Branding Film Created by Direct Response Agency for New Telecommunications Product

For direct response agency LKH&S, I was brought on as Producer to implement a challenging two-week production schedule for client "ewireless" to promote their new #333 telecommunications service. Advertisers who sign up for #333 no longer need a long 800 number for consumer access if dialed through a wireless phone and the call is free to the consumer. The goal was to create a dynamic sales presentation which would introduce CEO Dean Becker and the product before a live audience to potential advertising agencies and clients to sign up for the #333 service.
"What Is #333?" was inspired by the movie The Matrix using a mixture of complicated special effects, live action, real people interviews and technology-based graphics to show that consumers are bombarded with numbers and can only remember limited information. The consumer's recall increases with a shorter number like #333 to remember which, in turn, increases the advertiser's response rate.

The real people interviews were shot in the Gold Coast area with actress, Helen O'Brien, asking passers by a series of memory-test questions a la Matrix' Carrie Ann Moss style. The studio shoot was done on a stark, white cyc with actor, Mark Montgomery, an old-fashioned radio and a leather chair discussing the product benefits appearing unfazed as special effects go on around him.
Winner of 2001 Chicago Assoc. of Direct Marketing Tempo Award.
Winner of 2001 Summit Creative Awards

DVD was used for live audience presentations for impact and CD-Roms were created for brochure leave behinds and for mail distributions. The sound track was done film style with sound effects and noises playing more of a part than the techno-industrial music track itself. The edit was done in letter-box style with supers below for readability.

A huge thank you to all who worked around the clock to meet the challenging two schedule with a holiday weekend!
Agency: LKH&S
Creative Dir.: Sam Kirshenbaum
ACD/Art Dir.: Joe D'Adamo
Senior Writer: David Howell
Producer: Shirley Feldmann
Production Co.: Folding Pictures
Director: David Seman
Casting Dir.: Kate Mattson
Post Production: Post Effects
Post Supv.: Laura Coleman
Creative Editor: Ed Pickart
Graphics Supv.: Casey Stockdon
Special Effects: Brian Check
Animation: Justin Zion
Sound Design: Tom Blakemore
Technical Supv.: David Blum
WHAT IS #333?
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NEWS CLIPS/ARTICLES:

"Seman, Feldmann pair on projects;" Reprint from: Screen Magazine Sept. 18-25, 2000.