HD Spots
TV commercials offer a perfect medium for shooting in High Definition with progressive scan as opposed to interlaced scan between frames because they benefit most from the rich “film-look”. Spots can be shot Standard Definition using DVC Pro-50 or in High Definition using DVCPRO HD. The HD option allows you to produce a spot that can be played in either standard definition or in High Definition for the TV stations that are slowly starting to broadcast spots in HD. We recommend filming spots in High Definition, as the footage can then be formatted to either the older standard of 4 x 3 or to wide-screen 16 x 9 (which are the dimensions for any new television set). It is also only a matter of time before all material can be broadcast and seen in HD, so anything you film now might as well be up to the new standard.
A new series of fives spots for Seconds & Surplus went on the air in spring of 2008, advertising flooring, doors, bathroom fixtures and kitchens. Shot in 720p HD on the digital P2 cards of the HVX-200, the spots actually looked better than spots we shot in the same location in 2006 with the Panasonic VariCam and HD tape. The new spots, were produced in association with Peter Rosenfeld and DFW Media Group.
New spots created for Apple Orthodontix also represented an upgrade from the previous year’s spot, starring 2007 NBA All Star Josh Howard of the Dallas Mavericks. Whereas that spot was shot with our HVX-200 in 24p on DV tape, the new spots were all shot in 720p HD on P2 cards and were broadcast in both standard definition as well as High Definition on stations that were HD-ready. One spot starring Josh Howard profiled Apple’s “Live Wire” promotion that awards a student athlete for achievements in academics, athletics and community service. The monthly winners receive a Dallas Mavericks game VIP experience that includes a pre-game shoot around, official meeting at center court and a great view of the game. Clips from the inaugural Live-Wire event were also used on WFAA-TV (ABC) “Good Morning Texas.” Six other concept spots revolving around everything from a large wedding to school pictures were also shot and aired this year. All of these spots were produced in conjunction with Nick Alexander and Joel January of Nick Alexander Productions.
Channel Three helped develop a :60 spot for PepsiCo filmed entirely in American Sign Language with open captions “for the sign language-impaired.” Developed along with Clay Broussard at PepsiCo, the spot, entitled “Finding Bob’s House” is based on an inside joke of the deaf community. Although the spot featured Frito-Lay chips and Pepsi beverages, its real mission, as part of PepsiCo’s leadership in the EnAble initiative, is to promote a more inclusive environment for people with disabilities. Senior PepsiCo managers were so impressed with the commercial we shot with our HVX-200, they immediately developed an ad campaign to create a version that would play during pre-game of the 2008 Super Bowl.
On behalf of PepsiCo and Frito-Lay, Channel Three was also proud to provide a 4-camera shoot of the Dallas Mayor’s Breakfast EnAble conference at JC Penny earlier in the year. We are now editing a DVD surrounding this event that will be distributed to Human Resource managers at most major Dallas corporations.
