*Ooooh, That’s Gonna Take Some Good Casting

I’ve received the titular comment on more that one or twelve occasions. Yes, usually from an account person. Okay, usually from the same three account people. People who seem to forget that it is, indeed, our jobs to not only conceive a spot, but to also produce it well. And that production involves casting people who can pull off their assigned parts.

It should surprise no one that these people love montages.

Anyway, I thought I would share an example of a spot whose success definitely relies on the casting. The writing is good, but not the star. Which in this case is as it should be, as the overall concept and execution is where the genius lies. And this spot would have failed miserably if the actors hadn’t pulled it off. (Personally, I wouldn’t have minded a two-shot, but I know editing was made infinitely easier by shooting the dirty singles. Que sera sera.)

If you haven’t seen “BFF Jill” already, you haven’t been watching TV. This thing has even spawned some copycats on YouTube that aren’t really worth looking at – although I encourage the youth of today to keep trying as your homages are still better than a lot of bona fide ads.

And if you haven’t heard, Cingular is the new AT&T which changed to Cingular way back when after originally being AT&T. Got that?

Later,

Fox