TREATMENT BY
DYLAN MARANDA
and
WILDGIFT
It really means a lot to be able to pitch for you guys.
While this is the first time we've had the prospect of working together as individuals, the working relationship I've built with Mischief is one I deeply treasure.
The environment of mutual trust and respect for the craft has allowed, what I feel, is true collaboration to create some amazing work.
This is a great idea—elegant, visual, refined, and memorable. All the things I love to reflect in my filmmaking practice. But know that with every treatment of mine, I see it as only the start of a conversation, not the be-all and end-all. If something feels off in here, let's make sure to jam on it and find the right fit when we chat again.
All that said, let's dive in...
💫
It’s a table that always has room for one more.
It’s a never-ending stream of stories.
It’s an appreciation for ritual, and a willingness to slow down.
Dolce far niente—
The sweetness of doing nothing.
The golden light of aperitivo. The sharing of time together.
The everyday worth savouring. The light through a glass. The laugh at a joke. The making of new friends.
Aspirational styling. Thoughtful place settings. Meaningful food pairings.
But just because we might not be in Italy—
doesn't mean we can't drink like we are…
🇮🇹
The central anchor of this spot is to immerse the viewer in the Italian style of drinking across both of our settings—creating a painterly film that wows as a visual feast for the eyes, while also telling the story of a group of friends who embody drinking and gathering in the Italian way, the Peroni way.
Yes, there are two worlds—an "Italian World" and an "American World"—but there is Italy across all of it.
The American world already contains the DNA of Italy. The transition simply amplifies it.
But how does that translate from a filmmaking perspective? Well, let's chat through it.
Knowing these are 15s, we don't have a ton of time to work with—but I see that as an opportunity. To me, 15s present the chance to make a bold filmmaking choice.
In the case of our films, the choice I'd like to make?
Making our final frame—the "Italian World"—a single dolly shot, serving as the payoff for how we set up our story in the "American World."
Our American world is where we have our locked-off, quick-paced, unconventional framing. These are the story beats. They show the little things that make this group and this moment. We can talk through the individual elements in each script, but for both, I think it should feel like an "Italian night" amongst this group.
All the little things begin to add up: the hand movements during a story, a look between friends, a moment of bliss, the food pairings, our brand blue peeking out between elements. The light. The objects on the table. The moments in between. These are the shots that begin our spot...
And then, our beer.
"YOU MIGHT NOT BE IN ITALY"
It's with the formal introduction of our Peroni bottles, as we arrive at our wide shot—the shot that finally brings our characters together, beers being handed around amongst friends—that we begin our dolly move.
That long, slow push in, still feeling the scene around us, but easing into that beautiful label and bottle.
Our shot lands on the label, and we begin to feel our transition (more on how that looks later!).
The lighting changes. We are somewhere new, but the bottle is the same.
"BUT YOU CAN DRINK LIKE YOU ARE"
We begin to dolly out. The details of the table are the same—the little hints of Italy we saw before.
Wider now, we see that all of our characters are the same, dressed in the same Italian-inspired wardrobe.
Wider again, and we finally get to soak in this incredible location. We don't need to cut to detail—we've already seen the little things that make this world feel like Italy. Now we simply get the chance to live in this wide shot.
A full display of a beautiful Italian scene, perfect in every way.
SCRIPTS
BACKYARD BOTTLES
A macro shot of a table, clad in empty dinnerware, the edge of a bowl of lemons. We can see the shadows of a group of friends swaying across the table. We hear the revelry. A bottle cap lands and spins on the surface. A hand places a bottle opener, its colours those of the Italian flag, on the table.
We cut to a low angle of a garden of herbs. Through the out-of-focus greenery, we see two friends sharing a laugh in summer garb. Blue linen shirts holding bottles of beer. A third friend kneels down into view and cuts a clump of fresh basil.
Flash cuts. Another laugh, oohs and aahs as dishes are placed down, a friendly grab of a shoulder.
“YOU MIGHT NOT BE IN ITALY…”
We cut to our wide— it’s THE PERFECT GARDEN PARTY, now bathed in the warmth of hanging tungsten lights amidst the blue of dusk.
We begin to dolly in as the 3 friends toast. They put their bottles down, one in the perfect position in centre frame.
They begin to enjoy their dinner, hand gestures galore. Still dollying in as we land on— THE PERFECT PERONI BOTTLE.
As we hold still on the label, the background out of focus, it morphs; the light changes.
