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Introduction

The ‘Sleeping Beauty’ script all revolved around a beautiful European village square complete with a tower and fountain.

During the quoting process we knew that we had to find this village to be accurate with our costs and creative approach.

I’ve forgotten how many Production Companies we contacted all over the world, trying to find this perfect location, it was quite a few.

I can remember looking through so many location photographs, but when I saw the little square in Viterbo, Italy, I knew I had found the perfect location.

So that is where we quoted, and it was the perfect location for the storytelling.

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Casting

We had the most amazing Line Production Company in Rome helping us,

Cineroma, and we used all local crew except for the DOP, Jeremy Rouse who travelled from Australia for the shoot.

The casting was done remotely and re-call sessions by Skype for all the lead roles. This works extremely well, it means I can Direct the cast during the session which is very important.

I’m thrilled with the authentic looks and personalities we were able to feature in this commercial.

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The Magic of Art Department

A grand entrance

When a location is 80% perfect, you need a great Production Designer, and mine was Tonino Zera, to come in and add that extra wow factor so that everything looks perfect for the film and storytelling.

The Tower did not have a beautiful doorway where we needed it.

So Tonino designed a fake one and it was covered in artificial vines and flowers and was very real and convincing.

Obviously the doors were up against the stone wall of the Tower, but if the door was open and a character was moving towards it, no one would question its authenticity.

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The tower before  and after its artistic transformation

 

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sleeping beauty’s bedroom

When you are in Italy everything is stunningly beautiful. We were very lucky to be able to film in this empty villa.

I chose this particular room because it offered a lot of gorgeous details, but the doorway was not quite where I wanted it for our compositions and lighting, so the wardrobe doors were used as our doorway. Once again it is very convincing in the commercial, but extremely funny whilst we were filming. Our cast were walking and hiding inside a wardrobe.

We also propped the whole room with very simple furniture and bed, just enough to make it feel cosy, and uncluttered.

Soft gauzy fabric on the bed and for the full length curtains helped create a beautiful fresh atmospheric mood.

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Sleeping Beauty’s bedroom

 

The rooms we didn’t choose...

We were so lucky to be filming in this incredible Villa, and even though we used one of the smaller, less grand rooms on the upper floor, we did get to spend a privileged day amongst the paintings and architecture and gardens.

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Directing...

and adjusting props…can’t help but be part of the Art Department.

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Acknowledgments

I loved every moment of this project. The script was written beautifully, thank you Lizzie from M&C Saatchi, Sydney and it was an opportunity to show my skills at strong cinematic visual storytelling.

I felt every part of this commercial is right, the locations, the casting, the wardrobe and art department. Jeremy photographed it so beautifully, it has such a warm  atmospheric mood.

Thank you Moccona for being a wonderful client.

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Agency - M&C Saatchi, Sydney

EXE CD - Ben Welsh

Senior Copywriter - Lizzie O’Hara-Boyce

Senior Art Director - Paul Gregson

Head of TV & Content - Rod James

Production Company - Window Productions, Sydney

Director - Tracey Rowe

Executive Producer - Mike Salter

Producer - Bonnie Fay

Service Company - Cineroma, Rome

DOP - Jeremy Rouse

Post - FSM, Sydney

Editor - Alissa Dedman

 

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