| Philosophie | Great Guns director Olly Blackburn has debuted a new spot for cold and flu medicine Theraflu, encouraging viewers to get their flu shot and protect their loved ones. Creatively devised by Saatchi and Saatchi, the ad recognises that one tiny moment of discomfort is worth it for the chance to keep those around you safer and healthier. The 30-second spot features a series of people, lit against a photographic backdrop, having their flu shot. Focusing on each person’s face, we watch as they wince slightly in the moment before quickly recovering from their discomfort. The imagery is accompanied by the suggestion that a ‘little bit of ouch’ results in a ‘whole lotta love’ as the flu shot helps us not only protect ourselves, but the people we care about. For director Olly Blackburn, the essence of the spot was to perfectly capture the feeling of discomfort or sheer nerves before the procedure - followed by the relief or realisation that you’d had the shot and not even realised. The performances of the actors were therefore central to the ad, embodying these natural human reactions to an experience that everyone is wary of. In order to cast actors who reflected these ideals and appealed to a distinctly American audience, Olly used photojournalism images from photo essays about the American midwest as references, asking casting director Kharmel Chochrane to source a pool of people that embodied an authentic and relatable approach to flu shots. Due to Coronavirus restrictions, the shoot took place in London whilst Olly directed remotely from Los Angeles. To ensure everything ran smoothly despite these extra logistics, the team established clear, separate lines of communication with three key sources. Via Zoom, Olly was able to move between the producer, agency, and 1st AD after each take, receiving feedback and relaying messages to each with minimal disruption to the shoot. These separate, one-by-one processes evolved into a formal routine for those on set, helping to structure the shooting day and maintain clear conversations between everyone involved. |