CALTEX LOYALTY
DIRECTOR'S TREATMENT
by Bill Barluet
by Bill Barluet
THE MARTINI SHOT PRESENTS
Loyalty means that, whenever someone needs you, you are there to help.
And you're there just for him.
This is what Caltex does; it's there to support and care for your journey and your experience.
Caltex Loyalty is not just another loyalty program. Ordinary loyalty programs are standardized; like robots, they offer the same services and rewards to anyone. That's not what Caltex has prepared. Caltex's service is unique, because it is designed to make you feel special – and just you. By understanding its clients – through data and intelligence - Caltex manages to respond to every special need and adapt the offer to each person.
Everything is made for you because Caltex understands you – and knows you.
And you're there just for him.
This is what Caltex does; it's there to support and care for your journey and your experience.
Caltex Loyalty is not just another loyalty program. Ordinary loyalty programs are standardized; like robots, they offer the same services and rewards to anyone. That's not what Caltex has prepared. Caltex's service is unique, because it is designed to make you feel special – and just you. By understanding its clients – through data and intelligence - Caltex manages to respond to every special need and adapt the offer to each person.
Everything is made for you because Caltex understands you – and knows you.
I love the main idea behind this loyalty program, because it's very human. In fact, it's the cornerstone of what a real friendship is: being by the side of someone who needs you. Data and technology are used in a good way: to make you feel unique. Which you are.
Of course, first of all the film needs to clearly convey the advantages of choosing Caltex and entering the Loyalty Program. We'll do so by exploiting a very human, warm, and emotional story, told in a cinematographic way. As a director, I believe the right way to create engaging films is to develop human stories you can relate to. If you recognize yourself in the situation you're watching, you understand the message immediately.
My goal is to create a very human commercial that also plays with technology, but only for providing a subtle and authentic moment on the screen.
Of course, first of all the film needs to clearly convey the advantages of choosing Caltex and entering the Loyalty Program. We'll do so by exploiting a very human, warm, and emotional story, told in a cinematographic way. As a director, I believe the right way to create engaging films is to develop human stories you can relate to. If you recognize yourself in the situation you're watching, you understand the message immediately.
My goal is to create a very human commercial that also plays with technology, but only for providing a subtle and authentic moment on the screen.
THE TONE
I think it's paramount to immediately set the right tone for this commercial. As I said, technology surely plays an important role in Caltex's Loyalty Program – that's why our heroes interact with different digital devices, and that's why the assistant appears as a hologram. But I wouldn't stress this element too much. All the elements of a cinematographic language (music, performance, directing and photography) will create human, lighthearted moments, with a slight touch of deadpan humor and great sincerity.
This is what makes these situations so credible. We all know what these people are going through, and that's why we can relate so much to these moments. I strongly believe that even if we tell of a technological product, it's essential to stay close to reality. We are saying that this program is dedicated to each person, that it's not random. So, let's illustrate that by showing true and funny moments of life, real experiences that are enhanced and made unique with a little help from my (Caltex) friends.
This is what makes these situations so credible. We all know what these people are going through, and that's why we can relate so much to these moments. I strongly believe that even if we tell of a technological product, it's essential to stay close to reality. We are saying that this program is dedicated to each person, that it's not random. So, let's illustrate that by showing true and funny moments of life, real experiences that are enhanced and made unique with a little help from my (Caltex) friends.
The film needs to be super clear and simple – without ever being banal or static. The overall tone is warm and human, emotional, with a distinctive touch of deadpan humor. We don't need to push each situation too much, as they are already nice; the humor I'm talking about is very subtle and mainly depends on the minor reactions and expressions of amaze, frustration, and then relief of the heroes, including the hologram assistant.
I will come back to it later on, but that's why I would play with the idea of the hologram in a very subtle way. I love the technological side of the program that it represents. But I don't want it to take too much space, and to overwrite the main creative idea: this program always gives you what You really need.
Because the focus is on you.
Because the focus is on you.
JOURNEYS MADE FOR YOU
In these pages I tell you about the script in my own way, to give you some optional ideas and a draft from my acting direction. Of course, this is but a starting point for a further development with you.
We open on a wide shot of a nice city center street, not too much crowded, a warm light envelops the scene making it look bright, and positive. We glimpse some shops and restaurants, there is a lot of live and vitality. Magic Moments, the very catchy song from Perry Como, kicks in.
We open on a wide shot of a nice city center street, not too much crowded, a warm light envelops the scene making it look bright, and positive. We glimpse some shops and restaurants, there is a lot of live and vitality. Magic Moments, the very catchy song from Perry Como, kicks in.
