Bud Light - Copier Salesman

BUDLIGHT COPIER SuperBowl TV SPOT!!

Premise: Con-man tries to sell "old" copier to gullible businessman by convincing him that "this machine is better than NEW"! by demonstrating its ability to transform 2-D photos of beer into the real 3-D thing! The con-man's henchman is inside the machine. Too bad it doesn't really work this way!

This was the 3rd installment in a series of BUD LIGHT spots we shot for the SuperBowl...but the decision to pick one or all would still be several months away. All of these series of spots were shot in real locations....lots of 'fun'! At least this one was shot in above freezing temperatures!

Fairly standard coverage, lots of wide angle primes [for that comedy feel], we had a few grips manning mirrors to imitate windshield 'glints' out side the windows. We used my friend Billy Neilsen as our Steadicam operator. Billy had his work cut-out for him as he maneuvered in this very tight store. Very boring and stark art direction inside [part of the 'schtick']. I had to hide several mini & micro-flos inside the copier to give the bottle some dimension [these dark bottles were very challenging to light], we occasionally gaff-taped a micro-flo to the back of a bottle and ran the cable up the actor's wardrobe.

This version is an alternative ending where the businessman, noticing the machine is working and not plugged in, connects the machine to a wall outlet. The fellow inside reacts as the machine explodes with a very big flash [which almost blew out the store location's windows!] and the machine really begins to work: spitting out copies of the henchman's distorted face.

Just before this spot was broadcast on the SuperBowl, we found out that the client deemed this version too violent for the SuperBowl!

So the watered-down version with no explosions ran instead. This version ended with our hidden henchman, inside the machine, popping out of the copier with a big keg saying: That was close! I dont think this was gonna fit!

Lame

I like to see things explode!!