mini TREATMENT BY
DYLAN MARANDA
and
SEQUOIA + SUNEEVA
Thanks for the time and trust on this — it means a lot! I think we have a chance to make something here that’s fun, memorable, and engaging — exactly what I hope to mirror in our production process 😉
Side note: pretty fun getting to step into something that’s building long-term characters into something iconic. So here’s to delivering a spot that supports more exploration of these characters.
As always, I consider a (mini) treatment a starting point for discussion, not the be-all and end-all. If anything feels off, let’s get it out there on our kickoff.
All that said— let’s dive in…
Knowing that we are set on our dialogue lines, (which are great) what I feel we can focus on in this spot is giving ourselves the ability to have options when it comes to the charm and sincerity of the physical comedy of the characters.
Quirky, relatable, fun, and a touch of magic. That’s how I see these characters playing off our lovable and approachable Joel.
We are in the early days of bringing these characters to a wider audience. Characters that are going to be around a long time — that’s why I would love to shoot this in a way that gives you the flexibility to really be sure about how we want them to play, and have Joel genuinely react alongside them.
My approach is going to centre around executing our shot coverage to maximize options for punching things up for the characters when they go to be animated after shooting. The more options the better — all while keeping an eye on maintaining a unique visual approach, and using our street and house setting as a canvas to showcase our heroes.
So here’s how that breaks down…
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I believe there’s a way to tell this story in 5 shots —
A sequence that maximizes our time with the characters while giving the Voila Van and groceries the attention they deserve.
Shot 1
The Wide
Our Voila Van in all its glory. We see it parked on a sunny, inviting street. Joel gets out first from the driver’s side, but right after, our characters jump out from every other exit, excitedly heading toward the back to help Joel get the haul of fresh groceries.
Shot 2
Joel, Time To Shine
Smiling and personable, Joel strides down the sidewalk. We track backwards with him on a dolly, seeing him from the waist up as he holds the Voila bags. He takes in the sun peacefully until — he reacts to the hustle and bustle below him!
This is where we can get alts. I want to shoot this waist-up without the characters so we can get different reactions from Joel. No tilt-down allows us flexibility on what reaction we go with, while not being locked into the timing of the camera move.
Shot 3
Our Character Closeup
Revelry ensuing — our characters clamor in excitement to be at the front of the pack. In quick succession, and with their own unique business, they deliver their individual lines. Farm Boy might shine up an apple on his overalls, Nonno’s eyes might widen at all the fresh herbs before she finally sees the basil, and Soccer Mom could give a celebratory fist pump when she sees the price lock sticker on the chicken. This should be the longest shot of the spot — one where we get a memorable moment with each character as they speak.
Shot 4
Step On Up
We see our merry troupe walk up to the door they’re delivering to. I’d love to try and get one shot from a perspective that adds to the humour and stands out as a visual choice — What could be great is if we shoot it from the perspective of the door peephole viewer. The characters could be just tall enough to have the tops of their heads in view, with little Farm Boy jumping up and down trying to reach the doorbell.
Shot 5
The Helping Hand
This is our reverse, where we see our band of characters waiting at the door with their backs turned. After a couple of awkward jumps from Farm Boy, Joel kindly reaches down and grabs him mid-jump by an overall strap** — helping him up to ding the doorbell at the right height. Maybe there’s a sheepish “Thanks!” from Farm Boy or a helpful fist bump. Either way, this is the last shot of our group before the end card — so let’s give ourselves some options for a cute moment to end with!
**A note from post
I know this is going to be tough to pull off in post production with regard to Joel interacting with the characters in a believable way. I have an idea involving Nonno helping him — let’s chat about it on the call.
Let’s chat more — I want to ensure everyone is as excited by this approach as I am!
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There are two key areas I want to focus on when it comes to how we should tackle the visuals: lighting it in a way that is warm, inviting, and suggests growth — and tasteful camera movement, making the world our characters step into feel that much more real.
Camera movement is always important when it comes to this. Handheld is too much in this case, but static suggests the easy way out when working with animated characters. I think committing to two tasteful tracking shots is a lovely middle ground. Where we see these characters come to life, interact with Joel, and tell us a story is exactly where the camera should move similarly. This, combined with a story-driven choice like the door peephole, allows us to make memorable visual choices without going overboard.
Regarding lighting, I think we’re totally aligned from the call — a sunny day is paramount. That said, I want to soften the light so it doesn’t feel like scorching sun on a hot summer day. The rich tungsten of the sunlight and the healthy greens of the surrounding foliage should work together to justify just how perfect, fresh, and in-season the produce filling our bags is.
Mack Calistan is a longtime collaborator of mine, with experience integrating VFX shots and lighting warm, inviting exteriors in a way that doesn’t feel overly vanilla, blown out, or cookie cutter. We have a shorthand that will be perfect for a shoot like this — where efficiency is key to making our day.
Can’t wait to put our heads together on these elements in our follow-up.
Approachable, inviting, and with a hit of colour or character — that’s how I see our neighbourhood and house.
Love the idea of a bit of life in the BG. Perhaps some nice greenery and a lush garden to accent the sides of the frame might go over well.
One thing that might be nice is a single, thoughtful piece of production design that gives us a hint at the type of person who lives here. Maybe it’s a funky door knocker — or instead of the classic red door, maybe it’s painted a “Voila Blue.”
Either way, let’s make sure our house is as tasteful and memorable as our spot.
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