We move to a medium shot of the city street where we see our couple walking. They are looking for a restaurant for lunch on a smartphone and, apparently, they can really decide. He points at one, she may shake her head, scroll on the phone and point at something else. We focus on them and their cheerful expression, even if they disagree. They pass from one restaurant to another, but they're not capable to decide.
It's important that we see here the transformation of the hologram. It's a hologram when we discover it – there is some minor failure, it buzzes a bit, we see it more "transparent" - but it becomes quite quickly a real human, a proper chef.
It's important that we see here the transformation of the hologram. It's a hologram when we discover it – there is some minor failure, it buzzes a bit, we see it more "transparent" - but it becomes quite quickly a real human, a proper chef.
As I said, this is the only way for me to make the scene works: it appears in a "magical" way (we didn't notice it behind the couple, in the beginning), but then it becomes real and simple. Of course, we can still see some very little hologram remains or little failure, but only minor and subtle details on the silhouette of the man.
The chef is holding a menu to them; on the menu we can clearly read "Monday special"; the chef makes a movement with his and with a smile invites them to enter to his restaurant. The guy and the woman look at each other, they finally agree and follow him.
It's important that we see here the transformation of the hologram. It's a hologram when we discover it – there is some minor failure, it buzzes a bit, we see it more "transparent" - but it becomes quite quickly a real human, a proper chef.
As I said, this is the only way for me to make the scene works: it appears in a "magical" way (we didn't notice it behind the couple, in the beginning), but then it becomes real and simple. Of course, we can still see some very little hologram remains or little failure, but only minor and subtle details on the silhouette of the man.
The chef is holding a menu to them; on the menu we can clearly read "Monday special"; the chef makes a movement with his and with a smile invites them to enter to his restaurant. The guy and the woman look at each other, they finally agree and follow him.
Cut. We are now in a car with the wife. We see her in the foreground, ready to drive, looking at the rear mirror. In the back, we discover her 6 years old son, looking a bit angry, biting his toys, making quite a mess. She looks at him a bit worried and frustrated, when suddenly her phone makes a sound, and a note appears on it – or even better, on the car's dashboard: "It's Wednesday: remember to make the grocery shopping!".
She looks at the message discouraged, sighs and starts driving.
She looks at the message discouraged, sighs and starts driving.
All of a sudden, we see the little toy from the kid flying in the car.
The mother takes a look through the view mirror, and we discover, surprised, the end of the apparition of the hologram. This time the same guy as before is dressed as a supermarket attendant. He has got several bags of grocery around him and takes a goody from one bag: it's a treat that he hands to the kids who is now smiling - of course.
Again, the guy quickly becomes real during the scene, but we can still see some little remains of his hologram nature. Cut back to the mother in the front, who now looks relieved and serene.
The mother takes a look through the view mirror, and we discover, surprised, the end of the apparition of the hologram. This time the same guy as before is dressed as a supermarket attendant. He has got several bags of grocery around him and takes a goody from one bag: it's a treat that he hands to the kids who is now smiling - of course.
Again, the guy quickly becomes real during the scene, but we can still see some little remains of his hologram nature. Cut back to the mother in the front, who now looks relieved and serene.
Cut. We are now in a wide shot on a beautiful countryside landscape, at the end of the day. The reddish, glorious light of magic hour makes the scene even more suggestive and magical.
Cut to a medium shot to see the dad and two of his friends who just finished their bicycle ride and are packing the bike on his car. They are a bit dirty and exhausted, but they all smile, laugh and chat; they all seem to have had a great time together. They hop in the car.
The father hangs his phone to the dashboard of the car, and we can easily read in close up "Saturday 6:00" on it. As he starts his car, we hear the sound of the engine not running; the father looks surprised and checks the dashboard – in reverse shot we see the tank sign running low.
The father looks angry and annoyed - he knows he should have taken care of that earlier, and now they are in the middle of nowhere. He's about to turn and ask his friends for advice when someone suddenly knocks on the window – from outside we see the hologram hand knocking and the surprised father turning to us.
The father hangs his phone to the dashboard of the car, and we can easily read in close up "Saturday 6:00" on it. As he starts his car, we hear the sound of the engine not running; the father looks surprised and checks the dashboard – in reverse shot we see the tank sign running low.
The father looks angry and annoyed - he knows he should have taken care of that earlier, and now they are in the middle of nowhere. He's about to turn and ask his friends for advice when someone suddenly knocks on the window – from outside we see the hologram hand knocking and the surprised father turning to us.
The guy and his friends turn their heads and with a reverse shot we discover the end of the apparition of the hologram. The guy is now dressed as a Caltex pump attendant. He his smiling and ready to help them, holding his gas pump, as if it was all natural.
The father smiles at him and takes his phone. Cut to a close up of the screen as we see him tapping the CaltexGo App, and a hologram of a fuel discount comes out.
