After meetings with the client to fully explore the project objective and reviewing the results of the Creative Strategy Brief completed by the client, we begin the concept phase of development. This stage involves brainstorming ideas and filtering them through the client’s brand direction and project objective. The pool of concepts is discussed with the client and a final direction is approved.

Every creative concept springs to life somehow. For TV commercials this is done through storyboards. Many factors including message and style viability, pace, copy and more are tweaked during this phase. After lots of review and changes, it’s in to production!

On set with a crew, a phone and a hand model (no, not George Costanza). The challenge was finding just the right motions to achieve a natural feel ensuring live action blends well with the yet to be created CGI elements. For example, shooting the final sequence of lifting the phone to the viewer started with the hand showing the phone to the camera and then pulling away and down to make sure the final view had the phone squared in frame. This sequence was then reversed in post-production. Also, the phone used for filming was a placeholder and was later replaced with a 3d-modeled version.

Along with concepts, movement also needs a storyboard to ensure visual flow tells the proper story. The progressive stages of wireframe animations give us exciting glimpses of the final products and allow us to explore and tweak the personality of movement. Any element of the project can be changed during this stage of development to ensure every aspect is consistent with the initial objective. The “Stands Alone” wireframe animation shown here is from early in wireframe process and the “Deserves Your Attention” version is from much later as it utilizes actual phone models and includes the info bar, logo animation and unedited voiceover tracks.

Since well-designed audio is as important as visuals, it's into the sound studio for voiceover talent, music, sound effects, pace, timing, and lots and lots of tweaking! Working with a professional sound studio is crucial in this phase to achieve a cohesive balance in line with the branding objective. When comparing the voiceovers in the wireframe versions to the audio in final spots it is easy to see (or hear!) the tremendous value of professional sound design in broadcast media.

Post-production elements are completed and final versions are created for client review before dubs are distributed to TV stations according to our media buyer’s traffic instructions. Programming schedules from multiple stations are utilized to compare with call center flow and website traffic statistics to measure response.