Ted Royer’s Cannes Diary – Day One & Two
Droga5New York ECD Ted Royer is on this year’s Cannes Lions Film & Cinemajury. In exchange for free beers he agreed to be Campaign Brief Asia’seyes on the jury. Here he gives his observations on the judging.
DAY ONE
I’venoticed that any time someone writes a “diary” from Cannes or TheAndy’s or wherever, they always start by subtly bragging. They say howintimidating it is to be on a jury with such great people, and howwonderful it is just to be in the presence of such talented creative.But what the writer really means is that by extension he or she iswonderful and talented. See how that works? So here goes:
It issuch an honor to be among such great and talented creatives on thehighly prestigious and intimidating Cannes Film Jury. Only the verybest wonderful and talented judges here. Etc.
Now a few stats:film entries are down by about 1,000 over last year. Attendance is downby 40% or so. And everyone’s talking about it being a “down” year. Butif you think that attendance was even less in 2003 than it was thisyear, it doesn’t seem so down after all.
That said, things have changed here, and they’ll never be the sameagain. Film used to be the undisputed king of the show. And while it’sstill up there, winning other categories has pulled right along side interms of prestige. Titanium is the one everyone really talks about(probably because of it’s rarity).
However, a great film is still a great film. And still hard to getexactly right. And now we have web films, long form, ads, installationvids, the works. Lots of formats, lots of options.
For the first few days they’ve split the wonderful and talented bunchof us into three groups, so I haven’t had a chance to see everything.But what I have seen is less than inspiring. And the judges in theother groups are all saying the same things.
There are a few formulas that get repeated over and over again, So Iwill list a few of these formulas in the hope that anyone reading thiswill never repeat them again. I urge any creatives out there readingthis not to ever again write the following ads:
1. A product (usually a laptop or cell phone) magically transforms theworld or a city (usually by using light) and everyone gets happy.
2. A person (usually a child) smiles and runs through a city. Then thatperson get joined by more people, all smiling and running, then a hugecrowd gathers, all smiling and running, Then we see them begin to”create” something out of everyday objects. Then we see a long distanceshot of the “creating ” something, usually from a car window. Then adog watches them. Then they step back and admire what they’ve created(usually a big logo).
3. People are depressed. Then it rains a food product or drink product from the sky. People get happy.
4. A guy in an office wants a product so badly he does something reallystupid to get it. Everyone else watches with deadpan looks on theirfaces.
Please don’t write these ads. Please.
DAY TWO
Still divided into groups. But things are moving a long nicely.
I’mseriously depressed, because we watched Public Service today. Damn.Child soldiers, land mines, cancer. I know these are extremelyimportant causes to fight for and bravo for those who gave their timeand support to these, but seeing them all at once like that makes onewant to curl up in a ball and weep. Some really good stand-outs in thecategory. It should be nice. Creatives seem to have a real penchant fortelling stories in animation, which, while sometimes beautiful, causesthe viewer to become really detached from the problem. I’m just saying.
It’s tough watching this because you sympathize for the problemin these ads, but have to vote for the idea, not the organization. So alot of this work might actually get me to donate, but that doesn’t meanthe creative solution is worthy of a lion.
And for Public Service, the things that really seem to get us wonderfuland talented judges buzzing are the spots that offer easy ways to help,not just depictions of the problems. People want to be armed with a wayto behave or act, not just asked to donate.
Also shimmering mandolin soundtracks seem really, really popular when you want to make people sad.
Then we saw categories for alcoholic drinks and candy. I guess theythought we needed that after all the public service. Some funny stuff,but there seems to be echoes of skittles everywhere, and few thingsthat match that high standard.
Happiness Factory has had quite an impact around the world becausethere are more than a few animated spectacles with huge crowds of happycharacters all marching happily in support of whatever product they’reselling. Happiness Factory was great, but these imitators seem a bitcreepy, kind of like watching parade footage from facist dictatorships.
More raining food spots. I’m sure tomorrow will be better.