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So good, I had to link to it twice. This is what stop motion by hand creates, and the community of artists making handmade films are some of the most talented people I’ve met. It took us 3 months with 2 mini stages to make this and the other 4 commercials in the campaign. Building this pipeline was the most rewarding part of the process, but there is also something special in embracing imperfections in the animation to get something more ‘real’ and ‘tangible”.
Pet Gorilla // Executive Producer // Line Producer // Post Producer //
Filming this for Apple’s WWDC felt more like vacation than production. We’d done a previous campaign for Apple, so I wanted to produce this script as soon as I read it. During a few beers after wrap with Ian and Corbett (director), Ian told us he wanted to break the world record for longest distance traveled in 24 hours by mouth controlled power wheelchair. It sounded so cool that we told him we wanted to film it. The independently produced feature will be premiering sometime in the Fall of 2025!
Pet Gorilla // Executive Producer // Line Producer // 1st AD //
This project was awarded so quickly that I was still finalizing the bid while flying to Sydney to film with Celeste Barber. I was actually the director’s rep for the Paris Hilton Carl’s Jr spot back in the day, having tied the agency with a new director we had at Partizan. It was a real special treat to re-create that overly sexualized commercial in a comedic way. The Carl’s Jr. client was the best client I’d ever had on set and Celeste made the production easier than ever.
Pet Gorilla // Executive Producer // Line Producer //
This project came in because the agency knew I was good with new directors, and the agency’s copywriter was going to direct the campaign. This wasn’t Anthony’s (director) first production, and he was a super collaborative on ways to move through the sets quickly while allowing for a little extra improv. We filmed a lot of shots over 2 days on a small campus outside of Boston, and hired a great episodic comedy DP to move fluidly while juggling a boat load of athletes.
Pet Gorilla // Executive Producer // Line Producer // 1st AD //
Yeah, I’ve shot cars too, pretty fun playing with those camera cars. Incredibly smooth production that we filmed over 2 Days in LA. Our first day was all car work in this cool area of Century City and on day 2 we filmed at a Warehouse to capture all the other shots. The craziest thing about this job was learning that you cannot film the CAA building and use it in any form of media without permission – they got the game on lock.
Pet Gorilla // Executive Producer // Line Producer //
I like this campaign because it proves that you don’t need a lot of money to make a great set of commercials, you just need a good idea and some excellent creatives. This was all the director’s idea from the conference call through VO recording and we really had a blast editing these from stock footage and using our own scratch track voices. Great actors came in for the VO session and for months later we were all talking alike narwhals around the office.
Pet Gorilla // Executive Producer // Animation Producer //
Working with practical effects takes of ton of planning and a lot of breath work, but can be really cool when it all pays off. We were most excited about this campaign because it was an opportunity to drive a car in to a pool. Where do you even begin to find a pool that will let you do that?? Simple… a backlot. However, the directive was to film it all on a Nest Camera!?!?. We filmed on Alexa for backup, but really loved building all these crazy shots.
Pet Gorilla // Executive Producer
I oddly enjoy the challenge of filming outside of LA, maybe it complicates the puzzle just slightly enough to make it a game, but it’s also great to meet different crews. This one was mandated to film in Denver and I threw the whole budget at art department and cans of gold spray paint. Art Department did a great job hitting the director’s vision and I was surprised by the level of talent in Denver’s acting community. Would film in Denver again, 10 of 10.
Pet Gorilla // Executive Producer // Line Producer //
I’ve always liked the dry comedy in this spot, and I remember seeing this actor all over the air for the next few years, because Vancouver doesn’t have a deep enough talent pool of dorky-likeable guys, go-figure. I had just signed Matty (director) to the Pet Gorilla roster and this was our maiden voyage together - and the first time I stepped in to line produce to stretch a budget.
Pet Gorilla // Executive Producer // Line Producer