Television commercials were once where movie directors ended up when they just couldn’t hack it in Hollywood anymore. As ad agencies got more creative and campaigns more expensive, commercials became a fertile breeding ground for future big-screen talent. Nowadays, as a feature in the New York Times explains, commercials are a place for successful, established filmmakers to pick up some quick capital, show off their chops, or even acquire new skillsets in an industry where the technology curve grows ever shorter. Talents like Michael Mann (for Nike), Wes Anderson (for AT&T) and David Mamet (for Ford) are in on the game. To our surprise, the Ford spots (see above) feature Mamet’s patented rapid-fire back-and-forth dialogue; to our disappointment, the actors don’t call each other cocksuckers. — Leonard Pierce
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