Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

S

sdelahoyde

Active member
Here are two spots finished up for Pabst that we shot with the DVX.  The theme was to be something edgy, something very tough, something that said, "Hey, we're a working man's beer."  The creative director decided upon broken bottles, so here you are, the first two in a three spot series...

"Bar"
Quicktime: http://ic.funk.nu/Quicktime/pbrbar.mov
Real Player: http://ic.funk.nu/Real/pbrbar.rm

"Teach"
Quicktime: http://ic.funk.nu/Quicktime/pbrfight.mov
Real Player: http://ic.funk.nu/Real/pbrfight.rm
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

I can understand the broken bottles in the first clip - rather amusing. However, I'd be surprised that Pabst would use the bottles in the second. That one is rather disturbing. I'm not against a dad teaching his kid to defend himself (mine did). But something about teaching a child to use a broken bottle in a fight . . .
Content aside, the video end of things looks good.
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

I couldn't agree more. It's a pretty creepy spot. Both are really. But I was just the director, not the idea man. Still, I think I made it a lot more sweet than it could have been.

The spot will be on a DVD that's released only in the hipster areas of Chicago, like Wicker Park, meaning that the target audience, 20 somethings, should find the awfulness of it appealing. Or so I've been told to believe. Hey, whatever pays the bills.

Strange that I finished up this spot and one for a kids cookie in the same weekend. Quite a difference.
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

i don't see anything amuzing about these spots. this world has enough violence. i would redo it right away.
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

I agree that they're both pretty edgy, and probably a little uncomfortable, but I think you're missing the point if you're saying that these spots condone violence in any way. In the first, the two guys who are fighting aren't the ones who get the girl, and we understand right away that they're both pretty sleezy. In the second, I think it comes across pretty clearly that the father is not doing the right thing, even though he thinks he is. You can take the tag, "Teach Your Children Well" as either a) extremely sarcastic, or b) as instruction not to do what this guy is doing.

I didn't write them, so I don't really have a leg on to stand on in the argument front, but I think if you saw these spots in another context, like on a sketch comedy show, then you wouldn't blink an eye, right? Some of the stuff they did on The State and Kids in the Hall was twice as edgy as this.

Sorry to raise a debate. Just thought I'd respond in kind. Weird responses thus far from friends and family. My dad said, "I wouldn't put these on your reel or show them to anyone you thought might get offended by it", but then from two friends, they said it was the funniest thing they'd seen in a long time. I guess controversy sells. We'll see.

Hope I'm still welcome here.
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

sdelahoyde

You are most definately welcome here. We don't judge (unless you attack us and then, well you know...)

I can totally see on a sketch show (SNL or Kids in the Hall) where this is an edgy spot. I like it for that.

This is for a DVD for Pabst for distro?

The first one has a "making fun of the bar fight" feel but that second one? Jeez. Maybe I'm just getting old, but that one was not too funny. Unfortunately more creepy than funny. In a world where kids are taking guns to school I'm not sure if this is the right way to go. I'd be shocked if Pabst gave the go-ahead on this one. That being said...

Not too bad technically speaking. The second one had a nicer overall look to it. The first one in the bar seemed off somehow in lighting, characters, and fight choreography.
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

Glad to hear it! I don't mean to offend anyone, or, at the very least, with something I didn't even write myself!

The spots will appear on this free DVD that comes out monthly in Chicago. It features short films, and it's budgeted by companies who pay to have their name and logo included on the box, as well as a little commercial done by a couple of we directors who have been hired to do a small batch of them. The content of the discs that have come out have been a grab bag from a lot of the weird, NYU-film-school-born filmmakers, to the really funny, off-beat ones, such as a short by Paul Dinello and Steven Colbert. It's a nice little project, and it's nice to have a little money coming in for doing these silly things.

Pabst, as far as I know, has already forked over a bunch of money to be included for the next few months, but they did so before seeing anything on spec. The guy who runs this thing is showing them the spots tomorrow, so it'll be interesting to see if they try and get out of the deal. I'm in the camp that says they'll try everything they can to make sure it isn't included.

The first one, to get it online, I really had to bump up the brightness and the contrast to get it so it would look okay on the computer screen. On my monitor, it looked just fine without much treatment, but man oh man, it just doesn't transition well over to the computer. Still, I agree that the second looks nicer. But hey, what do you expect for shoots that only last about an hour?

Thanks for the good comments! This has been an interesting process with this spot. Usually my stuff is pretty much G rated, PG at most, so it's weird to have these strong negative reactions.
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

Yeah, it's that whole "artist responsibilty" thing. LOL

Hey, if was Kids in the Hall, I'd be laughing my ass off! :D
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

haha. oh man...

as far as content, the first one was ok. kinda cheesy. not your idea, so no harm no foul. the second one.... haha. it was so ridiculously in POOR TASTE, that it DID make me laugh. i agree, there will probably be a whole lot of 20-something year olds that will be tickled pink by it. as a 22 year old non-drinker, i still even found it rather amusing.   (edit) haha, i watched the second one again and laughed even harder this time. especially when the dad is showing the kid how to thrust the broken bottle into someone. ahhhh....

technically these spots are pretty well done. looked like pretty simple locations and setups. you did well by them. please keep us informed on how these spots are receieve by PBR. im dying to know what they think of them. =)

daniel
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

about 4-5 months ago someone was killed in my city here with a broken bottle to the neck, over a stupid disagreement between two drunken fools. its really no different than a knife. ... not only is the second one disturbing, but it gives a completely contrary message to the first one. ie: the first one gives the message of "never lose your cool, and do somthing stupid" and then the second one says "teach you kids to solve things through violence by using a deadly weapon" ..whatever. the work was good. but i certainly wouldnt have done it. ..just not how i want my bills to be payed is all. anyhow . im not being judgmental here or anything, just giving mho . i cant believe that a company that large would send out such a self contradicting campaign, but .. whatever makes them sell more beer... ? now agreed, if this was meant to be humerous, it would be laughably funny.. like.. haha thats insane that anyone would actually make a commercial saying that.. perhaps they can spin it off like that, i too could totally see this on snl. just like the baby thong commercial. anyhow , good job on these. the first one was a bit off- i think it was the colors and lighting for me as well, but the second one looked pretty good, very pro. :)
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

Again, I agree that it's all in bad taste. Very bad taste. But it's supposed to be something you're not to take seriously in any sort of way. Who in their right mind would condone fights with broken bottles? So yeah, it's supposed to be a very Kids in the Hall/SNL type of thing. Whether or not PBR will see it that way, I have no idea, but I'm leaning toward them not liking it. That's a bold step to take, to have your brand pretty closely related to all of this. However, if they realized that the weirdo youngsters like me, the ones who grew up with off kilter sketch comedy and have become pretty much desensitized to nearly everything, then I can see how they'd go for it. I can certainly say they're spots that you'd talk about after seeing them, instead of just letting them wash over you. So I guess it works in keeping the name in your head, as advertising should.
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

The Baby Thong commecial is GREAT! Especially when they show an example of how much 'liquid' it wil absorb!
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

For me, the ONLY appropriate context for the second commercial is a bogus ad on SNL. To me, I cannot see any other context in which it was funny. There just aren't enough (or any) elements in it that seem spoof-like (other than the guy has already downed a few beers). I agree with iamloser who said the two commercial send opposite messages.

As far as paying the bills, only you can decide that. I'd shy away from it. True, I have a good paying "day job" outside of video, but would hope that even in a tight situation I could either turn something like this down or convince the "idea guy" of some changes. End of sermon. (On the other hand, if I knew it was for SNL, I'd probably do it.)
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

I've watched both clips and, frankly, I'm amazed any reputable company (and I assume Pabst is one) would even consider being associated with that kind of stuff. It's a well known fact that we Europeans don't have the same "moral strictures" as the Americans, or are less prone to being "politically correct", but those clips are in a whole different league...!

