Photoshop - ID# 358
Batavia
Commercial
Entry Description
Commercial produced by Ben Hampson (2023)
Copyright Info
Recent Teacher Comments
- 4/26 6:34 am - This commercial combines good storytelling with good editing! It also shows off and gives reasons why someone might want the product...but not in a boring way. Nice work!
- 3/3 2:18 pm - I must commend you on your exceptional creativity and storytelling capabilities. It is evident that you possess a natural talent for crafting engaging narratives that captivate the audience, underscoring the adage that content truly is king. Your project serves as a compelling reminder that, within the realm of video production, a powerful story holds paramount importance, often transcending the limitations imposed by production constraints. While the overall production value may not match the high standards set by more technically polished works, the strength of your storytelling and creative vision significantly bridges this gap. This achievement is no small feat and speaks volumes about your potential as a filmmaker. The ability to convey a compelling story, even with limited resources, is a skill that will serve you well throughout your career. As you continue to develop your craft, focusing on the technical aspects of cinematography will further enhance the quality of your work. Lighting, in particular, is an area where you can make significant improvements. Moving beyond reliance on simple key lights to explore more complex lighting setups will add depth, texture, and mood to your scenes, elevating the visual storytelling of your projects. Consider experimenting with three-point lighting, the use of diffusers, and playing with shadows to create more dynamic and visually appealing scenes. Additionally, honing your technical skills will not only improve the aesthetic quality of your work but also expand your creative toolkit, allowing you to bring your visions to life with greater fidelity. Engaging with tutorials, workshops, and other educational resources can provide you with new techniques and insights into both the art and science of filmmaking. Remember, the journey of a cinematographer is one of continuous learning and exploration. Each project presents an opportunity to experiment with different styles, techniques, and narratives. By embracing these opportunities for growth and pushing the boundaries of your creativity, you will undoubtedly achieve remarkable progress in your technical abilities and storytelling prowess. Your dedication to storytelling and your willingness to explore and improve upon the technical aspects of your craft are commendable. I eagerly anticipate seeing how your skills evolve and the innovative ways you will light and capture your future stories. Keep striving for excellence, and never lose sight of the power of a well-told story.
Judge 1
Positives: Aw man, this is FUNNY. The story kinda had a double twist, which can be risky in terms of muddying a clear storyline, but works in this case, and kudos for fitting into a :30! The 'find yourself' line is funny and ties up the story well. What's cool about it, and what you demonstrated in this spot, is that this is just one of what could be many expressions of this idea. Just the fact that this is stirring my little half-jaded creative spirit is evidence of this tagline "having legs", which is ad mumbo jumbo for it laddering up to a bigger human truth, with built-in tension.
Improvements: This spot really suffers in terms of lighting, which can be one of the more challenging areas of production. As a guideline, comedy tends to be lit less dramatically unless there is a creative reason for it. You don't want the viewer to be caught up on thinking "man this is too dark", and whatever else can distract or take away from what is a very funny idea. Hmm - I'm struggling to come up with another area of constructive feedback, which is a good thing! Ok, I got one. I think the ending lines, while funny, could maybe work a little harder. I think we get to the story turn moment "ah, photoshop", a little fast, and I'd love to see some other storytelling element that pushes the story beyond the "oh yea, I have photoshop" sentiment.
Judge 2
Positives: 1. Concept was excellent. Dracula buys photoshop to put himself in photos with his friends... Believe me when I say this to you: That is so clever and so funny and so memorable. Not only could that be a professional commercial idea, that could be a Superbowl commercial idea that everyone in the country talked about. REALLY fun and memorable commercial, and it makes me remember the product (the primary goal of a commercial). A+ concept and writing. 2. I liked the fast paced editing and music. You crammed a lot of shots into 30 seconds (a good thing, in this instance). It made the commercial feel fun and entertaining.
Improvements: 1. Sound - I had a little trouble hearing the dialogue. Maybe it was overpowered by music in those moments? Not sure why but I didn't catch the dialogue on the first viewing. 2. I'm going to take a point off for story. The general concept of the story is A+, like I said earlier. I just think it needs a small tweak to improve it. "Story" might not be the exact category that I'm thinking of, but I'll just explain... I think the product could be sold to the audience slightly better. Dracula makes a somewhat basic photoshop edit at 0:22, it's funny but this can imply that the product is basic and not great. If you are selling a photoshop product, your client wants dazzling shots of photoshop examples so that the audience thinks, "WOW that photoshop technology is incredible!" Going with my above point, Dracula shows his friend that he did the photoshop and the friend says, "its you..." I can't tell if the friend thinks it's cool or lame. Mind you, the commercial is funny and entertaining. But if I'm the photoshop client, who paid you to film this commercial, I want everyone excited about my product and the effects of my product. So I would want the end result (the end of the commercial) to have everyone saying "Woah it's you! You look great! How did you do that!? Your photoshop software is very high quality!" SUMMARY: The concept and the humor and the entertainment of this commercial is A+ and could be a concept for a Superbowl commercial (the highest compliment I can think of in the commercial world).
Judge 3
Positives: This comes together very well. The story was funny and engaging. The shots worked well and the editing was spot on. I could see this playing in a move theater before a summer blockbuster.
Improvements: I think the lighting could have been a little stronger, and the sound mix been cleaner I might have mistaken this for a professional commercial.
Judge 4
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Judge 5
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