The agency asked us to meet with the creative and account teams to walk through ideas to be presented to the client and provide high level estimates. No less than 10 schedules and budgets tied to different production and post-production approaches and specs were presented with the creative pitch deck. After concept selection, the next step was to consider Director and DOP options in addition to those represented by our affiliated strategic partners. New unsigned Director and Cinematographer Matt Bendo was selected on the strength of a spec spot he created for Genfiddich.
Besides casting 10 roles and finding, signing and permitting 10 locations in less than a week, the biggest challenge was getting timely approvals during pre-production, as it was late July and almost everyone from the agency and the client were away on holidays. Additional scenes and locations and a second spot were added and the additional costs approved, when the client CEO decided during the pre-production meeting that the spots should focus more on petroleum assets. The shoot went smoothly with no surprises and EP/Producer John Kerr, Director/DOP Matt Bendo, and the Crowsnest Films team delivered some beautiful work for C&B Advertising and Calgary CO-OP.