Project Story
How we Learned what “86it” means
86it is an anti-littering campaign, although, the term isn’t all that new. To just “86 it” means to throw a piece of trash in the trashcan. Simple enough. The concept for this spot was written by PR agency French|West|Vaughn, who reached out to Greenroom Communications as production house; typically the concept starts with Greenroom, but we helped guide the direction the script took to fit within budget. The plan was to show various, often outrageous, ways that someone can toss a piece of garbage away or recycle something where it belongs. At the end, “it doesn’t matter how you do it, just 86it” is the message.
“We brought in our favorite jib operator,” said Zak Ciotti, Director of Production at Greenroom Communications, “Rex Ballard had worked with us in a variety of capacities, often bringing with him his custom crane.” Ballard was one of the earliest ground level-controlled jib operators in the film industry. “I think we work well together,” Ballard comments on Ciotti, who directed the commercial. “We always wish we have a little more Rex and his jib on our productions,” Ciotti says. With a relatively small crew, and plenty of pre-production planning, storyboards and shot lists kept the project on track.
“We always wish we have a little more Rex and his jib on our productions…”
Last Minute Requests
With a few delays, as always happens, there’s usually one or two things that pop out after the shooting has already begun. In this case, a late request came to remove the Waste Management logo that appears on the door of the trashcan. “It’s not like anything is impossible,” Ciotti explains, “it just depends on whether you’re willing to spend time before hand or afterward.” Ciotti has a reputation for going above and beyond with his clients. He believes “it always returns to me. Any effort to boost the quality of the show has always returned to me for the better.” It’s that belief in quality that sets this work apart.
Making the Shot, a Double Entendre
“Justin’s physique is ridiculous,” Ciotti recalls, “this man is pure muscle and coordination.” Justin Faulk is the man. He plays for the Carolina Hurricanes NHL in Raleigh, NC. “Working with him was just awesome,” Ciotti remembers, “I only wish I had the camera rolling the entire time he was on the set!” Faulk originally made this shot when practicing, and sadly the camera was having its settings adjusted. “The shot we got was impressive, we just had to improvise in post. Again. And we loved it.”
“…we just had to improvise in post. Again. And we loved it.”
Both Skew & Perspective Changes
With the last scene, one of the heroes in the spot simply throws away his cup and walks away. Ballard innovated with a masterful move to land on the right side of the can for Greenroom’s planartracked finale. Here’s the final scene and a peek at the last logo removal:
We’re proud to announce that this project received the Gold Award in the AVA Digital Awards, sponsored by the Association of Marketing and Communication. For more information on the 86it campaign, please visit their website at: www.86it.com