Creativity in focus

Having full creative license to develop and produce a commercial for a household brand is a rare opportunity for students, but once again, the cohort in Whitireia Community Polytechnic Limited’s New Zealand Diploma in Screen Production (Level 6) has risen to the challenge.

Resene Colour In Frame is an initiative designed to give aspiring filmmakers hands-on experience in the world of advertising. Whitireia screen production students are challenged to create short, engaging ads that showcase the power of colour and creativity as part of an in-house competition. Students take on every aspect of production – from concept development and scriptwriting to acting, directing and editing.

Out of the pitches submitted to the most recent competition, four unique and impressive commercials were developed. While each one embodies a fresh, youthful perspective on paint and colour that aligns with Resene’s passion for innovation – the theme of this year’s brief – it was Blake Johnson’s concept that stood out for its storytelling and execution. The ad showcases a series of quintessentially Kiwi inventions, such as Number 8 wire, one of Pearse’s flying machines and the cement mixer where the first Resene products were produced by company founder, Ted Nightingale.

Blake’s project was a truly collaborative effort, with the entire class contributing to the ad’s success. From scripting to costume design to set construction and filming, the students worked together to craft a polished and professional advertisement that embodies ingenuity and creativity to channel the attitude of innovation that the project’s theme inspired. Several of Blake’s classmates were even cast as the on-screen talent; Bryce Blackmore played the father and provided the voiceover, Lilah Sayers played the daughter, Brock Oliver played the farmer and Jonathan Bayliss played the scientist.

“We all had roles on each of the four commercials,” explains Blake. “It worked out well because even if your commercial pitch didn't get chosen, you'd still end up with at least one sizeable role in the production.”

Those who have never worked in the film or advertising industries likely underestimate the effort that goes into making a 30-second commercial, but for Blake, the biggest challenge was aligning his expectations to the project constraints. “I always struggle with reining myself in when it comes to scale, and this commercial was certainly no exception,” he says. “Trying to squeeze several location shoots into what essentially amounted to under a day and a half of shooting was a mish. Plus, we had to rely on the convenient timing of a super moon to capture the moon shots, and the green bedroom used in the commercial was not actually a bedroom. It was a set that took many a long day to put together, and all in all, I feel like it turned out pretty sweet.”

Several Resene products were used to produce the ad, including Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen to paint the sets and Resene FilmPro Digital Green for the segments where a different background image was added. Resene FilmPro professional set paint is a tough 100% acrylic flat finish designed to colour and enhance sets alongside other popular Resene FX and paint finishes.

Blake’s favourite part of the project was working together to bring each of the ideas to life. “It allowed me to meet and work with a lot of really cool and talented people, which I'm quite grateful for,” he says. “It's a great feeling to be in a space where everyone's on the same wavelength as you; everyone just wants to create. I am quite proud of how it all turned out – the result of months of hard work, blood, sweat, tears and bile from all of us.”

Blake also expressed his gratitude to his classmates, mentors and Resene for making the project a success. “A big thank you to everyone who contributed – you killed it! Another big thanks to Bret and Mark for being so dedicated to passing on their knowledge and enabling us to create. And one more big, big thanks to Resene for giving us the chance to get some real-world industry experience. Thank you heaps!”

Bret Nichols, who has been a Screen Production Tutor at Whitireia for three years and in the film industry for 40 years, provided mentorship to the Level 6 students throughout the competition. He says he felt like a nervous parent until filming got underway. “When I saw the first day's footage being filmed, I started to relax. They had it all under control and really knew how to turn their visions into reality and I was there just to guide them through the process. Blake had the strongest vision. It truly was based on the history of Resene and how Kiwis have ingenuity. From the storyboard script to the final edit, he knew what he wanted. Plus, I was also very impressed with how Resene was able to communicate feedback to the ākonga (students) during the whole process. It was such valuable experience to have for these young filmmakers,” Bret says.

“Resene is just brilliant for supporting the local community with letting students do these projects and make these ads. The team was so nice to work with all the way from the local Resene ColorShop staff to upper-level management – just an awesome group of people – and that’s why Resene is such a great, iconic Kiwi brand,” he adds.

Once filming on the Resene Colour in Frame project wraps, the ads are professionally produced and will be shown online – giving these budding filmmakers the incredible opportunity to see their work reach a wide audience. For Blake, the project will certainly be a portfolio piece that he can show off as he embarks on his emerging career.

“Growing up in Upper Hutt, my friends and I would make little skits and short films. We'd chuck them up on YouTube, sit back and imagine hundreds of thousands of viewers would roll in to admire our work – but we’d be lucky to get ten views. From there, I took Year 12 and 13 Media Studies, which further fostered my passion. It took some years for me to eventually let go of my ‘don't pursue your passion, it might not work out’ mindset. After college, I kept putting it off and off, almost scared to pursue what I was truly passionate about. But I got to the point where I felt I should take a stab at it and if it goes wrong, then at least I wouldn't regret not trying,” he says.

Now that Blake has completed his programme at Whitireia, he plans on applying his newly developed skills to real-world films. “I hope to get some industry experience, get onto some sets and see where that takes me. At the same time, I'm determined not to neglect my own ideas. Ultimately, I just want to keep creating.”

As the Resene Colour In Frame competition continues to provide young filmmakers with real-world experience and industry exposure, we look forward to more projects that reveal new talent, fresh perspectives and unexpected ways to showcase the power of colour in storytelling. And as Blake and his classmates have clearly demonstrated, when creativity meets colour, the results can be both inspiring and entertaining.

› Watch Blake’s ad and check out the other Resene Colour In Frame projects at www.resene.co.nz/colour-in-frame. To find out more about Whitireia’s film studies programmes, visit www.whitireiaweltec.ac.nz.

Colours and products mentioned in this article...

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