai-genesis/ Thu, 28 Dec 2017 00:01:18 +0000 http://www.bullsimple.com/?p=698 Bullsimple created the Visual Treatment for Samuel Bayer/Superprime’s launch campaign for Hyundai – Genesis

]]> Making the Conference Call Count https://www.bullsimple.com/making-the-conference-call-count/ Mon, 25 Sep 2017 21:46:43 +0000 http://www.bullsimple.com/?p=682 Read More

]]> The agency has sent their boards, scripts and briefs. The producers have discussed scheduling, budget and production details. Now it is time to talk. It’s not always easy to get everyone together, so it’s important to make the most of the conference call. Use this guide to help clarify the vision and create a compelling pitch.

OVERVIEW

  • What is the brand history / future?
  • What were the previous campaigns?
  • How will this be different?
  • Who is the target audience?
  • Where will the spot air?

SCRIPT/STORY

  • What happens in the spot?
  • Is there a specific shot list already in mind?
  • Any further ideas that are not covered in the existing script or boards?

APPROACH/EXECUTION

  • Camera: handheld, multiple camera, second unit
  • Locations / Sets
  • Talent: celebrities, time restrictions, animals, etc.
  • Stock footage / Existing content
  • Unscripted content: staged events, live broadcast, etc.

TONE

  • Comedic / Parody?
  • Realistic?
  • Aspirational?
  • Heightened sense of reality?
  • Documentary?
  • Historical?
  • Futuristic?

LOOK & FEEL

  • Day or night?
  • Indoors or outdoors?
  • Set or location?
  • Weather?
  • Special FX?
  • Lighting?
  • Transitions?
  • Split screen?
  • Aerial photography?
  • Special props?
  • Interior design?
  • Set design?
  • Wardrobe?
  • Makeup?

CASTING

  • Real people?
  • Models?
  • Age?
  • Ethnicities?
  • Improv?
  • Celebrities?
  • Special skills: stunts, singing, dancing, driving, etc.?

MUSIC/SOUND/EDITING

  • Voiceover?
  • Specific music ideas and references?
  • Special editing ideas, preferences?
  • Multiple language versions?

GRAPHICS/CGI

  • Special framing considerations?
  • Still photography integration?
  • CGI Integration?

THE PRODUCT

  • Showcasing the product?
  • Specific models, colors, etc.?
  • Food styling and photography?
  • Car prep and running footage?

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]]> Hyundai – A Better Super Bowl 2017 https://www.bullsimple.com/hyundai-super_bowl_2017/ Sat, 25 Mar 2017 00:12:19 +0000 http://www.bullsimple.com/?p=636 Read More

]]> Teaming up with PonyShow Entertainment,  Bullsimple provided visual research and created the visual treatment for director Peter Berg’s Super Bowl Campaign for Hyundai, providing a real time experience for American military members and their families. The spot required teasers and live interaction during the game, along with edited footage that aired immediately following the game. Check out the the back story of this job at Hyundai USA.

]]> Beware of The Tree of Life • Tips for An Effective Visual Treatment https://www.bullsimple.com/beware-of-the-tree-of-life-%e2%80%a2-tips-for-an-effective-visual-treatment/ Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:43:33 +0000 http://www.bullsimple.com/?p=598 Read More

]]> With so many directors and production companies bidding for commercial jobs, a strong visual treatment or a director’s pitch is crucial. As a research artist I have created hundreds of visual treatments for highly-acclaimed production companies and their commercial directors. Check out these tips to help improve and create a successful director’s pitch.

  1. Be positive:

    Avoid attacking other campaigns and commercials to make your ideas sound better. Strong ideas stand on their own merits and do not require comparatives to be clearly understood.

  2. Be coherent and structured:

    This is not the place for a stream of consciousness. Organize your pitch into easy-to-understand sections such as Approach, Casting & Performance, Look & Feel, Cinematography, Locations, Story/Scripts, Editing & Music — and always include a well-crafted conclusion that invites further action. Keep it simple and do whatever it takes to avoid repetition.

  3. Be yourself:

    Express excitement, but keep it real and there is never any need to say “I fucking love this project.” Even if the conference call degenerates into a free-for-all contest of who can swear the most, profanity for its own sake never looks good in print—it almost always comes across as immature and unprofessional. However, it is great to be enthusiastic and personable. If you’re bidding on a Ford commercial and grew up with Ford trucks, let the client and agency know you have a deep connection with the brand. If you’re doing a spot that features surfing, let them know you have surfed all your life, (which hopefully is true). In short, woo the client and agency, but don’t be creepy about it.

  4. Be Practical but don’t give away the farm:

    This is tricky. Provide examples and approaches that actually fit within the parameters of the budget, timeframe, location and vision of the project. Come up with concrete ideas of how to make the best spot possible. Find the perfect balance of expressing intentions, but do not give away every idea. It’s okay to allude to further ideas that can be developed after the job is awarded. Nothing is worse than seeing your ideas in a spot that was awarded to another director/production company.

  5. Be Visual:

    Never underestimate the impact of the image, but remember a visual treatment, is not a storyboard. Instead of getting hung up on literal shot-by-shot sequences, establish an overall vision for the project. Keep the layout simple and use quality images, avoiding stock and anything with a watermark. Only the right picture is worth a thousand words. Watch out for those elaborate and distracting font treatments. Remember, mood and tone are your best friends.

  6. Beware of The Tree of Life:

    Too many treatments begin with a bold promise to deliver something that has never been done or seen before, and the next sentence pledges to create a look and feel that will be exactly like Terrance Malick’s The Tree of Life. We all get it, the imagery and evocative mood of The Tree of Life is fantastic and immediately conveys a visual style, but beware of the cliché. Ultimately, you must branch out and make it your own.

 

]]> Why Props Matter https://www.bullsimple.com/why-props-matter/ Tue, 22 Dec 2015 22:43:31 +0000 http://www.bullsimple.com/?p=576 Read More

]]> Working as a PropMaster and an Art Director, I always had a sneaking suspicion that props are under appreciated. This brilliant video sets things straight. Let’s hear it for props.

Why Props Matter from Rishi Kaneria on Vimeo.

]]> Diesel – Loverdose https://www.bullsimple.com/diesel-loverdose/ Fri, 24 Apr 2015 16:08:31 +0000 http://www.bullsimple.com/?p=557 Bullsimple created the visual treatment for this Diesel campaign.

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