Sponsor (Oct-Dec 1960)

J. WALTER THOMPSON effects budget savings by careful experimentation in its own tv and film studio, early cooperation and analysis among the producer, writer and artist. Here, William Gibbs, in charge of commercial production, questions copywriter Angela Van Patten permit a? much creativeness as possible." We will have to go in for more animation and other techniques that will avoid the use of talent. We will have to change our attitude toward the unlimited use of singing groups." On the matter of pre-preparation. independent commercial producers are in full agreement with their counterparts at the agencies. As Ed Kogan of Bahcock and Kogan. tape and film commercial producers, put it. "1 he first insurance to saving money mi commercials is good, solid preparation prior to filming or taping. This implies solidification of the s< xipt, because once you start changing things during shooting, costs mount astronomically."' Other producers expressed the opinion that the burden of blame for ri-ing costs la\ more with the agen ; their clients than with them. I he biggest problem in the whole ' commercial production, thev maintained, is ""a lack of unified mind the agency and the client."" - rted that the agency should <!i*. ipline its client and should not take random, superfluous client •!. without get 30 ting the facts across to him. The producer should have the storyboard and the script initialed by the client before shooting begins. The expensive changes, they noted, are the ones that take place in the studio, with union technicians, talent, lighting and equipment experts standing by and with studio rental by the hour. This changing of copy and or concept on the set sends costs up monumentally. And a new problem has arisen with video tape, they claimed. Because the client representative can see tape results immediately, he seems to be driven to insist on changes. This, said the producers, is ""murder'' to a schedule and to the nerves. A prominent tape producer related the following anecdote, which he claimed is more typical than not: "In the conference room, the client, the agency representative and the producer have all agreed on a commercial, but each has his own conception of the final product. " \t the studio taping session there may be four cameras, and a director can go crazy with a client in the control booth impulsively suggesting. "Cut to Three, not to Two.' Or. Three may be ready to switch in. and One is out of focus getting set up for a shot. The client gets excited because One is out of focus, and more time is wasted in explanation. These are the time-eaters — they consume a tremendous amount of production and rehearsal time." More costliness, another producer added, springs up when the roughcut is put together for a run-through. An unsophisticated client is never satisfied with this working rough-cut, still seeing a finished product in his mind"s eye. The client should be disciplined by the agency to know what is finished and what is not. Another complaint is the client's attitude on extra costs. There is a ""contingency fee"" in most contracts to cover anvthing that might go wrong in production — and this might be called a "hidden cost." But the extras that result from unnecessary overtime, even when the client has been responsible for this and he knows it. cause great tumult at the clients office when he gets the bill. The final producer comment concerned agency personnel. "There are not enough really hep film and tape producers around. The agencies have raided the production companies and hired many young executives who. while well trained in the technical aspects of film and tape making, are not experienced in advertising or the making of good commercials. They are technicians, where showmen and creative advertising men are needed.'" The answer, he said, is for agencies to hire and clients to insist upon competent, experienced, high-priced tv production talent. "In the long run. the bigger initial salary outlay will save money." William Gibbs. who headed the S2 million commercial film division of MGM in its growing years, and writ is now in charge of all commercial production i except Ford i at J. \^ al ter Thompson. New York, has studied commercial making from both sides of the storyboard. He suggest that "the most important thing abouti analvzing a commercial's cost is m keep a sharp focus on the purpose of] the commercial." Gibbs explained that when JWT engages an outside producer, its ain i Please turn to page 46 SPONSOR • 14 NOVEMBER I960 f