VO: Introducing Caltex Rewards. Join, collect Caltex Points, and redeem with exclusive partners every day.
The father smiles at him and takes his phone. Cut to a close up of the screen as we see him tapping the CaltexGo App, and a hologram of a fuel discount comes out.
VO: Introducing Caltex Rewards. Join, collect Caltex Points, and redeem with exclusive partners every day.
Cut back to our car with the friends. The pump attendant now sits in the backseat, chatting and smiling with his new pals. He takes a bike helmet from one of the friends and puts it on his head – he's ready for another ride!
They are all smiling and not surprised anymore, so they drive off happy.
They are all smiling and not surprised anymore, so they drive off happy.
Cut to a wide shot of the car arriving in a Caltex station.
We see the beautiful and modern location in this light of the end of the day.
Maybe the silhouette of a pump attendant approaches the car…
VO: That's joy anytime, anywhere. Because we care.
Caltex Rewards. Joy made for your journey.
We end with Caltex end card.
Supers: Caltex Rewards. Joy made for your journey. CaltexGO, Line, and partner logos
VO: Sign up through our app, with Line or at any Caltex stations.
We see the beautiful and modern location in this light of the end of the day.
Maybe the silhouette of a pump attendant approaches the car…
VO: That's joy anytime, anywhere. Because we care.
Caltex Rewards. Joy made for your journey.
We end with Caltex end card.
Supers: Caltex Rewards. Joy made for your journey. CaltexGO, Line, and partner logos
VO: Sign up through our app, with Line or at any Caltex stations.
NOTES:
I know it's important for Caltex to explain that they offer specific offer on each days, and that's why the days of the week appears in the script.
I believe it's important to keep that simple, and that's why I wonder if it wouldn't be easier to do that with a simple tittle somewhere in the frame.
If I'm thinking about that, it's as always to create a film as fluid and elegant as possible. I would then only shoot the phone screen when it's in order to show the Caltex app and what we are selling. It's only a proposal of course.
I know we have to shoot this Caltex station shot in Singapore or Thailand. That's why I recommend to shoot this graphic and elegant final shot, and to do that remotely from kiev.
It's simple and it gives a good conclusion to the script after the final car scene.
I believe it's important to keep that simple, and that's why I wonder if it wouldn't be easier to do that with a simple tittle somewhere in the frame.
If I'm thinking about that, it's as always to create a film as fluid and elegant as possible. I would then only shoot the phone screen when it's in order to show the Caltex app and what we are selling. It's only a proposal of course.
I know we have to shoot this Caltex station shot in Singapore or Thailand. That's why I recommend to shoot this graphic and elegant final shot, and to do that remotely from kiev.
It's simple and it gives a good conclusion to the script after the final car scene.
LOOK & FEEL
The point is focusing on human emotions and on real situations, that are made more special and unique thanks to the use of Caltex app and the Loyalty Program – and its innovative technology. We'll need a proper cinematographic language to tell these little stories in a suggestive, emotional way, always blinking at a contemporary, eye-catchy look.
The overall approach will be simple and effective. We're portraying a fluid, nice mosaic made of real-life slices caught in action – with the surprising addition of the hologram assistant. Art direction will be fundamental to craft the look of the commercial – visually strong, bold and elegant, with a vivid color palette (maybe with just a few touches to recall the Caltex brand colors), warm colors and textures.
I'm used to exploit natural light as much as possible, as it provides the film with a much more cinematic tone. Magic hour or early evening can help us create a more suggestive look, for example in the final countryside scene. I'd like the idea of exploiting different hours of the day to provide more diversity to the film, and also to let the viewer understand that Caltex is by your side each day of the week, at any time – so the father finishes his bike ride at sunset, mom and kid could go for the grocery early in the morning, while the couple look for a restaurant for lunch, maybe early in the afternoon. Photography will give depth to the environment, making it look real, with a contemporary and cinematographic tone.
As I said about the hologram, I think in this case less is more. Of course, it will be clear, especially in the beginning of his apparition, that he's a hologram, but I won't push too much on this element, since it could distract the viewer from the human side of the service. As it suddenly appears, we may see it a bit transparent, his image buzzes and flutters a bit, there is a minor failure, but then it starts to look exactly like a human being.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
I want the viewer to identify with our protagonists and empathize with them. Of course, our first goal is to make the audience understand how fast and efficient the Caltex Loyalty Program is, and how it is always by your side to make your journey experience special.