And I don't believe for a minute that everybody will know not to take them seriously. Some people, especially among those who seem to be targeted, will take them seriously, and will do their best to emulate that kind of behavior--that includes youngsters, fathers who don't know better, and teenagers. And associating kids in any way with alcohol is way beyond creepy in my opinion.

The above has nothing to do with the intrinsic quality of the film making, which was quite good. But I wouldn't have shot those clips for a million bucks--or euros, for that matter. Isn't there a Supervising Board of some kind in the U.S. to greenlight or veto ads, regardless of the way they're brought to public attention ?
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

On a wide-scale, mass market audience, I would agree with you, that it isn't something that would even come close to airing. But the pressing of this DVD is something like 5000 to 10000 discs, so that's a tiny, tiny population. And the people who are going to see it, like I've said above, are your stereotypical hipster, those youngsters who populate such areas as Wicker Park in Chicago and Willamsburg in Brooklyn. But beside the audience, is one ad going to go out and make people become broken bottle-using maniacs? This is that whole "the effects of the media on lives" debate, which is probably too lengthy to go into here, but personally, I don't think this spot would trigger a batch of stabbings. And if so, shouldn't we look at why those people are emulating what they see on television, what is obviously fiction? That, to me, is more disturbing than any ad you can possibly imagine.

As for the ratings board, there is for national and local broadcasts, but not for this thing, because it's just a privately released thing, like a music CD. Gives one license to do such things, I suppose.

Wish I'd gotten a million bucks for this thing. And really, I'd rather be shooting weird, confusing things like this, than anything more straight forward, any day of the week. Gives one the chance to get into conversations like this.
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

... dude . imho wrong is wrong. it doesnt matter how many people it affects, or if it doesnt affect anyone at all. if i killed an endangerd woodpecker in the woods and nooen ever found out, that doesnt make it right.  anyway, your entitled to your opinion as much as i am. anyhow i gots to hop from this thread.. cause after i lit the match i want to  bail before the fire starts.  bwahahaahha!
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

Ok, I think the second one with the kid could actually be made funny...Take the final sequence and as they are thrusting out the broken bottles have them stop and look up...cut to: 2 police officers looking down at them: cut to: father and son looking out the back bars of the paddy wagon as it drives away...something in that realm... Then you could say "Bear Name...you don't have to be all that smart to like a great beer."

chris
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

Yeah, I can see that ending working. But I still have to stand by it and say that I don't think it's that awful. It isn't great, but it isn't "wrong." How many people on this board have made action films/shorts with gunplay and fights? I'd guess there are more than a few.
 
Re: Pabst Blue Ribbon Spots.

im wondering if everyone here with opposing opinions and conflicting morals are of different generations.

i think everyone, including the filmmaker can all agree that the ideas are of bad taste. there isnt really anyone disputing that. however, its hard for me to see the production of these ads as morally "wrong".

for his target audience, and in the way the piece was made, i dont think the ad will get confused for anything OTHER than satire. i mean, the sarcasm in the piece, while existing solely in subtext, still runs rampant. if i ever saw this commercial on a dvd, or even on air,... i would:

a) laugh my ass off, cuz its so ridiculously funny.
2) never confuse it for PBR condoning violence.

the first thing i thought when i saw this ad was "what the hell? why is there a kid in a beer commercial??" but then as the story played out, i understood what the piece was going for.

anyhow, its ok if some of you wouldnt make this piece yourselves, but its seems like some of you are almost lecturing the filmmaker on why HE shouldnt have made it. if he is paying bills, and learning more about filmmaking as he goes, and getting use of his DVX,... as long as he isnt making child pornography, or anything like that, i think he's doing fine.

anyway, just my opinion. since no one seemed to have had sdelahoyde's back. ;D
 
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