Creating a Broadcast Commercial During Covid

Over the summer I was contacted by a creative director at an agency in Florida who liked the emotionally driven strength of my portfolio and thought I’d be a good fit to create a broadcast commercial for a client of theirs in Denver. That client is Divorce Matters, a Denver law firm specializing in divorce, a sensitive subject to be sure. I agreed to take on the project and created (serving as director, cinematographer, and editor) the 30-second broadcast commercial above.

Since we would be creating this in the middle of a pandemic, we worked cautiously beginning with the script, written by the agency that hired me. With the exception of the delivery by the lead attorney at the law firm, each scene was written to take place outside (including the car scene, when windows were rolled down).

Second, we used actors who were real-life couples and so were already in close proximity to each other.

Third, I kept to a very slim crew comprised of a representative from the end client who helped with props, water, and snacks; myself; and a single rock star assistant. This help minimize contact and air particles, especially for the indoor scene with the lead attorney. That scene we scheduled last so we could dismiss the other actors and not be crowded indoors together. Those who remained maintained social distancing and wore masks.

Despite the small size of our crew, the three of us we were able to achieve a production value on par with something I’ve seen a crew size of 15 take to do. I’m really proud of our work and the end result.

The commercial is airing now in the Denver market. Look for it on your airwaves!