Each frame should be immediate, easy to understand. With the first establishing shot we need to understand what's going on, where our protagonists are, and what they're doing. The camera will move in a precise and smooth way. Simple dolly movements and tracking shots will give more dynamism and liveliness to the scene, really getting us close to them, to feel their emotions – doubt, frustration, surprise, relief and joy. I like to tell the film through close-ups on the protagonists, immersing the viewer in the storytelling. In this way, we can appreciate even more those little moments of humor and those witty reactions that make all more human and truer. I'll then balance the live action with some well-studied close ups on props and devices that tell of the Caltex service and help us contextualize the moment (for example by telling the hour or day of the week).
PEOPLE
Your journey, your experience, your loyalty program.
The focus of Caltex's service is you – there's no standardized service because there are no two identical people. And that's why we focus on people.
The focus of Caltex's service is you – there's no standardized service because there are no two identical people. And that's why we focus on people.
Casting is a fundamental aspect of the campaign. The human side I want to show in this film, made of emotional moments, little touches of humor, witty reactions – all of this depends on the performance of the casting. That's why we'll spend all the necessary time to find three actors that really look, interact and connect like a family. I always love to work with actors and take time to get to know them, through casting and callbacks. I'm sure there'll be no problem in organizing them and then shooting with PanAsian actors (from Kazakhstan, for instance). I'm used to shoot with actors from different countries and I'm sure we'll find the actors, and the acting, we need.
The protagonists are husband and wife, a young man and woman, with their kid. They're regular people, good-looking and spontaneous, genuine in their reactions. We can play with them to create some nice and witty moments – made of tiny gestures and expressions. The humor relies on the acting. We play with their performances to tell situations we all know. They must be able to create a real interaction on set – family bond is made of little gestures, expressions and body language, something just the members of the family know. Mom knows what the kid is going through in the backseat, because that vitality is his way to show he's bored (for example). First of all, they must look natural and avoid overacting.
The guy's friends will have the same attitude: it's a group of old-time friends, who share common passions and moments. They all love to go mountain biking – they also have other passions in common, like trekking, or climbing. So, they're all active people, who want to live their free time to the fullest.
And then we have our hologram assistant, of course. He's another protagonist whose acting is fundamental. We'll be looking for a good-looking guy, smart, clever and funny, able to provide the witty expressions we need to create funny little moments – when he wears the bike helmet to feel part of the group, or when he plays with the kid to entertain him. He embodies all the quality of the Caltex Loyalty Program – efficient, reliable, quick, discrete and, most of all, on a human scale.
LOCATION
Locations are crucial to provide that authentic, credible feeling we're looking for. We'll scout nice spots that provide that cinematic feeling we need – well-cared, perfectly illuminated, elegant and premium but not over the top. For example, the restaurant scene could be set in the city center, between nice shops and other restaurants, with modern buildings in the background. In the end, they choose for the recommended restaurant, a welcoming, elegant and modern bistrot, maybe with a nice dehor.
For having been shooting several times in Kiev, I'm not worried about that. I know there are many locations that could work for us.
For having been shooting several times in Kiev, I'm not worried about that. I know there are many locations that could work for us.
Then we have the car, parked, but we may take a glimpse of the surrounding environment so to immerse the whole scene in a much more real atmosphere. Still, we could add just a few details that make the environment look lived – a few toys here and there, some accessories like a purse, or a bag, maybe the kid's football duffle bag in the background. It's a cinematographic environment: it's nice and realistic from a visual point of view and tells us something about the people who live there. |
And about the countryside, of course it'll depend on what we'll scout; I think of a nice green spot, outside the city, maybe next to a little forest, with a gravel pathway, a bit covered in mud, ideal for mountain biking. A suggestive open space that gives us the chance to exploit the sunset properly.
MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN
The track is Perry Como's Magic Moments, which I think is perfect for this film. It's cheerful, dynamic, with a nice rhythm, not too paced, that will perfectly match the edit. Composing the music track for the film we should follow Como's Magic Moments direction to create strong musical support to the video.
I also think sound design is paramount for this film. It adds a cinematic and authentic touch; sound effects give you a sense of reality and make it more interesting. We could hear the traffic noises in the distance, in the beginning, other passersby chatting, the kid playing with toys in the backseat, the footsteps of the friends on gravel and grass, their noises while they pack the bike equipment and so on.
I also think sound design is paramount for this film. It adds a cinematic and authentic touch; sound effects give you a sense of reality and make it more interesting. We could hear the traffic noises in the distance, in the beginning, other passersby chatting, the kid playing with toys in the backseat, the footsteps of the friends on gravel and grass, their noises while they pack the bike equipment and so on.
TO CONCLUDE
I like the little, real stories this film portrays. I really love the idea of making it come to life in a proper cinematographic, cool language, with emotional and humorous situations that make the message even more memorable and engaging for the viewer, stating clear that, wherever you are, whenever you need, Caltex will be there. For you.
By Bill Barluet
on Septembr, 2021
Your production partner in Serbia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan
