Broadcasting Telecasting (Oct-Dec 1957)

OPINION CONTINUED question bidding because we are only interested in doing a quality job. Q: Do you think the bidding affects the quality of the commercial? A: Not with us. While there is no reason for us to be the highest bidder, there is likewise, no reason for us to be the lowest. I have seen, in many cases where the lowest bidder got the job, that the finished film was not produced with the same amount of production we had planned on or the original script called for. Q: Is there much bidding going on still? A: Yes. Q: The agencies still have not learned that certain people will A: Well, some agencies have, but in others the lowest bidder might still get the film after purposely bidding low in order to get his foot in the door. As I mentioned before, the production sometimes suffers from this, or else the producer actually loses money on that particular job, hoping to make it up on the next. I don't think this is good business. Q: Then, you think that as time goes on A: I look forward to the day when agencies are well enough acquainted with the producers to make their selection of a producer at the earliest possible date, and be able to work with that producer, even in the creative stages, thus establishing a closer re are best on a certain style of animation — others are better on another. Q: What percentage do you do animation as compared to regular? A: I think about 25% animation. Q: What advice do you have for agencies to help make your job easier? A: Actually, our working arrangement with agencies seems to improve all the time because the agency realizes that the more pre-production planning that is done, the better the end result. When there is full cooperation between agency, client and producer and all the changes are made in script, storyboard and copy before going on the set, a smooth production schedule is bound to follow. Q: What about the time element? Agencies or clients always want it yesterday. A: You certainly hit on a touchy subject there. We have lost a lot of jobs because we said we just couldn't make the date and still do a top quality job. We would rather lose the job, however, than take it and then tell the client we can't make the delivery date. I think the producer should be given enough time to do the job properly. Many times, at our own cost, we have put in hours of overtime to meet the promised date. Q: What are some of the accounts you've worked for? A: I couldn't begin to name all of them. A few that come to ABOUT PLANNING AND PRODUCTION: ". . . Agencies deserve credit . . . they have found there is a limit to how much can be crammed into a commercial." ". . . The agency realizes that the more pre-production planning that is done, the better the end result." lationship between agency, client and producer. If the agency has confidence in the producer whose past record has been one of honesty and quality, it also should be assured that the producer is giving the agency the most for its money. Q: Is it true many agencies do not have people who understand film? A: Today this is not true. More and more creative film people are being brought into the agencies and agency people themselves have benefited by the film experience gained during the past few years. Q: Do agencies hold you to a strict budget? A: The agency doesn't necessarily hold us to a strict budget — we hold ourselves to it. Naturally, when we submit a price, we stick to it. Q: How about animation? Are you equipped for that? A: Oh, sure. Rex Cox, formerly animator and story director for Disney and one of the top men in the country, has been with us for many years supervising our animation. Q: You don't do too much animation though, do you? A: Yes, we do do quite a bit, and the amount is increasing each year. We prefer doing animation when animation is called for, and I am a firm believer that animation should not be used in cases where live action could do the job better, and visa versa. Q: Do you farm your work out? A: Yes, we farm out the actual production, but the creative supervision we do ourselves. We prefer to work this way because it enables us to hand out the animation to the animator who does that particular type of animation best. You see, some animators Page 122 • October 14, 1957 mind are A & P, Lux soap, Pet Milk, American Tobacco Co., Armour, Seven-Up, Stopette, Wesson Oil, St. Joseph aspirin, Prudential Insurance Co., Rheingold beer, Bulova watch, and so many more Q: Are you satisfied with the instruction the agency gives you, or are there some vague details which mean going back? A: Most of the time we are quite satisfied. In fact that situation gets better and better every day. As I said before, the agency knows the client problems better than we and when we have sufficient time for pre-production planning meetings, everything goes smoothly. Q: You gave some examples a few minutes ago of ways in which commercials have improved. Can you think of any others, any other major changes? A: What changes commercials is like what changes music, a play, the theatre. The changes come, much like a girl's hat. Before you start to go out in the park, you see them all over. Q: What thoughts do you have regarding the film commercials and live commercials? A: Well, when you film a commercial you can be sure it's right when it goes on the air with no worries about fluffed lines, mike shadows or a hundred and one other things that can always happen with a live commercial. The makers of some live commercials are switching to film to do away with possible errors on the live stage, as well as to be sure of the proper lighting and display. Q: What kind of live commercials do you think should not be put on film? A: I can see a reason for doing a live commercial if it's a live show and if it's integrated with the program, and also when the Broadcasting