THE PHILIPPINES, FEBRUARY 23, 2012: It was a very simple concept for a sports channel commercial: “Versus”. The client wanted to egg the viewers on, take opposing sides and root for their favorite basketball teams. So the agency put rival cagers in a post-apocalyptic setting, ready to fight to the finish.
Most of it could have been done through computer graphics, using the ever-popular blue screen to generate the scenes, but director Mike Alcazaren had a different idea. He wanted to shoot on location and as organic as possible.
“I always wanted to shoot at the old Paco train station,” he said. And for the theme of the commercial, the location was more than perfect. “It’s ruined, it’s old, plus the architecture is very interesting.”
Because it was his first time to make a sports commercial, Alcazaren was excited to show a different kind of artistry. “I usually do beauty, hair. I’m used to showing beautiful girls and very fair skin. (With this) I was able to do more grit, more texture.”
Working with athletes posed a problem but not because of the acting. “They had different schedules, plus they also have practice,” said Alcazaren, but when it came to showing their game faces, the basketball stars didn’t have any problems. James Yap of the Purefoods TJ Giants actually requested for a few retakes because he saw that he lacked “attitude” on screen. And because the basketball players know their own moves, it was easy to compose and choreograph the shots.
Alcazaren also wanted to have as little post-effects as possible. He wanted to go old school. “It has a different feel. The sparks, the fire, it was all live. Probably 80% of what you see was done live,” shared Alcazaren. The little bit of effects were used on the sky, the typography, and the composition of players in the final shot.
So even that flaming basketball was really a flaming basketball? “Yes,” Alcazaren said easily.
But that’s another story.
Credits
Title: Versus
Product: PBA Commisoner’s Cup
Client: TV5 (AKTV Sports Channel)
Agency: Publicis Manila
Creative Directors: Reynaldo Tolentino, Ace Ballesteros
Art Directors: JP Cuison, Gideon Lanot, Nancy Dy, Ariel Santillan
Typographer: JP Cuison
Copywriters: Janine Ramirez, Ace Darrel Ballesteros
Client Services Director: Patrick Tolentino
Account Executive: Carlo Tan
Production House: !Gung Ho Films Manila (Wendy Rolf Campos)
Producer: Sasa Abella, Nino Macavinta
Post-Production: Fluid Post
Post Producer: Mayette de Garriz
Offline Editor: Ike Veneracion
Colorist: Leoby Marquez
Online Artists: Rye dela Cruz, Gerald Feliciano
Director: Mike Alcazaren
Director of Photography: Giboy Vistan
Production Design: Rious Caliso
Assistant Director: Marvel Julian
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