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Cousin Eddie's cousin
So how does this work Les? Do you supply only the background music? Is the video portion with the speaker’s soundtrack sent to you first?
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New Ad Track, Ford F-150
- Thread starter László
- Start date
Shawn@PRS
yogi
Nice Job, Les! The truck seems pretty awesome, too.
I'm jonesing for a truck camper, so this new Ford looks like an amazing platform.
I'm jonesing for a truck camper, so this new Ford looks like an amazing platform.
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Yes, you have it exactly right, but let me add a few details to bring the process to life.
Usually, more than one music production company or composer does a competitive demo. That was the case here.
Before doing the demo, there's a conference with the creative team about how they see the ad, and what they're thinking about musically.. It's your vision/interpretation of the client's direction versus a few other composers or production companies and their vision/interpretation/chops/what-have-you.
During the conference, you're usually looking at a rough cut and a scratch voice-over. I typically spend a few days to a week scoring the demo. If the client picks your demo, it's nominally your gig (absent screwups).
I write the music to picture (you'll notice that the tempo is related to the cuts and dissolves in the picture, for example, and accents certain scenes and script stuff).
During this process, the clients are usually still editing picture, adding scenes, cutting scenes, and generally making it so I often need to re-do some of the timings. I'll be sending out revisions to each new picture iteration so the creative team can follow along, or in pre-COVID times, they might come here to check everything out as it's in process. Usually I'll get feedback about changes they'd like to hear.
It sounds kind of stressful, but once you get the gig, you're part of the creative team, and it's great working collaboratively. In the case of this team, they're some of the most talented, fun people I know.
Finally, when picture is 'locked' I give the agency a a fully mastered mix, along with stems. This might be submixes of, say, the guitar, bass, and drums busses, in case they want to bring something in the mix up or down. The music is mixed with Voice Over and SFX at an audio postproduction facility, often in NY, LA or when the locals get lucky, here at one of Detroit's postproduction studios (that are every bit as sophisticated as elsewhere).
As in the case of this project, there are often different versions designed to work as a whole campaign including shorter spots and different picture edits. So it's not just one track. My last project involved about 15 different tracks. Each one is its own thing. I just got done with the latest revisions.
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Thanks! I think this truck is pretty darn cool. Also, my clients tell me that people are really responding to the ad positively.
D
Deleted member 5962
Guest
Hey, my wife drives a truck and she ain't all bad. Get her a truck, throw some kayaks in the back, and take her on an adventure!
Edit: You may want to wait for a little better weather first.
That's a great idea!
Actually, my wife and I both drive Jeeps, which I suppose are kinda/sorta truck-like objects.
"They're SUVs, dude. They're not real trucks."
"What if I don't, you know, own a kayak?"
"Canoe?"
"No."
"Rowboat?"
"Uh-uh."
"Floaties for children?"
"Now you're talkin'!"
"OK, then throw a couple of floaties in the back of your...uh...'truck', and take your wife on an adventure!"
"Roger!"
D
Deleted member 5962
Guest
Jeeps and kayaks are made for each other! Or, you know there's this...
Ride together, and cooler built in, for slow rivers...
Or, if you really want to make a fashion statement (and just need cup holders...)
Jeeps and kayaks are made for each other! Or, you know there's this...
Ride together, and cooler built in, for slow rivers...
Or, if you really want to make a fashion statement (and just need cup holders...)
Haha! Fun!
D
Deleted member 5962
Guest
If, by chance, one of your jeeps is yellow, then I think the choice is obvious.
If, by chance, one of your jeeps is yellow, then I think the choice is obvious.
It sounds crazy but my wife and I each got silver Jeeps two weeks apart. It was end of model year, we both needed new cars, these were available with the options we wanted.
So yeah, we have matching Jeeps, which is cute, but weird. I like the ducky, but the grandkids would probably have a total blast with the other one.
Getting back to the original thinking behind the thread for just a moment, I really, really love my work, despite the constant uncertainty that there will ever be another gig.
I don't know if this makes me completely crazy, or somewhat sane. I choose 'completely crazy', but damn, I love what I do for a living.
I don't know if this makes me completely crazy, or somewhat sane. I choose 'completely crazy', but damn, I love what I do for a living.
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
D
Deleted member 5962
Guest
“If you’ve got it.... “.
In the '70s Studio 54 had drink server guys in sequined, speedo sized, hot pants. You can't unsee that.
Alnus Rubra
Loving nature’s wonders
Shawn@PRS
yogi
It was done well, all the way around
Thanks! As you know from working at PRS, any successful project is a team effort. I've been passing the good comments on to my clients at Ford's ad agency, and they seem pretty happy to hear them!
I wish I could take credit for making this ad better, but all props go to the creative team, including the agency folks and the video editors!
The producer had no fewer than 18 versions to shepherd along and make sure were right, got all the approvals, etc. A yeoman job on his part, not to mention the copy writer, the people who shot the ad, the art director, and the creative director.
I'm honestly honored to have been asked to take a shot at scoring this thing, and am beyond thrilled that it's been accepted by Ford.
Anyone here could have done this project, it was very easy to score. So I'm doubly lucky to have gotten the gig.
Herr Squid
I was severely impressed
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2012
- Messages
- 2,106
That's "good crazy."
Herr Squid
I was severely impressed
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2012
- Messages
- 2,106
I clicked on this link to listen to the music, but darned if I wasn't absolutely gobsmacked by the features that Ford built into this truck!
TBH I think that these things are stupidly oversized and they're oversold to suburbanites who aren't even capable of driving them competently...
But when I step away from that, I have to admit that they would be hugely appealing to somebody who works in remote locations and actually builds stuff.
The other side of it I see that is that I would love to see emergency responders equipped with fleets of these things.
I resemble that remark!
Seriously, I drive a Jeep, and it's never been off-road. It comes close during winter storms, when Michigan's roads = tundra.
