February 23, 2007 - Image #0013 - "I'll Never Let Go"

It's amazing what you can pull off in one evening.

A last minute production created a 15-second spot spoofing a famous movie scene, and starring the two of us for a contest requesting an advert for theaters with the phrase "Turn Off Your Cell Phones." Tonight we were lucky enough to screen the spot in front of the Fallbrook Film Factory.

The night we created this film, the time limitations were fierce, and filming didn't start until we haphazardly arrived at someone's backyard in Costa Mesa, CA, borrowing a swimming pool and trying our best to not wake the neighbors.

The family really came through and all showed up, Clint, Brandon, Janie and Clint's girlfriend Courtney. 15 seconds was a short time to fill a scene, but the setup took much longer than expected. The late evening and the necessary near-silence kept us at a disadvantage, but nothing was worse than the temperature of the pool, which we are certain, if not for the chlorine, would have been iced over.

When you are up to your midsection in freezing water, you realize that 15 seconds is a lot longer than it seems on tape. Especially when there are multiple takes. You reach a point where your body refuses to go under the water. Your brain sends signals demanding a response, but at some point there is a subconscious refusal and the top half remains stubborn and motionless.

At around 1 a.m., shrouded in towels, we wrapped production, satisfied with the shots, and ending up with an excellent clip. Shows you what you can do with a small amount of time, some determination, and the willingness to freeze off your toes. During the screening, our spot was met with a positive response. It was worth every degree below 40. (5 for you Canucks.)

To those that want to see the spot, here's the clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGqtcErSUeg

Enjoy!