Ever cried watching a retailer’s back to school ad? Apparently there really is a first time for everything.
The ad is by Burrell Communications, for Walmart, in particular, its online shopping facility. It was directed by SuperPrime’s The Malloy Brothers and edited by The Colonie’s Bob Ackerman. The ad’s music is a new version of The Black Eyed Peas’ Let’s Get Started. All of these names have contributed to something that grabs and motivates its audience in a way other retailers don’t – or haven’t thought to do.
“As editing gigs go, working with this amazing directing duo and the talented team at Burrell is as good as it gets,” Ackerman commented.
“I was thrilled that The Malloy Brothers, were involved in the edit from the get-go,” says Ackerman. “Brendan was instrumental in carving out moments that were real and without pretence. Getting the directors’ point of view and expertise throughout the editorial process helped us craft an extraordinary spot. My initial edit of Let’s Get Started was good, but Lisa [McConnell, creative director, Burrell Communications] had an idea of how the song should start and how it should build thematically to the conclusion of the spot. She and sound designer, Ian Scott, of Chicago Recording Company delivered a final mix that works both musically and emotionally.”
“We had a great storyline and great directors. But Bob, as usual, delivered a great editorial story,” noted Lewis Williams, chief creative officer, Burrell Communications.
“He has an eye and ear for blending performances with key musical moments to pull the audience in and make them a part of the story.”
In fact, Chicago editing house, The Colonie, is best known for its award-winning editorial services, but it is also home to an in-house team of VFX and motion graphics talent. Its senior VFX artist, Tom Dernulc, enhanced the location around the school to make it more lively and attractive, adding greenery and cleaning up some of the grittier aspects of the location. He and his team also bulked up the crowd scenes, significantly augmenting the plates that were originally shot. The effects were created using a mix of tools, including Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects and Flame Premium.
“The client wanted a larger crowd in front of the school,” Dernulc explained. “It’s always exciting to take elements from a scene and use them in ways that elevate the storytelling. It’s not just about making it work technically, it’s about finding the heart in the scene and making it feel right.”
Credits:
Agency: Burrell Communications Chicago
Chief Creative Officer: Lewis Williams
Creative Director: Lisa Mcconnell
Associate Creative Director: Carl Koestner
Executive Producer: Shirley Portee
Producer: Shirley Portee
Production Company: Superprime L.A.
Director: The Malloys
DOP: Salvatore Totino
Producer: Donald Carr
Editing Company: The Colonie Chicago
Creative Editor: Bob Ackerman
Assistant Editor: Graham Chapman
Finishing: Tom Dernulc
Executive Producer: Mary Caddy
Audio & Sound Design: Chicago Recording Company
Mixer: Ian Scott
Sound Designer: Ian Scott
Grade: Michael Matusek @ Nolo Digital Chicago
