WORDS, VISUALS, LAYOUT BY

SCOTT KENEALLY

HELLO! First things first, THANK YOU for bringing me into the mix. This project is right up my alley. Not only does it play to my strengths and sensibilities as a filmmaker, it appeals to my endless fascination with subcultures. It’s hard to find a crowd that’s more obsessive and excitable than hard core fantasy football players. And I love the intense camaraderie, competitiveness — and comedy! — it fosters. It’s comedic gold, and I know exactly how to mine the humor.

That said, I’d like to dive into the various elements of my approach.

Starting with…

CASTING & PERFORMANCE

It’s impossible to overstate the importance of great casting in a campaign like this. Paramount to all other aspects of the production, these spots will ultimately succeed based upon the performances of the actors. 

We’re looking for regular dudes from a variety of backgrounds. Mid-20s to early 30s. They're on the right side of the looks spectrum, but definitely not too good looking. They have interesting faces and memorable features. They’re real, relatable and instantly likable. These are people we know and hang out with.

I’m always looking for actors who can play the comedic gamut… from naturalistic to highly inflected… from believable to broad. I find that the more versatile they are, the more open they are to the moment.

The scripted lines are great, but whenever possible, I love to work with talented improvisational actors, as they always bring something special to the proceedings.  Through my connections with Upright Citizens Brigade and The Groundlings, along with a fairly thorough casting process, we will be sure to have many gifted actors from which to choose.

In terms of WHO these characters are, simply put, they’re the best of friends… thick as thieves. Their friendship has been forged by much more than fantasy football. They went to the same school… lived in the same dorm… dated the same girls… hated the same teachers. They share a quick wit and shorthand humor, and take great pleasure in calling each other out.

Their social hierarchy is egalitarian… akin to a game of Jenga. Nobody rides high for too long. Someone always steps up to tear you down… reminding you that you’re a bedwetter or have bad breath or questionable taste in movies.

But if there’s one person who consistently tries to be the leader of the pack, it’s Jeff. He feels a little superior. He’s the kind of guy that does a Tough Mudder and doesn’t shut up about it.

Terry is hopelessly out of touch. He’s given to flights of fancy. He plays didgeridoo didgeri-dont. He reads Rimbaud in the original French and goes to poetry slams. He has a history of ridiculous facial hair.

So when Terry blows the fantasy draft, his friends are relentless. They never miss a chance to remind him. And they never will. This is a running joke that will never tire. It’s his Scarlett Letter. (One of them, anyway.)

We will be shooting the same bunch of guys in both spots. We’ll see Steve and Terry in the background of ‘Fantasy Fantasy.’ And we’ll see Jeff in the background of ‘Drafter’s Remorse.’ It will be fun for the audience to notice the guys from the other spots and make it feel like a more cohesive campaign.

LOOK & FEEL

Comedy has traditionally been the bastard stepchild with regard to cinematography, and to be honest, I have no idea why. There’s no real functional reason, or good explanation for why most comedic content feels over-lit, flat and dull. We don’t want any of that.

I like to transport viewers with frames that feel filmic and artful. Great attention will be paid to composition, lighting, camera moves - and I’ll bump up the contrast - to ensure every frame looks rich, cinematic and striking. The goal is to transport the viewers into the fantasy, so to speak.

Though our boardroom and Wild Wings scenes are filmed differently, one as fantasy and the other reality, they should both feel awesome.

In the the boardroom, everything is fluid, slow mo, exaggerated, glossy and over-the-top. The boardroom is like something out of Spectre… with the outrageous propping of a hip hop video.

Wild Wings, on the other hand, will be handheld. There’s a palpable energy and excitement. People are screaming. The camera has movement and momentum. Still, it will look striking, cinematic, amazing.

(Note: I know you wanted to use a visual hook like a cloud mortise to denote the boardroom is a dream, but I’d actually prefer not to do that. If we immediately know it's fantasy, I don't think the moments will play as comedically, and the transition to reality will be less funny and impactful as well.)

FANTASY FANTASY

This is a really fun one. We open in Jeff’s daydream… and not surprisingly, he’s the center of the universe… even Antonio Brown’s. He’s treated like royalty from the NFL star as his friends look on in stunned silence, their faces betraying a mix of shock and awe.

Jeff is lapping it up… playing the part. And we can really play with fun facial expressions. For instance, when Antonio serves him Pepsi, he turns to his friends with a withering stare as if to say:

PEPSI IS THE GREATEST THING EVER AND NO YOU CAN’T HAVE ANY… YOU PLEBES.

Again, it comes down to great casting. We want Jeff to try different performances so that we have options in the edit.

DRAFTER’S REMORSE

Terry blew it… plain and simple. He didn’t draft Antonio Brown, and this was a pretty dumb move.

He knows it. His friends know it. And whenever Antonio Brown scores a touchdown, he feels it. The Buffalo Wild Wings crowd roars; Jeff cringes. His friends look at him as if to say ‘Dumbass!’

Antonio Brown looks at him as if to say, ‘How could you?’ I love the idea of our superstar being bummed out that Terry didn’t draft him. It’s really funny. Especially if the humor is bone dry.

Antonio’s expressions or body language shouldn’t feel over-the-top or exaggerated. Less is more in this case. The very fact he’s not celebrating his successes with the raucous crowd is funny enough.

THANKS AGAIN! I would absolutely love to direct this campaign.  The more I think about it, the more excited I become. This kind of comedy is right up my alley, and I’m thrilled by the opportunity to work with you to bring it to life.

Let’s talk soon!