Live from SXSW: Blueprints for better stories
Discover the highlights of the entire discussion. The interview answers have been revised in order to be more succinct.
On writing great characters:
Mark: "Everything starts with writing. The key concept behind the original story, four office workers droning away in a PowerPoint presentation, was not exactly stimulating. But, the creation of great characters opened up the story. We spent a lot of time contemplating who the characters were, their differences and compliment each other, and how we could work together to make the story fun and humorous.
We wanted to highlight our view of the situation and each person's shortcomings to become more acceptable. The authenticity of the character comes in. I try to make things imperfect and appreciate that as it's part of the reason why that characters are beloved. It's the reason you like it.
The key is to not take these films as typical commercials. I love digging deep into the back story of each character. More details are better. The individual backstories give specific information about the characters starting from the beginning. This includes the fashion, production and style. This helps the audience to understand what each character does onscreen. Therefore, I make these characters for actors to inhabit You can sense this in the films you see. I think when you start to examine the three films, you start to notice the constant impact."
If you break the rules:
Mark: "My tip would be to speak to people like people. Be true to yourself. The world of advertising is very well-kept. It is a process where the edges of stories and characters are so that they are reshrunk. My best suggestion I could offer is to fight to the contrary, and don't be afraid to tell that the world what it really is.
In the very first film I made with Apple I saw a person taking a lick of the tablet. I had this kid lick the tablet and everyone is wondering, "What the hell's he doing?" I'm always saying "Oh, can we smash this? Can we think of a solution? Can I create it into an ice cream mug?" Just make it authentic. Come back to finding the truth in the story and the stories that we are telling. It's what keeps people interested as well as makes the characters and stories entertaining."
When integrating the product
Mark: "How you see the final product of the film is carefully thoughtful. The whole thing is tied to the story. My goal is to create the product as the primary component in each scene. I write about the product and then make scenes that revolve around the product. It's the product that needs to take us from this point to there. When you integrate the product into a story like that, the product isn't gratuitous It's part of the story is being told."
On taking risks:
It is essential to be willing to risk your life to have fun as and also establish a solid bond with your brand. My opinion is that this is the main thing that you must be ready to take chances, while also fostering strong connections with those you're taking risks with, as well. Advertising is protected or shielded from this work. But if you peel back some layers you will be able to communicate with people in the same way as individuals."
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