BETC & director, Greg Bray: A blocked pipe can really sink a good day

Every now and then, a campaign brightens up household maintenance product advertising. This is one of those every now and then campaigns. It was created by BETC Paris for drain cleaner, Destop Turbo. The comedic flair of director, Grey Bray, adds its sparkle.

As you can imagine, the shoot was very far from easy. Bray tells its story. “We shot this in Warsaw in mid-February. Cold and rainy, it was certainly going to be a challenge.

“Working with a killer production designer was going to be key, and I was happy to have Gosia Moritz with me on this one. She and her team started by constructing a 6m x 6m swimming pool inside the studio with marine ply. Once everything was secured and waterproofed, the bathroom set and a small corridor section were constructed within. When we were happy with the final construction, colour and materials, the major props were locked in place to prevent them from floating, and the set was flooded thanks to the Warsaw Fire Dept.

“We spent the next two days warming up the water for the actress who was going to standing chest deep in the water for 10 hours, wrapped only in a towel, and a specially modified wetsuit.

“The shoot day was well planned out and everything ran smoothly. Cinematographer, Michal Palikot, my talented 1st AD, Wiktor Prokopowicz, and I ran through the set up one last time, and then we got the talent into the pool and began our day. We worked with two Alexa Mini LFs, one rigged into an underwater housing with preselected lenses and the other for all shots above the water. This kept us fast and nimble. We spent all day in the water, coming out only for toilet breaks and lunch. It was a long day; we had to keep movement in the pool to a minimum but in the end we had a great core team.

“Working with BETC Paris is always such a rewarding, and creative experience – and this small spot for Destop Turbo was no different. Not only were we rewarded with a nice commercial, but we were also rewarded with waterlogged pants and wrinkled toes.