“…BUT YOU CAN DRINK LIKE YOU ARE”
We begin to dolly back out again; the same friends are there. Same clothes, same revelry, same meal, only now…
They sit in the perfect ITALIAN PIAZZA.
“PERONI, DRINK ITALIAN STYLE”
We cut to a low angle of a garden of herbs. Through the out-of-focus greenery, we see two friends sharing a laugh in summer garb. Blue linen shirts holding bottles of beer. A third friend kneels down into view and cuts a clump of fresh basil.
Flash cuts. Another laugh, oohs and aahs as dishes are placed down, a friendly grab of a shoulder.
“YOU MIGHT NOT BE IN ITALY…”
We cut to our wide— it’s THE PERFECT GARDEN PARTY, now bathed in the warmth of hanging tungsten lights amidst the blue of dusk.
We begin to dolly in as the 3 friends toast. They put their bottles down, one in the perfect position in centre frame.
They begin to enjoy their dinner, hand gestures galore. Still dollying in as we land on— THE PERFECT PERONI BOTTLE.
As we hold still on the label, the background out of focus, it morphs; the light changes.
“…BUT YOU CAN DRINK LIKE YOU ARE”
We begin to dolly back out again; the same friends are there. Same clothes, same revelry, same meal, only now…
They sit in the perfect ITALIAN PIAZZA.
“PERONI, DRINK ITALIAN STYLE”
SEASIDE
We open on a tranquil shot of someone napping on a pool deck; shadows from a nearby tree sway over their face. A copy of The Divine Comedy draped open on their chest.
A SPLASH of water sounds as another pool-goer jumps in, waking the napper with a slight spray, no harm, no foul.
We cut to a higher angle to see the pool, above a blue striped umbrella; someone swims under the rippling water and surfaces. There’s a blue and white beach ball that they grab and toss towards the person napping.
“YOU MIGHT NOT BE IN ITALY…”
We cut to see the napper react to the teasing, a laugh. Then down the steps, a friend joins, bearing a case of Peroni— much excitement.
A wide shot now of the group as they gather around a blue beach chair. They begin to split and open the bottles.
We begin the dolly in as they toast. One places the bottle on a side table by the chair.
“… BUT YOU CAN DRINK LIKE YOU ARE”
We dolly closer, landing on this PERFECT PERONI BOTTLE.
As we hold still on the label, the background out of focus, it morphs; the light changes.
It’s brighter, bluer… We continue to dolly out. The friends are gathered in the same way, same clothes— but now there are multiple of the familiar blue chairs and umbrellas… and sand, and sun, and warmth.
They are at the perfect MEDITERRANEAN SEASIDE.
“PERONI, DRINK ITALIAN STYLE”
A SPLASH of water sounds as another pool-goer jumps in, waking the napper with a slight spray, no harm, no foul.
We cut to a higher angle to see the pool, above a blue striped umbrella; someone swims under the rippling water and surfaces. There’s a blue and white beach ball that they grab and toss towards the person napping.
“YOU MIGHT NOT BE IN ITALY…”
We cut to see the napper react to the teasing, a laugh. Then down the steps, a friend joins, bearing a case of Peroni— much excitement.
A wide shot now of the group as they gather around a blue beach chair. They begin to split and open the bottles.
We begin the dolly in as they toast. One places the bottle on a side table by the chair.
“… BUT YOU CAN DRINK LIKE YOU ARE”
We dolly closer, landing on this PERFECT PERONI BOTTLE.
As we hold still on the label, the background out of focus, it morphs; the light changes.
It’s brighter, bluer… We continue to dolly out. The friends are gathered in the same way, same clothes— but now there are multiple of the familiar blue chairs and umbrellas… and sand, and sun, and warmth.
They are at the perfect MEDITERRANEAN SEASIDE.
“PERONI, DRINK ITALIAN STYLE”
While it's two locations, the transition between our American and Italian worlds shouldn't feel like we've broken the story in two... It should feel like we've revealed where the story was always heading. Italy is the payoff, but the setup begins in our American scene.
The key to connecting these worlds is production design.
Linen shirts, lemons catching the afternoon light, thoughtful table settings, touches of Peroni blue woven naturally throughout the frame. Maybe it's our characters wearing rigato jewellery, a Venetian glass bowl on the table, majolica place settings, or even a classy bottle opener bearing the Italian flag.
These are the details that give our American setting an Italian soul.
It sets us up for our payoff... The seeds are planted.
Our dolly into the bottle begins...